St. Mary's Medical Center and Community Hospital — both based in Grand Junction, Colo. — are participating in a mock plane crash May 2 at the city's airport, The Daily Sentinel reported.
More than 20 agencies will take part in the three-hour emergency preparedness exercise, including the FBI and Mesa County (Colo.) Sheriff's Office. As part of the exercise, Community Hospital's emergency department will receive mock transfer patients to test its "ability to successfully manage a patient surge," as well as managing internal and external communications, the hospital said in a news release.
"This particular exercise will test our emergency department triage capabilities as they pertain to a mass casualty incident following a mock plane crash at the Grand Junction Regional Airport," said Joe Gerardi, BSN, the hospital's chief nursing officer and chief operating officer.