Medical reserves to rehearse response to a Cat 4 hurricane at FAU simulation
The people who make up the local Medical Reserve Corps and Florida Atlantic University are bracing for a Category 4 hurricane to hit Saturday afternoon from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
It is only a simulation, but it gives these reserves from Palm Beach and Broward counties a chance to rehearse a scenario that at least in this case takes out three area hospitals, according to those running the simulation at FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.
During a catastrophic event, such as a major hurricane, hospitals can be deluged with various medical emergencies, and first responders can be overwhelmed with calls especially during the first 12-72 hours. MRC volunteers provide an important surge capacity during this critical period and are dispatched to respond to various medical emergencies, college spokeswoman Gisele Galoustian reported in a press release announcing the event.
MRC volunteers will be trained at the center with life-like computer controlled human mannequins using four separate emergency/disaster scenarios to create the illusion of real-life drama, Galoustian said.
