Dalton Laing, Gleaner Writer
'Accident' victims lay sprawled all over the Bluefields main road in Westmoreland during a simulation exercise on Wednesday. - DALTON LAING/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE WESTMORELAND Health Department tested the efficiency of the parish's emergency response units in a simulation exercise on Wednesday.
Unsuspecting motorists were amazed and expressed shock, as dozens of what appeared to be injured bodies lay sprawled out along the Bluefields main road in the parish.
Many were relieved to find out that it was only a drill and lauded the health department for such an exercise.
'COLLISION'
Dr. Maung Myint, senior medical officer of health for the parish and coordinator for the exercise, explained that the demonstration involved two buses that 'collided' on the highway, which resulted in about 40 persons being injured, some critically.
He said the health centre team at Bluefields was on the scene as first responders, along with the Bluefields police, who called the hospital, and the fire department.
A team of doctors from the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital came on the scene to stabilise several victims, while a team of volunteers from Sandals Whitehouse offered assistance.
"We have to do this exercise to let the hospital and the health system as well as the supporting departments work as a team in cases of mass casualty accidents so we can get those cases treated as early as possible," explained Dr. Myint.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Not completely satisfied with the demonstration Dr. Myint said there was still room for improvement.
"This is the first experience for this area so there is a lot of gaps and chaos so the major thing is communication between each group."
Meanwhile Hilma Tate, ODPEM coordinator for Westmoreland, thought this was a welcome move for the parish and more of this should be done in the future.
"This is a means by which the hospital will be able to test its disaster plan which includes mass casualty. This exercise helped us to see our shortcomings, therefore we can address them so that if an accident of this nature does occur we will be better able to handle it and save lives."
