Ospital ng Maynila Earthquake Preparedness Program

 

 

Indonesia quake - 5000 killed!  20,000 injured!

 

60 Metro Manila schools, hospitals, and buildings – vulnerable to earthquake!

 

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared a National Earthquake Drill in public schools on June 20, 2006, to promote preparedness when an earthquake strikes.

 

On the same day at 1:00 pm, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center will also conduct an earthquake drill to promote earthquake preparedness not only for its staff, but also for its patients and visitors. The drill is part of a comprehensive OMMC earthquake preparedness program that assures the public of a safe hospital to go to.

 

This information, education and communication (IEC) leaflet, which was prepared with the OMMC staff, patients, and visitors in mind as users, contains the following:

 

  • The OMMC Earthquake Preparedness Program
  • What to do when an earthquake strikes and you are in OMMC
  • What to do before, during, and after an earthquake drill in OMMC

 

Instructions on how to use this IEC in OMMC:

 

  1. In the absence of an earthquake, before or soon after you enter OMMC, read through the  IEC and try to absorb “what to do when an earthquake strikes and you are in OMMC.”
  2. In the presence of an earthquake, apply what you learn from the IEC.
  3. In preparation for participation in the earthquake drill, which we strongly recommend, read and absorb “What to do before, during, and after an earthquake drill in OMMC.”  You can do this a few days before and one hour before the start of the scheduled drill.
  4. Use this IEC as a checklist, evaluation, and reporting sheet before and after an earthquake in OMMC.  After an earthquake or drill, please fill out the IEC checklist portion and submit to hospital administration.  Please include discovery of cracks on infrastructures; observation of danger spots; report of any physical injuries on patients, visitors, and staff; and suggested areas of improvement in the earthquake preparedness program of OMMC.

 

Let’s join hands in making OMMC always a safe hospital for all of us!

 

OMMC Disaster Preparedness Committee

 

 

 

 

 

The OMMC Earthquake Preparedness Program

 

The OMMC Earthquake Preparedness Program is part of a comprehensive OMMC disaster preparedness, patient safety, staff occupational safety; and corporate social responsibility program. 

 

The program consists of the following tasks and activities:

 

1.       Ensuring structural safety as evidenced by Structural Safety Certificate.

2.       Conducting infrastructure watching and monitoring activities to identify safe and unsafe spots as well as to identify potential falling objects and structures during earthquake.

3.       Identifying evacuation route.

4.       Identifying evacuation sites.

5.       Formulating and constantly refining the Hospital Earthquake Response Plan.

6.       Designing and implementing the Hospital Earthquake Drill, at least once a year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to do when an earthquake strikes and you are in OMMC

 

Instructions:

You can use this as a checklist, evaluation, and reporting sheet before and after an earthquake in OMMC.  After an earthquake and drill, please fill out this portion and submit to the hospital administration.  Please include discovery of cracks on infrastructures; observation of danger spots; report of any physical injuries on patients, visitors, and staff; and suggested areas of improvement in the earthquake preparedness program of OMMC.  Place NA (not applicable) as indicated. Use the “remark” spaces freely for your feedback, reporting, and other comments.

 

What to Do

Done

Not Done

Remarks

Alarm Phase

Once you feel there is an earthquake, keep calm and do not panic. [In a drill, siren will be used to signify presence of an earthquake.]

 

 

 

Response during the shaking

 

 

 

 

Stay where you are.  Move only a few steps to a nearby safe place.  Do not go inside a room, if you are outside.  Do not go outside a room if you are inside. 

 

 

 

 

Instruct and assist persons who do not know what to do and who are disabled.

 

 

 

 

 

If inside the room,

 

 

 

 

 

 

For ambulatory persons (staff, patients, and visitors) -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Open the door to prevent possible jamming.  You may stand under the door frame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Move away from windows, glass, light fixtures, bookshelves, or any structure that could fall on you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Drop, cover and hold” under sturdy tables if present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stand or sit near concrete columns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch out for falling objects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For bed-ridden patients -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a pillow on their heads to protect them from falling objects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For staff and patients in the operating, delivery, and treatment rooms -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If in the middle of an operation or procedure, stop for a while but make sure there is NO ongoing bleeding, oxygenation is maintained, and the life of patients is NOT unduly compromised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch out for falling objects and be ready to protect the patients and yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For staff in the Dietary and Facility Management and other Support Departments -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If working with machinery and cooking, shut it down, switch off cooker, and extinguish any flames.

 

 

 

 

 

If outside the room, – in the lobby, along a corridor or hallway, on the stairs, etc. -

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stay where you are.  Move only a few steps to a nearby safe place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Move away from windows, glass, light fixtures, or any structure that could fall on you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stand or sit near concrete columns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch out for falling objects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remain in this position until the “shaking” stops.

 

 

 

 

 

If inside the elevators -

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get off at the next floor and follow instructions under “if outside a room”.

 

 

 

Response after the shaking

 

 

 

 

Be alert. 

 

 

 

 

Prepare for possible evacuation.  Look for indications for evacuation such as:

  • Signs of impending fall of debris and structures
  • Signs of impending collapse of rooms / buildings
  • Strong repeated shocks

 

 

 

 

Listen for evacuation announcement from hospital authority.

 

 

 

 

Watch out for fire, potential explosion, gas leaks, damage to electrical system, damage to water system. 

 

 

 

 

Report cracks on the wall, danger spots and physical injuries to hospital authority.

 

 

 

Evacuation (if needed)

 

 

 

 

Evacuate the hospital building and go to identified evacuation areas (Parking Areas)

 

 

 

 

DON’T…Run. DON’T Push.  AVOID STAMPEDE.

 

 

 

 

NEVER USE ELEVATORS.  Use stairs if still available.  If not, use fire escape route.

 

 

 

 

On the way to the nearest exit of the building, look out for falling debris.

 

 

 

 

For disabled people and patients confined to beds – wait for hospital evacuation teams to assist.

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to do before, during, and after an earthquake drill in OMMC

 

OMMC welcomes and encourages all its staff, patients, and visitors to participate in its scheduled earthquake drill.  It is free. It will take only about 30 minutes.   It is very simple yet will have a life-time impact in helping all participants learn how to prevent injuries during an earthquake, especially, in a hospital setting.

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Before the drill, please read this IEC, which will be made available at the OMMC Information Service and all Nursing Stations.

 

One hour before the drill, the mechanics and what to do during and after the drill will be spelled out through the public address system or through coordinators (wearing blue armbands) stationed in all floors and sections of the hospital.

 

A siren will be used to indicate presence of an “earthquake.” The duration of the siren will also indicate the duration of the “earthquake.”  Upon hearing the siren, all staff, patients, and visitors within the hospital premises at the time of the earthquake drill will perform the pertinent activities listed under the “alarm phase, response during the shaking, and response after the shaking.”  Designated floor and sector coordinators will observe, instruct and assist persons who do not know what to do and who are disabled.

 

At least two “earthquakes” (first and repeated shocks) will occur at about 5 to 10 minutes interval. The same procedures are expected to be done by all persons during the “repeated shocks.”

 

After the “repeated shocks” have stopped, all persons will wait for an evacuation signal, if any.   If none is ordered, they are requested to stay put in their respective areas for about 15 minutes as the designated floor and sector coordinators will have a debriefing session with them to identify problems encountered and how this can be corrected in future drills. The checklist in this IEC will be used and subsequently submitted to the OMMC Disaster Preparedness Committee.

 

If there is an order to evacuate, then the people required to evacuate will perform the pertinent activities listed under “evacuation.”  OMMC evacuation teams will be around to assist once there is an order to evacuate. (For the purpose of the drill, only selective evacuation will be done.)

 

At the designated evacuation areas, all evacuated “confined” patients as well as “injured individuals” will be monitored not only in terms of head count but also medical wise. 

 

After the “earthquake” has cleared, there will be a declaration of structural safety for a return to the hospital and all evacuated persons and valuables are transferred to designated places.

 

An evaluation of the drill will be done by the Disaster Preparedness Committee during the debriefing session and through the checklist and feedback portion of this IEC. All OMMC staff, patients, and visitors are welcome to participate in the evaluation.

 

For further information and feedback on the OMMC Earthquake Preparedness Program: Tel: 5246061