In the Event of an Earthquake

Earthquakes that struck around the world this past year, along with predications for earthquakes in Israel in the next several years, require special preparation in terms of the medical treatment provided during crises such as earthquakes.

In a unique drill conducted last Tuesday, May 17, 2011, at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, the hospital staff performed earthquake simulation drills in which various parts of the hospital became unfit for use, forcing the hospital to cope with a particularly complex reality and tens of thousands of casualties. The teams performed drills in various areas – equipment, communication, access, medical treatment and more.

The drill, which took place in Hadera, involved military and security forces as well as medical and rescue teams to ensure that they had an opportunity to practice and experience all elements of the type of cooperation that could be required in real time.

"A simulation drill of an earthquake that would affect the hospital is both vital and problematic," said Professor Meir Oren, Medical Director of Hillel Yaffe. "The fact that it is impossible to predict the exact nature of the damage in real time makes it hard to prepare in terms of procedures, predictions, equipment and personnel required. However, it is still critical that we test our capabilities in this type of emergency situation so that we can minimize uncertainty to the greatest extent possible and respond appropriately if the hospital is called into action."

Some of the scenarios presented to the hospital staff during the drill included declaration of one of the inpatient buildings as unfit for use and the need to evacuate affected departments, disconnection of infrastructure, water and communication lines, casualties among the hospital staff, and relocation of the emergency room and delivery rooms outside existing buildings.

During the drill, the hospital was visited by many people who wanted to see how Hillel Yaffe staff coped with the complex situation, including Chief Medical Officer of the IDF, Brigadier General Dr. Nachman Ash, a group of high-ranking personnel from Germany's emergency health system and representatives from other hospitals, including Rambam Medical Center, Carmel Medical Center and Nahariya.

At the conclusion of the drill, hospital staff earned accolades from visitors and the Home Front Command for their advance preparation and outstanding performance during the drills. They also noted points to improve on for future readiness, to the extent possible, taking into account the unpredictability of events such as earthquakes.