Today was one of those days that drain you, despite how interesting it played out. I’m on the disaster committee team and twice a year we plan a big disaster drill for the hospital. Sometimes it includes the entire community, sometimes it just the hospital. We spend weeks and months planning this exercise in pushing the limits of our capabilities to prepare for the disasters that nature inevitably visits upon the world.
It’s only been two and half years since a tornado tore through our city and killed twenty-five. We learned then what happens in reality and what happen in a drill are quite different things. You might be surprised when I qualify that statement to mean it works better in reality than in a drill…at least short term. The hospital staff hates the drills; it’s just another pain in their fanny’s. In reality people pour in to help when a disaster happens.
To help make it seem more real, we go the route of moulage. We go to great lengths to have our volunteers looking injured and even encourage a bit of acting for the talented. I had to keep the smile off my face when one of them came off the ambulance crying out. “Where’s my baby, bring me my baby!” An Emmy winning daytime performance.
I went to work yesterday and realized the drill was today. I also remembered that my niece’s bf was in town this week and I called to see if he wanted to participate. He is a charming young man, in his last year of nursing school. So, I swung by a little after six am and picked him up and hoped they could use him. As luck would have it, a couple of volunteers did not make it.
Initially he was going to be a jet fuel induced asthma victim, but one of the moulage victims fell out and I used my minimal power to slide him in as a substitute. We headed to the make up room and were soon surrounded by twelve other victims, all part of the OB ward. Beach balls were being taped to abdomens, soot to faces and gashes glued to foreheads. I learned the technique of using tissue paper (the kind you use to wrap your gifts) and vasoline applied to skin. It looks like pealing burnt skin, especially after you add black and gray makeup to give it even more reality. My favorite was the nurse victim with a piece of glass jutting out of her chest. She was so disappointed when they declared her dead. The gray, white makeup was used for the morgue victims. There was even blood along legs as the pregnant gave birth to beach balls.
John managed to be a hospital worker who rushed in to help pull victims from the fire-balled hallway and both hands were tissued, vasolined and blackened. Add the sooty face and we were off. Somehow I doubt he felt jealous of the others that were evacuated down stairwells in a paraslyde. Not my cup of tea, but it works.
I spent my time on the loading dock to evaluate triage, at least until the decontamination tents went up. As you can see we pushed the system, the staff and hospital and all in less than three hours. Everyone did their jobs and it went well. The police, ambulance services and fire department all participated to make it as real as possible.
When I thought to write about this, I considered it an amusing piece and there was humor along the way. I fuss about how it’s always the emergency department that gets stressed, but this time we hit the OB floor with a helicopter and we learned some new things about how to respond to something that would be horrific if it happened in real life. The way our world has been jumbled by nature and man anything can happen and most likely will. Aren’t you glad we keep trying to prepare for it.
Rhianna
Wow, that’s quite a big deal. Fire drills pale in comparison. It’s good you all do that stuff because it does seem that there is just one disaster after another, man or nature made. Seems like it would be kind fun though even though it is a serious matter.
Too bad I wasn’t there. With my exceptional acting abilities I could have given an award winning performance as a morgue victim. *snort* Forget the Emmy, I would have gotten an Oscar! I would have used Johnny Depp’s totally really hot look in Sweeney Todd as my inspiration. Now that I think about it though, I would have gotten too side tracked thinking of Johnny Depp, so maybe being dead wouldn’t have been the best part for me after all. I would have been squirming too much to look dead.
Comment by MB (Leah) — May 21, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
It was interesting, and maybe a touch fun. John said today that he enjoyed his part and was going to try to find out how her could volunteer at the hospital he works at in Muncie.
I got my eyes checked today. I was worried about that rectaoptic nerve disfunction, when you have a shitty outlook on life all the time, but mine were just fine. I have several people I know with that condition, so I was quite concerned. Though he did discover that I was FOS and it might soon reach my eyeballs. That sort of fits in with above condition, though it fluxuates. Well crap, what did you expect…something funny?
Johnny Depp has been on my ta do list since 21 jump street. He is an amazing actor and a one of a kind. I can understand your increased will to live with his image in your head.
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — May 21, 2008 @ 11:51 pm
Buwahaha!I wouldn’t worry too much about that FOS condition, it’s a common problem. Why, even I suffer it much too often. That rectaoptic nerve thing is another story. Maybe some rose colored glasses would help you with that. I’ve got many pairs of those. I could give you a pair.
Comment by MB (Leah) — May 22, 2008 @ 3:27 am
Oh wait, I see that you don’t have that rectaoptic condition. Lucky you found that out. I’m sure I do though, so I better hang onto those glasses. I’ve got SFB, which is probably the cause of my rectaoptic nerve problem, I’m sure.
Comment by MB (Leah) — May 22, 2008 @ 3:44 am
No need to send me the glasses. I have several pairs and the latest is sitting on my face right now. Just call me the red eye. Sweet!
So what’s SFB?
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — May 23, 2008 @ 12:21 am
SFB= sh*t for brains
Comment by MB (Leah) — May 23, 2008 @ 8:11 am
Ooh! I like that one, not that I beleive it applies to you for even one moment, but it is a fun comeback.
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — May 23, 2008 @ 10:45 pm
Oh heck you two… how’m I supposed to keep up with the banter? ‘Course it would probably help if I were here… just amazing how busy two little kidlets can keep one going ~ SOOO glad that they go home with mommy and daddy in the afternoon as my baby days are oh, almost 16 to 24 years behind me now… *sigh*
And boy, I can’t get over all the detail used in the disaster drills! I’m wondering if part of the reason that things work better in real life than in the drills is the level of adrenaline rushing through everyone’s systems when the RL events happen. I definitely have to give anyone who works in a hospital credit in the first place ~ but emerg? Holy cats! that’s a killer in my books.
FOS and SFB ~ you ladies are not only entertaining but filled with such… uh, interesting ideas. *grin*
But oh my… thanks for the going-to-bed-with-a-smile! LOL
Comment by KathyK — May 24, 2008 @ 6:59 am
Hey Kathy,
I missed you peeking in and adding your comments. I have good news. I finally managed to get out the package for my two winnerss of the erotic shopping lists. It should be winging it’s way to you both. I hope you enjoy.
Yes, the drill was very detailed. We spent to days go over the results and did detailed evaluations on where we failed and where we did well. We do two big drills a year, so the next one coming up is in the fall. stay tuned for those results.
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — May 24, 2008 @ 10:42 pm
Rhianna, I’m sure that whatever I get I’ll be thrilled with. I just love getting mail that doesn’t want to be paid! LOL
Have a stellar week… and take care of yourself! (You too Leah!)
Comment by KathyK — May 25, 2008 @ 7:43 pm