If central Illinois is hit with a widespread outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus or other disaster, how would the area handle it, especially if local hospitals become overwhelmed?
To assess such a question, a disaster preparedness drill will be held by the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Disaster Preparedness/Region 2 Medical Emergency Response Team (RMERT).
All 24 hospitals throughout the 18 county Region 2 response area will participate in the drill, which will be held September 14-16, 2009 at Alpha Park, 3527 Airport Road in Bartonville.
The public is invited to attend an open house of the complete emergency response set-up from 4:00-7:00 PM, Tuesday, September 15th.
Included in the Region 2 assets on display will be a 100-bed surgical hospital, disaster medical trailers, a mass oxygen delivery system, mobile decontamination unit, response vehicles, and more.
The OSF Disaster Preparedness/RMERT set-up is one of the few in the country that is privately owned. Most are owned by governmental bodies.
The following Region 2 hospitals are participating: BroMenn Medical Center, Cottage Hospital, Dr. John Warner Hospital, Eureka Hospital, Genesis Medical Center, Graham Hospital, Hammond Henry Hospital, Hopedale Medical Center, Illinois Valley Community Hospital, Kewanee Hospital, McDonough District Hospital, Mercer County Hospital, Methodist Medical Center, OSF Holy Family Medical Center, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, OSF Saint James Medical Center, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, OSF St. Mary Medical Center, Ottawa Regional Hospital & Healthcare Center, Pekin Hospital, Proctor Hospital, St. Margaret’s Hospital, Saint Mary’s Streator and Trinity Hospital.