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Be Prepared |
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As June begins another hurricane season, safety lessons may be learned from other hospitals that withstood natural disasters, most recently the tornadoes in the Midwest. In 2012, an E5 tornado hit St. John's Regional Medical Center, killing five patients and one visitor. The tornado was not the only natural disaster in Missouri recently; the state has suffered blizzards and floods as well. Lessons learned:
- Communications are often chaotic; normal mechanisms are not always in place. A hospital in Arkansas lost all phones, cell carriers and its HAM radio antenna, all at the same time.
- Be ready for anything. Charleston may always think "hurricane" for disaster, but we are also vulnerable to earthquakes, floods and tornadoes.
- Prepare for more patients with less staff.
- Staff should participate in regular emergency drills and know their role. MUSC staff should be familiar with the contents on the Emergency Management Toolbox
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