Quinte Synergy – Mock Emergency Preparedness Exercise
When an emergency happens, it’s ‘all hands on deck’ for health care and emergency response teams. That’s why even mock emergencies require a coordinated effort to ensure informed decision-making, a timely response, and seamless transitions—putting processes into action in a controlled environment.
On October 25, members of the Quinte Health team joined forces with Quinte West OPP, Quinte West Fire Department, Hastings Quinte Paramedic Services and City of Quinte West, together with Loyalist College students and County Farm Centre employees, in a mock community emergency preparedness exercise. This marked the third live exercise Quinte Health has participated in with external partners in the past seven years.
In the scenario, responders were called to the County Farm Centre on Hamilton Road in Belleville for a vehicle fire and entrapment resulting in several injuries with dangerous chemicals present, requiring a hazardous materials response. A Municipal Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) was activated.
At Quinte Health, an internal EOC was triggered by participating managers, directors, and frontline staff in order to practice a Code Orange response, which included setting up a mock Emergency Department at Belleville General Hospital (BGH).
“This hands-on experience is invaluable in building confidence and competence,” explained Dave Pym, Manager, Occupational Health, Safety and Security – and an organizer of the event. “This exercise allowed our teams to practice and improve protocols that contribute to the safety and resilience of the entire community. Prepared communities are more resilient communities.”
The exercise concluded with a mock press conference at Loyalist College, where media students received a statement by each of the participating organizations before opening it up to questions. After the event concluded, all organizations involved attended a debrief to discuss what went well and opportunities to improve. A similar debrief will be held internally for team members involved in the Quinte Health Code Orange response.
Quinte Health President and CEO Stacey Daub applauded the many individuals involved including students from various disciplines working hand-in-hand with local professionals, noting the importance of nurturing the next generation with invaluable hands-on experience.
“I found it truly remarkable to witness the power of strong alliances in action in our relentless pursuit of creating healthier communities together,” Stacey explained. “Our connections outside the hospital’s walls stand as a cornerstone of our purpose, a testament to our commitment to serving our community. We are working as one team across our services to ensure we are positioned to provide the best possible response in moments when our community needs us the most.”
Stacey also expressed thanks for Dave Pym’s exemplary leadership role. “His deep connections to our community, his partnerships, and his unwavering commitment to Quinte Health all coalesce in a remarkable way.”
#Connection
#StrongerTogether
