This morning, medical staff and hospital employees at Salem Hospital treated nearly 90 simulated patients who arrived from a mock tornado disaster.

The wave of simulated patients started to arrive before 8 am and continued to show up continually through 11 am. Physicians and hospital employees in the hospital’s emergency department set up a triage system, and treated everyone from simulated trauma patients to those with minor injuries.

The hospital also set up an incident command center, and leaders report the response proceeded smoothly. The staff handled the drill as the rest of the hospital continued to operate as normal. Staff in the incident command center maintained contact with the Salem Fire Department and the City of Salem’s Emergency Communications Center throughout the exercise.

West Valley Hospital in Dallas also treated 10 simulated patients this morning who arrived by bus. The staff set up a triage tent to handle the influx of patients. The hospital treated and released 9 patients, and transferred one simulated patient to the Oregon Burn Center at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland for further treatment.

Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital are a part of Salem Health, along with Willamette Health Partners and other affiliated health care organizations offering exceptional care to people in and around Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley. Visit us at salemhealth.org and facebook.com/salemhealth; follow us on Twitter: @salemhealth; and view us at youtube.com/user/salemhealth.