McLeod Medical Center Dillon has 25 employee volunteers who have undergone extensive decontamination training.  This is an interdisciplinary team from virtually all areas of the hospital.  There were a series of training sessions consisting of classroom time and outdoor exercises, each training concluding with a drill.  On May 13, 2010, McLeod Dillon held a disaster drill in which the haz mat decontamination team was activated.  Members of the team learn about triaging, or sorting out patients, protective wear, tent set up, water hook up and general flow of patients received, decontaminated and routed into the hospital for care in the event of an occurrence.  This training taught the team how to treat victims that have been exposed to contamination, such as a chemical spill or disasters that may occur within the community. Students from Lake View High School assisted in the drill.
“During the training, the members learn the importance of working together as a team.  They have to assist each other in every aspect, from suiting up in the protective gear to setting up the decontamination tents.  It is a very streamlined effort,” said Kris Lane, RN, Disaster Coordinator at McLeod Medical Center Dillon.  “At the May 13th drill, the team received victims, triaged them, and separated them according to their various conditions of contamination.
“It is important that the medical center be prepared for these types of emergency situations in order to care for the community in which we live and work,” said Lane.  “We have a hard working team, and I have enjoyed being a part of such a committed group.”
Teresa Sapp, Director of Emergency Services and the Intensive Care Unit at McLeod Dillon, stressed the importance of preparedness, “If this type of situation were to arise, our first priority is to protect our patients, our staff and, as this extends out into our communities, our families.”