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Volunteers needed for countywide Pandemic Flu Drill to be held at Civista Medical Center July 31- August 2

LA PLATA, Maryland - Civista Medical Center is participating in a statewide Pandemic Flu Drill from July 31 - August 2. Civista's Mass Casualty Disaster Organization Team (MCDOT) is coordinating the exercise based on the scenario of a Pandemic Flu outbreak. Our partners in the drill include: the American Red Cross, Charles County Commissioners, Charles County Emergency Services, Charles County Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services, La Plata Police Department, and the Charles County Sheriff's Office. "In order for us to ensure an effective response during an emergency, it is important that we practice our plans ahead of time. By testing our abilities to respond appropriately to this type of health crisis, we will be able to respond more effectively to all situations where the public's safety could be compromised," said Lauri Cress, MCDOT team leader and Director, Facilities Management at Civista.

With this countywide effort, we hope to be able to assess and evaluate a number of factors including: hospital readiness, surge, communications, isolation and quarantine, and coordinated/collaborated local agency response. While the drill is underway Civista Medical Center will continue to provide all of our normal healthcare services.

In order to make this a true test of our systems, we are asking for assistance from our community members. Volunteer actors are needed to serve as "patients" on Wednesday, August 1st as our drill reaches full escalation. Volunteer actors will receive scripted cards with instructions on them that indicate a variety of possible scenarios from not having symptoms to needing rapid triage/treatment, to needing hospitalization, to death.

Volunteers are needed from 1:00 pm on Wednesday up until 8:00 am on Thursday and they can arrive any time throughout the day and may participate in the drill for as long or short of a time as they are able to. If you have some time to assist us, your participation is critical to the success of our pandemic flu drill. Volunteers are asked to pre-register by calling Maryanne at 301-609-4195 with information on when you are able to participate. Note: High school students who volunteer will receive a letter of participation along with community service hours.