Representatives of area emergency services toured Cass County Health System recently as part of local disaster preparedness efforts. “With all the changes in our building we thought it was important to give our emergency responders an up-close look at our facility,” noted Amy Anstey, CCHS Safety and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

Jack Evans of the CCMH Plant Operations Department explains the decontamination area in the CCMH Emergency Department. Shown from left are: Darby Mclaren, Cass County Sherriff; Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator; Evans and John Johnson, Atlantic Fire Department and Medivac Ambulance. (Photo from Sara Nelson/CCMH)

Representatives from the Atlantic Fire Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Medivac Ambulance Service and the Atlantic Police Department, along with Cass County Emergency Coordinator Mike Kennon participated in the extensive tour. Guests were welcomed by the CCHS Safety Department staff. Brian Juhl, Diagnostic Imaging, explained the special response tactics required for the new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment, due to the high powered magnet utilized. Members of the Cass County Memorial Hospital Plant Operations Department spoke with guests and then led three groups on tours of the facility. The tours included public areas of the facility as well as maintenance areas, underground access tunnels, rooftop access and all other exits and entrances to the facility.

This was the first time a tour of this nature had been organized, and the participants all expressed appreciation for the opportunity. “The hospital is a complex facility that could present serious challenges to Emergency Responders depending on the threat,” Kennon noted. “The tour helped identify emergency access points, critical areas and functions within the facility, and options to mitigate risks from specific threats.” Discussion among hospital staff and the emergency responders led to several ideas for improving responder access, which will be implemented in the near future.