Local police and health-care officials will conduct a joint training operation on Wednesday evening at the hospital in Chatham.
The emergency preparedness exercise, involving personnel from both the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) and Chatham-Kent Police Service, will take place from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The exercise will simulate the Ontario Hospital Association’s Emergency Code Silver, which is called in the event of a person with a weapon.
The Code Silver mock emergency event will include CKHA staff, physicians, police, EMS and community volunteers.
The training will take place in Zone A, Level 1, at CKHA’s Chatham site. All staff members who have volunteered to participate in this mock scenario will follow Code Silver procedures during the event. Staff in all other units of CKHA’s Chatham and Wallaceburg sites will conduct tabletop sessions to identify what action staff would take in a Code Silver emergency.
This emergency preparedness exercise should not affect patients, essential visitors and care partners, officials said, as the Oncology and Ambulatory Care units within Zone A, Level 1 do not have scheduled appointments during the mock Code Silver exercise.
During the mock emergency event, the Ambulatory Care entrance and ramp facing Louise Street will be closed to everyone with the exception of those participating in the mock event. The main entrance facing Grand Avenue will remain available to use for visitors and care partners during the mock scenario until its usual closing time at 8 p.m.
Mock emergency scenarios provide an opportunity for CKHA and police personnel to train together in a real environment with actual staff, officials said, as this ensures both organizations are prepared for any type of emergency scenario.
Additionally, mock emergency events at CKHA allow the hospital to test its emergency procedures, identify gaps and make appropriate changes to maximize the effectiveness of the organization’s policy.
