Are we prepared for a natural disaster? – The OHSU Effect

With Hurricane Sandy on everyone’s minds, it’s a good time to look locally at how we are prepared for an unfortunate event such as a natural disaster. Not only is it important to make sure our friends and family are prepared, it’s important that our hospitals are prepared for a crisis as well. While we may not get hurricanes in Portland, we are still at risk for adverse weather, earthquakes, and biological crises that we need to be ready for.

 

On OHSU’s blog 96k, Dr. Robert Hendrickson, medical director of OHSU’s emergency management program, recently shared some of the actions they take to prepare for disasters. OHSU has planned and trained for crises for more than a decade, including a well-trained team of high-level decision makers that is always on call to make rapid decisions in a disaster, and disaster and emergency exercises more than twice a year. OHSU also exercised their hospital evacuation plan last year and plans to do so again this year.  As we saw in New York and the evacuation of over 215 patients due to Sandy, a well planned evacuation plan is a necessity in chaotic times of crisis.

Find out how OHSU is prepared at OHSU’s 96k.

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