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Reza Askari, MD, and Aaron Skolnik, MD, plan a strategy during Operation Falcon.
BWH was among Boston-area hospitals and local authorities to take part in an emergency preparedness exercise on March 31. Operation Falcon II, which tested the responsiveness of emergency personnel in case of a disaster, was based upon a hypothetical scenario in which a building collapse in the Fenway neighborhood area was followed by an explosion and fire.
“It is increasingly important that BWH exercises its emergency plans, as we have seen various situations locally and worldwide that can overwhelm the entire health care systems during a major incident,” said Barry Wante, director of Emergency Management.
On the morning of the exercise, each hospital participating in Operation Falcon II learned of the scenario and laid out what they would do to prepare to receive an influx of disaster victims. At BWH, a staff of more than 100 people from various departments, including the Emergency Department, Operating Rooms, Blood Bank, Surgical Services (Burn/Trauma), Anesthesiology, Patient Access Services and Central Transport, participated in the four-hour exercise.
Participants attempted to work through the scenario as it evolved, as if the situation were actually occurring.
“Exercises like these assist BWH in identifying gaps in response plans or resources, but even more importantly, they enable staff to practice in an environment that allows them to build confidence in knowing they can respond effectively and safely and deliver critical patient care when a real incident occurs,” Wante said.
The city-wide Operation Falcon exercise is one of many efforts at BWH to ensure preparedness for emergencies. Routinely, departments work with the Center for Emergency Preparedness and the Security Department to review their emergency preparedness plans, said Bob Donaghue, operations manager in Security and Parking, who recently spent time with NICU staff walking though their evacuation plan during a tabletop exercise.
“We encourage every department to take a look at their plan to make sure it is up-to-date and that every employee knows what it entails,” said Donaghue.
NICU staff walk through their evacuation plan during a tabletop exercise.