Prepared for zombies, prepared for anything in Columbia, SC

[Regular Guy]

http://www.wistv.com/story/19078335/are ... casualties

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -

Not exact ZS in the media but someone's been trolling ZS.

When 8 people were injured, two fatally, in a crash on Interstate 26 in Calhoun County Thursday, they were taken to Palmetto Health Richland Hospital.

"In an event like that we briefly stand up, the emergency department typically handles something like that," said Dr. Steve Shelton with Palmetto Health Richland.
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They also prepare for something as big as the shooting overnight at the movie theatre Aurora, Colorado.

"That's a hospital wide disaster there, where you bring in a number of resources that respond," said Dr. Shelton.

It's called a surge. First: Of personnel.

"You've got to get the appropriate individuals down here whether they're physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and a whole host of others," he said.

Next, space: Where you put more than 50 injuries that flood in within minutes of each other.

"Such as an auditorium or a hallway where you wouldn't normally take care of," said Dr. Shelton.

And where do they get the needed supplies?

"Maybe blood, maybe IV fluids," said Shelton. "Maybe ventilators."

As a result of events like the mass shooting in Colorado, nearly every hospital has a disaster plan that's frequently tested with drills and live exercises.

"Our goal is to find weaknesses," said Dr. Shelton. "We don't want to drill and be perfect. We want to find where we can improve."

It's likely in a disaster Palmetto Health Richland would get the largest amount of critically injured patients.

"We prepare for anything," said Dr. Shelton. "So our plans are based on the unknown out there, whether it's a weather event, a trauma event, or a zombie attack."

You may scoff, but the CDC sees some logic in that drastic of a plan.

"If you can prepare for zombies, you're ready for anything," said Shelton.