Question

Question: In Northridge earthquake how did the event impact the hospital and health community?

what steps could have been taken to better prepare? To better respond?

Does your instiution or workplace have a continuity of operations (COOP) plan?

Do you test it regularly?

please cite any source used, thanks

Answer 1

IMPACT IN HOSPITAL & HEALTH COMMUNITY WHILE NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE

ON JANUARY 17, 1994, AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A MOMENT MAGNITUDE (TOTAL ENERGY RELEASE) OF 6.7 OCCURRED IN NORTHRIDGE, CALIFORNIA, LEADING TO THE EVACUATION OF PATIENTS FROM SEVERAL HOSPITALS. WE EXAMINED THE REASONS FOR AND METHODS OF EVACUATION AND THE EMERGENCY-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES USED. THE EXPERIENCE IN CALIFORNIA MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR HOSPITAL STRATEGIES FOR RESPONDING TO ANY MAJOR DISASTER, INCLUDING AN ACT OF TERRORISM.

EIGHT OF 91 ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS (9 PERCENT) WERE EVACUATED.

SIX HOSPITALS EVACUATED PATIENTS WITHIN 24 HOURS (THE IMMEDIATE-EVACUATION GROUP)

FOUR COMPLETELY AND TWO PARTIALLY

ALL SIX CITED NONSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE SUCH AS WATER DAMAGE AND LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER AS A MAJOR REASON FOR EVACUATION.

FIVE HOSPITALS EVACUATED THE MOST SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS FIRST, AND ONE HOSPITAL EVACUATED THE HEALTHIEST PATIENTS FIRST.

ALL HOSPITALS USED AVAILABLE EQUIPMENT TO TRANSPORT PATIENTS (BLANKETS, BACKBOARDS, AND GURNEYS) RATHER THAN SPECIALIZED DEVICES.

NO DEATHS RESULTED FROM EVACUATION

ONE HOSPITAL EVACUATED PATIENTS AFTER 3 DAYS AND ANOTHER AFTER 14 DAYS BECAUSE OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, EVEN THOUGH INITIAL INSPECTIONS HAD SHOWN NO DAMAGE (THE DELAYED-EVACUATION GROUP).

BOTH HOSPITALS REQUIRED DEMOLITION. SOME HOSPITALS IDENTIFIED DESTINATIONS FOR THEIR EVACUATED PATIENTS INDEPENDENTLY, WHEREAS OTHERS SOUGHT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.

INSTITUTIONS BEGAN EVACUATING PATIENTS WITHIN HOURS AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE AND COMPLETED THE PROCESS BY THE END OF THE FIRST DAY (THE IMMEDIATE-EVACUATION GROUP).

THE TRIAGE AND MOVEMENT OF PATIENTS WERE NOT SERIOUS ISSUES AT THE TWO HOSPITALS THAT EVACUATED PATIENTS AFTER A DELAY. BY THE TIME THE PATIENTS WERE EVACUATED, POWER HAD BEEN RESTORED, PERMITTING THE USE OF ELEVATORS THAT HAD BEEN INSPECTED BY HOSPITAL STAFF MEMBERS AND DECLARED SAFE. BOTH HOSPITALS USED GURNEYS AND WHEELCHAIRS TO MOVE THE PATIENTS, EVACUATING THEM AS AMBULANCES BECAME AVAILABLE.

OUR ORGANISATION HAVE A CONTINUITY OF OPERATION PLAN.IT HAVE BEEN VERIFIED WITHIN 2 MONTHS.