Drilling for disaster info
With DNC in mind, responders learn from 'emergency'
Kevin Vaughan and Bill Scanlon
Published June 10, 2008 at 6:09 p.m.
Updated June 11, 2008 at 12:13 a.m.
Darin Mcgregor / The Rocky
Aaron Kissler gets sprayed down in the decontamination tent by Todd Marriott during a drill Tuesday at Presbyterian/ St. Luke's Medical center. It was part of simulated attack on the Pepsi Center at the Democratic National Convention in August.
At 9:01 a.m. Tuesday, a telephone jangled in the emergency department at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center, bringing the kind of news that sends shudders.
An explosion at the Pepsi Center. Pesticides. Perhaps 20,000 victims. Then, a second call: possible radiation exposure.
It was only a drill, but it could have been real.
At Presbyterian/St. Luke's and seven other Denver hospitals, doctors, nurses, firefighters, paramedics, police officers and medical technicians did their best to treat it as though it were truly happening.
Organized by the Denver Health and Hospital Authority, the exercise was planned in advance of the Democratic National Convention to be held at the Pepsi Center Aug. 25-28.
It provided a glimpse of a worst-case scenario - and of the ability of the city's medical network to respond to it.
Within minutes of that first call, nurses and technicians went to work, erecting an RV-sized decontamination tent in the bays where ambulances deliver patients. They struggled into protective suits and got ready to treat their "victims" - all under the gaze of evaluators making notations on clipboards.
The victims were volunteers.
Like Linda Akbarzadeh, an employee of the hospital's computer department, who suffered from chest and abdominal pain after being hurled 15 feet in the explosion.
And Shelby Salem-Frech, Cecily Baumer, Tahzjuan Hawkins and Andrea Segura, four friends from Rock Canyon High School in Highlands Ranch who decided it might be a cool way to get credit for community service.
Shelby bled from her ears and was covered in a light gray dust. Cecily was in labor. Tahzjuan's head hurt, and her shoulder was out of joint. And Andrea was covered in light gray dust and punctured by flying debris.
The first stop was the decontamination tent, where each was hosed off before being moved inside for further treatment.
As the drill unfolded, the men and women who would have to respond to such a disaster learned numerous lessons. They learned that a baby won't wait to be decontaminated to arrive. They learned that protective suits don't fit over some shoes. They learned how to set up triage areas. They learned that setting up a decontamination tent took longer than it might have.
"In disaster drills, if everything goes well you don't learn anything," said Dr. Stephen Cantrill, project director for the Colorado Biological, Nuclear, Incendiary, Chemical and Explosive Training Center.
He said he expects that over the next several days evaluators will find that a lot of things were done well and that there were a few things "that they can do better at next time."
It was a realistic scene - and one that public health officials hope they don't see in August, or any other time.
vaughank@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5019
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June 10, 2008
8:42 a.m.
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MarineGrunt writes:
"Today's DNC disaster drill just like the real deal"
Oh, that is classic!!!
June 10, 2008
9:47 a.m.
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nobodyman writes:
Sounds like fun. I wish I could have been a fake "victim". Maybe I just hate my job.
June 10, 2008
10:02 a.m.
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rickg19611 writes:
Democrats. Disasters. Redundant.
June 10, 2008
10:30 a.m.
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LingLingfor_prez writes:
So a cage was set up for the parking lot protesters? Only way it could be realistic.
June 10, 2008
10:43 a.m.
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Alive writes:
I had my house sprayed for Democrats. I think they used a chemical called selfreliance or something like that. Worked good.
June 10, 2008
11:26 a.m.
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Scott writes:
Gene said: "Using pesticides on the Democrats?"
Nope, just plain old soap and water. Something that my fellow dumbocrats avoid. Especially the unreconstructed hippies :-)
Also, they simulated "head injuries". Huh? Thar tain't nuthin up thar to hurt on a dumbocrat. Now if they had simulated a buttocks injury .... ;-)
(Let's see if the pansies at the RMN nuke this posting because of "buttocks")
Scott
June 10, 2008
11:26 a.m.
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Heidi writes:
Alive,
Did it scare them away or kill them? Or possibly convert them? Did they start cleaning your house, cooking your meals, and maintaining your yard to earn their keep?
June 10, 2008
11:30 a.m.
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DenverDan writes:
Glad to see all the Bush lovers in bed together.
June 10, 2008
12:25 p.m.
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Heidi writes:
PjP, did you choke on your bong water? ;)
Next time, don't wait so long until you drink it!
June 10, 2008
12:34 p.m.
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T1anda writes:
The real DNC disaster is that Obama is the Democratic nominee!!
June 10, 2008
12:47 p.m.
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JSeifert writes:
explosion" at the Pepsi Center, involving pesticides are they kidding how about VX stray or missle strike or massive truck bomb only Denver would plan against the most unlikly form of attack. How about a Biological attack from the air? How about a Hijacked plane crashing into the Pepsi center?, How about multi car bombs? how about snipers on the highway coming from the airport? I can come up with better things to plan against then a bunch of Idiot Denver leaders. How about a Dirty bomb? How about suicide bombers? How about poisioned water bottles? How about a Multi bombs going off around Denver malls and Buildings then when the city responds to those attacks the main attack comes downtown. How about a VX attack on the city itself where the hospitals, Police and fire departments are affected and can not respond what are you going to do then? How about a single man with a IED on the highway? You People that control Denver are the most unprepared city of Idiots I have ever seen.
June 10, 2008
1:09 p.m.
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TheDenverB writes:
you sound like you have put too much thought into this already, seifert.
and...
"..."victims" who were treated at area hospitals as though they were contaminated with a biological agent and suffering other injuries.
Just after 9 a.m., the hospitals received a report of an "explosion" at the Pepsi Center, involving pesticides and an unknown number of injuries among 20,000 people in attendance.
A few minutes later the hospital received a second report that some patients had been exposed to low-level radiation."
this was a drill mostly for medics and hospitals...
and it sounds like it covers: biological agents, injuries, explosions, radiation, and a host of other things hospitals could prepare for.
Seems like a good drill to me and for the host of hospitals participating and it would cover "a hijacked plane, multi car bombs, snipers (bullet wounds aren't uncommon in Denver area hospitals), dirty bombs, poisoned water bottles (biological agents)...
again, this is for the hospitals and medics, mostly, in how they would deal with the massive amounts of people.
law enforcement drills and preperations are another matter entirlely. i'm sure they have contingency plans in place for many of the issues you just named.
that said, your rant sounds more like a paranoid schizzo's fears than anything they could actuallly plan for. I mean, you can't really plan for a disaster, but they are doing the best they can.
"can come up with better things to plan against then a bunch of Idiot Denver leaders. "
no, i'm sure you can't.
"You People that control Denver are the most unprepared city of Idiots I have ever seen."
great. then leave, or if you aren't here to begin with, stay away. we don't really need you here gunking up the works anyway.
June 10, 2008
1:15 p.m.
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TheDenverB writes:
also, this drill isn't about how to prevent such an attack...
it's what to do if such an attack happened.
as you pointed out through your nuttiness, there are a million different things that could happen. So, while you can plan the best you can for any number of those things....
you CAN plan even better how a city would RESPOND to something like that. and again, i'm sure a committee of hospital directors, city planners and disaster experts know a bit more about planning for such a thing than you do.
June 10, 2008
1:22 p.m.
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JSeifert writes:
Nope just know what's out there, But I guess Democrates do not really need to fear a terrorist attack anyway since they support most of them anyway, FARC, HAMAS just to name a couple. Also the Military which they hate will probly be on NBC standby anyway. Do you really think that Denver is ready for a terrorist attack? There would not be 10's or 100"s of people to treat try Thosands and considering the hospitals in Denver and you have to wait hours to be treated now do you really think they can handle a attack? Does the Medics and Hospitals have Mop Gear or even the meds to treat such a attack? Nope All we can hope for is no attack at all. But thats the Democrat way HOPE.
June 10, 2008
1:24 p.m.
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DenverDan writes:
The eyes of the world will be in Denver, Colorado as we host the next pres. So I hope that it is about the DNC only, even if your on the other team.
June 10, 2008
1:41 p.m.
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Johnvet writes:
FONDA FACTOR---DISASTER IN DENVER for Demos if exposed. Obama, Hillary and others like Al Franken, running for senate MN, are part of Fonda Factor, weak natl defense and values in shambles. There should be demonstrations and store front exhibit "Liberal Agenda House of Horrors." Franken could be cast as Frankenstein monster of liberal agenda (his obscene writings noted in Mpls, MN papers), Fonda and Hillary as witches, and Obama perhaps as Dracula. On the web and in Telegraph, a London newspaper, there has been Hillary witch effigy with sign, Hillary's House of Horrors, weak natl defense.
June 10, 2008
2:45 p.m.
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farsidefan writes:
I have tried to become a bit educated on recreate 68. Seems to me they aren't really tied to one political party, more anarchists than anything. I hope Minnesota is as ready as Denver will be.
Snipers ? National Guard ? Can you say Kent State ?
Get a grip folks, you are the ones always touting free speech, etc. Can't have it both ways.
June 10, 2008
3:03 p.m.
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ToeNee writes:
This seems like smart practice for any city in this day an age. Good Job Denver.
June 10, 2008
3:28 p.m.
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temurlan writes:
I agree, good job. It sounds like we are getting a little more sophisticated in our preparedness. I bet they did more stuff that they don't announce.
Alive, well done.
June 10, 2008
3:36 p.m.
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Heidi writes:
PP, if your bong was cracked, imagine the mess it would make! Drink up!
June 10, 2008
3:43 p.m.
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Scott writes:
I agree with Denver preparing for a disaster during the DNCC. Can you imagine what the mess is going to be like when the cops hit all of these unreconstructed hippies with this: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/06/...
Yup, too much dope in the 60s fried their brains. Now every evening they look under their beds to check for a lurking conservative. :-)
Scott
June 10, 2008
3:56 p.m.
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temurlan writes:
Scott, I saw that earlier. I think it's a riot. (Pun intended) Love the names for it. "The Brown Note" is my favorite. On one hand it would be fun to watch (on TV) it in action, but I wouldn't want there crap all over our downtown.
June 10, 2008
4:12 p.m.
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Scott writes:
PP,
You really need to watch the Mythbusters show that experimented with "The Brown Note". Adam was the potential victim and he wore a Depends during the testing. Of course the nut wore it OVER his pants and he wrapped the camera with one! :-)
Good point about the before and after difference :-)
Scott
June 11, 2008
12:21 p.m.
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rickg19611 writes:
Democrat convention 2008...
Come on Democrats... admit it..... the REAL concern about you guys "defecating involuntarily" is about realizing that you're nominating a dud candidate like Obama. When it's announced that you really did nominate an empty suit that has connections to terrorists and racist preachers, you'll be crapping all over Denver out of shock at blowing the best chance you had in decades.
"Political activists planning protest rallies at the upcoming Democratic Convention in Denver have their stomachs in knots over a rumor about a crowd control weapon - known as the “crap cannon” - that might be unleashed against them.
Also called “Brown Note,” it is believed to be an infrasound frequency that debilitates a person by making them defecate involuntarily."
June 11, 2008
3:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
Scott writes:
YIOTA,
My daughters have the entire South Park collection on DVD. I know what I'll be watching tonight! :-)
Scott