Hannibal Regional Healthcare System Responders Attend Homeland Security Training

Emergency Responders Keith Mosely, Director of Facilities and Mike Hale, Emergency Management Specialist with Hannibal Regional Healthcare System, recently completed training offered by the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), in Anniston, Alabama. The CDP is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and is the only federally-chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training facility in the nation.

The CDP develops and delivers advanced training for emergency response providers, emergency managers, and government officials from state, local, and tribal governments. The CDP offers more than 40 training courses focusing on incident management, mass casualty response, and emergency response to catastrophic natural disaster or terrorist act. Training at the CDP campus is federally funded and is provided at no cost to response professionals.

Both Mosely and Hale experienced simulated emergencies ranging from patients coming in with Smallpox and Ebola to receiving victims of terrorist attacks. They were also faced with infrastructural challenges such as power failures and no water or oxygen supplies. Communications and supply issues were also a factor. “To say the least, this training was very challenging and as true to life as it could be without being a real disaster,” states Mike Hale.

Responders participating in CDP training gain critical skills and confidence to respond effectively to local incidents or potential Weapons of Mass Destruction events.

“The takeaway I received from this training would be the importance of good listening skills and having a good flow of information to the Incident Command Center from the incident scene and back to the area where the work is being done such as the ED,” adds Keith Mosely.

Hannibal Regional Healthcare System includes Hannibal Regional Hospital, Hannibal Regional Medical Group, Hannibal Regional Hospital Foundation and the Center for Advanced Medical Research. Hannibal Regional Hospital is a 99-bed acute care hospital providing comprehensive health and wellness services to more than 125,000 residents in the tristate area and has been recognized by Healthgrades as a 2013 and 2014 Outstanding Patient Experience Award recipient – ranking HRH among the top 10 percent in the nation for patient care. In addition, Hannibal Regional is the only hospital in Missouri to be a recipient of the Healthgrades® Joint Replacement Excellence Award and Outstanding Patient Experience Award in 2014 and a Five-Star Recipient for both Total Knee Replacement and Total Hip Replacement in 2015. Hannibal Regional Medical Group is a growing multi-specialty physician group delivering primary, specialty and express care services at multiple locations in northeast Missouri. For more information on Hannibal Regional Healthcare System, visit www.hannibalregional.org.