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Emergency Procedures Manual Implemented at NHB

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100330-08
Release Date: 3/30/2010 11:29:00 AM

By Douglas H. Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs

BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) has implemented an Emergency Procedures Manual throughout the command that will provide staff members with easy-to-use directions and instructions that deal with a variety of potential concerns and issues.

The user-friendly manual has been specifically designed to provide information not only before but also during any emergency such as a fire, bomb threat, and urgent medical concerns at the flip of a page.

"Our intention is to put them in as many key areas as necessary specifically for our staff to have easy and ready access," explained Terry Lerma, NHB's Emergency Preparedness coordinator. "Approximately half of the 200 we ordered have been placed throughout the facility."

According to Lerma, the manual was conceived by NHB's Emergency Management Committee, and based upon combining insight from examples from other military treatment facilities.

"We incorporated an example from a larger command such as Naval Medical Center San Diego and from a smaller one like Naval Hospital Oak Harbor," Lerma said. "Our goal was to come up with a basic easy-to-use, scaled down version of what was needed and important to have at a moment's notice. We had great input and energy with the overall collaboration from so many multi-discipline members of the group. We really feel good about this manual."

The manual has an explanation of what the purpose of each hospital code is, from cardiac (or respiratory) arrest to a mass casualty event, emergency phone numbers, including after-hours contact information for the command duty officer, officer of the day, nurse of the day, role of an individual in disaster relief to hospital evacuation priorities and emergency radio operations for using the Emergency Land Mobile Radio.

"We combined information from the American Red Cross, Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management and Commander Navy Installation Command's 'Operation Prepare' for what we all need to think about and be ready for in case of any scenario," said Lerma.

The response so far from staff members has been positive. Requests are starting to gather for more.