Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital – Prepared To Handle Emergencies

In case of disaster such as an earthquake, hazardous material incident, landslide, severe weather or wildfire, the Santa Clarita community has many safeguards in place to protect and serve its residents, who can rest assured that Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital is prepared.
Henry Mayo’s primary role in the community during a disaster is to be available to provide medical care to victims, according to Terry Stone, emergency preparedness manager at Henry Mayo.
Henry Mayo has provided services to victims of many disasters in the SCV, including the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the Buckwheat Fires, the Station Fires and the 5 Freeway Tunnel Fire.
“We are one of 13 Disaster Resource Centers in LA County,” Stone said.  “Our emergency management program prepares our facility, so we can respond quickly and effectively in an emergency of any kind of disruption to our services.”
As part of a larger network, funded by the county’s Emergency Medical Services Agency, Henry Mayo is able to coordinate large-scale disasters with other area hospitals.  Henry Mayo also coordinates with the City of Santa Clarita and the SCV Disaster Coalition to create a comprehensive approach to potential local emergencies.
In addition, Henry Mayo conducts at least four disaster exercises each year to test its readiness to handle mass casualties and was recently recognized as a role model for such drills.  Hospitals are required by the Joint Commission to have disaster response plans in place and to conduct disaster drills periodically for improvement and training purposes.  The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

Henry Mayo Emergency Program
Receives Multiple Awards
The 15 Til 50 Mass Casualty Incident Exercise is implemented by hospitals to gauge readiness in cases of disaster.  Henry Mayo has been recognized for its innovative approach, which has resulted in a response time of being able to receive 50 or more patients in fewer than 15 minutes at the hospital.
Stone’s team developed a program that includes a 15 Til 50 resource manual, a plan template, a train the trainer module, and an ancillary and support department training module.  The program has been recognized with three awards for innovation in emergency management by the California Department of Public Health, California Emergency Services Association and the Los Angeles Business and Industry Council for Emergency Planning and Preparedness.
Additionally, Henry Mayo’s 15 Til 50 MCI Guide and Template is now part of the Leading Practice Library, an important initiative that allows Joint Commission accredited organizations to find “real-life” solutions that have been successfully submitted by their peers.  It is a constantly evolving, up-to-date collection of documents from healthcare leaders.

Drills Test Readiness of Staff
Henry Mayo conducts various types of mass casualty exercises depending on the scenario.  A recent exercise involved more than 100 volunteers, hospital employees and local emergency responders.  The scenario for the exercise included five active shooters at Magic Mountain Theme Park.  The full-scale mass-casualty exercise was conducted in collaboration with multiple community partner agencies including police, fire departments, ambulance, air ops, and Ham radio operators.  During the exercise, volunteers were moulaged to simulate victims of a shooting and were transported by helicopter and ambulances to Henry Mayo’s Emergency Department.
Another drill involved staff from the hospital’s Emergency Department and College of the Canyons EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) students, who volunteered to participate.  The exercise was designed to test the responsiveness of the hospital during a hypothetical incident where injured school children and adults are transported to the ED, following an incident where a windstorm knocks down tents during outdoor student seminars.
Normal hospital Emergency Department operations and patient care are not interrupted by these exercises.
“Henry Mayo’s primary role in these types of incidents or any other type of disaster is to be available to provide fast and effective medical care to victims,” Stone said.
For more information or a free Family Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide, contact Terry Stone at 661-200-1700.

Emergency Kit Items

(courtesy of ready.gov)
• 1 gallon of water per person per day (one gallon for drinking and sanitation)
• Ready-to-eat food and a manual can opener
• Extra supply of medications
• Unscented liquid household bleach for water purification
• Flashlight, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
• Cash in small denominations, copies of important documents and phone numbers
• First aid kit, dust mask, essential medications, eyeglasses, hearing aids or other vital personal items
• Any special needs items for children, seniors or the disabled
• Personal hygiene items including toilet paper, diapers, soap and feminine products, moist wipes, garbage bags, plastic ties
• Warm clothes, hats, rain gear, sturdy shoes and heavy gloves
• Blanket or sleeping bag  • Extra keys to your house and car
• A local map  • Pet food • Wrench to turn off gas is necessary
• Plastic sheeting, duct tape and utility knife for covering broken windows

3 Safety Tips in Case of Disaster
Be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for at least the first 72 hours, preferably for up to a week.  Evaluate your personal needs and make an emergency plan.
1. Get an Emergency Kit
This should support the needs of your family for three days to one week and be stored somewhere on your property, preferably in an area outside the house in case the house collapses or cannot be occupied.
2. Make a Plan
Plan in advance how family members will get into contact and back together, as well as how to get to a safe place for those that are in the home.
3. Be Informed
Learn what protective measures to take before, during and after an emergency.

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