Earthquake Drill at Ospital ng Maynila

Last June 20, 2006, to support the government’s earthquake awareness and preparedness program and to make the hospital safe for staff, patients, and visitors, an earthquake drill was conducted at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center. At exactly 1:00 pm, the drill started with the sounding of a siren through the public address system to signify the presence of an ongoing earthquake. All staff, patients, and visitors in the hospital premises at that time responded with “duck, cover, and hold,” opening of doors, temporarily stoppage of medical procedures at the same time protecting patients, and turning off of gas ranges, electrical and machinery switches. Two additional sirens were sounded off after 10 minutes and 5 minutes later. Aside from simulating aftershocks, the two additional sirens gave sector coordinators opportunity to teach those who were not able to respond properly during the first earthquake. At 1:20 pm, selective evacuation started from the fifth floor down and was completed within 5 minutes. Mock victims, real ambulatory patients in the outpatient departments, relatives of confined patients, visitors, nursing students, hospital staff (doctors, nurses, and support staff), and valuables were evacuated using the parking lot as holding areas. Reconstruction was done at 1:30 pm with the participants going back inside hospital. A debriefing session was held at 1:40 pm in the presence of a Philippine National Red Cross observer in the person of Mr. Sergio Pangan and moderated by Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson, Chairman of the Department of Surgery. At the end of the drill, the outcome consisted of 1) a tested structured and comprehensive earthquake preparedness program at OMMC which can be used as a model for other hospitals, both private or government, to adopt; 2) elevated awareness of earthquake preparedness and response among 565 staff, 130 patients, and 120 visitors who participated in the drill; and most important of all, the first city government hospital to have conducted a structured earthquake drill. For further details on how to conduct an earthquake drill in a hospital setting, please visit: http://xdisasteromsurg.tripod.com or email: rjoson2001@yahoo.com