Coordinating a Regional Response

Story by: John Griffin

Photo by: Tech. Sgt. Donald Allen

U.S. Air Force personnel from the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., offload simulated casualties during a previous emergency response exercise. Similar skills would be used if the region received large numbers of casualties from another part of the country or overseas.

Madigan Healthcare System leadership joined more than 10 federal and local agencies coordinating the National Disaster Medical System for the Puget Sound Federal Coordinating Center for an exercise October 10 at the King County International Airport, also known as “Boeing Field.” “We’re developing our relationships and plans to provide a coordinated response to a cataclysmic event in our region of the world,” said Madigan Deputy Commander for Administraton, Colonel Thomas Bundt. “As the major medical delivery systems in the country’s northwest, King and Pierce counties along with the Madigan will be ready to synchronize medical care and services to take care of those affected.” Exercise participants discussed the Seattle area receiving a large number of medical evacuees from another part of the country or overseas, distributing them among medical facilities, providing support throughout their transition and ensuring information flowed for their continuous care and response to searching family members.