By Healthcare Facilities Today

The Billings Clinic recently took part in a  fictional-but-possible scenario in which their generators failed in a power outage. Joe Marcotte, Billings Clinic’s director of safety and emergency management, used this situation to stage emergency evacuation training exercise at the hospital that involved hundreds of people and several partners from across the community, including St. Vincent Healthcare, Yellowstone County Disaster and Emergency Services, American Medical Response and RiverStone Health, according to an article in the Billings Gazette.

Under the scenario’s guidelines, staff at the clinic had to transport a dozen mock patients, played by volunteers from the hospital’s staff, outside the hospital and into a waiting AMR ambulance, which took them to St. Vincent Healthcare or elsewhere, the article said.

“That scenario is extremely, extremely, extremely remote,” Marcotte said. “The reality is that it would not likely happen, but we’ve got to be prepared.”

Since a power outage would probably cut elevator service, staff used several of the hospital’s 112 Med Sleds — flexible plastic sleds that slide easily along the floor and can be lowered down stairs using ropes — to move patients to the main floor, where gurneys and ambulances waited.

As many as 150 Billings Clinic staff were directly involved - departments also did their own, internal exercises - and about 100 more took part through other agencies, the article said.

Read the article.