Multiagency training exercise at Westmead Hospital
Westmead Hospital has become ground zero for a multiagency training exercise simulating a response to a chemical, biological and radiological threat.
More than 25 people participated in a major training exercise to test a emergency response to a potential chemical, biological or radiological (CBR) contamination.
Representatives from Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Police joined Western Sydney Local Health District to test emergency capability, and share information to evaluate the responses.
The scenario was designed to test the workflows and responses to a CBR contamination with actors simulating patients and medical staff who had been exposed to an unknown contaminant at a nearby location and self-presenting to the hospital.
The testing included patients using external showers to decontaminate while staff managed the biohazard risk.
The District’s Disaster Response Coordinator Evan Ferdous said the training exercise involved months of preparation to coordinate across the various agencies, but every test improves the system.
“By training together, it builds on trust, improves understanding of each other's specialties, improves communication and ensures a more coordinated response,” he said.
“How emergency services work together to contain the incident and provide treatment for patients from one service to another is critical,” Evan said.
“Westmead Hospital is a major tertiary health facility in close proximity to large venues and industrial sites . The hospital has to be prepared to respond to critical incidents.”
Evan said the aim of these simulation exercises is to ensure hospital staff feel confident in their roles and responsibilities, trust in the systems in place and have the chance to come together with other agencies to understand ways to improve.
“It’s one big moving consultation process. We want our staff to experience what a realistic response to an emergency outside the hospital’s walls may look like and how we can help the emergency services to get things as right as possible in the moment," Evan said.
Westmead Hospital extends its thanks to Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Police for their assistance in the exercise.