Coordinated Response Delivers Specialized Medical Resources During Hurricane Florence

“Leading our community to outstanding health” isn’t just the mission of New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC), it’s a motto that every team member lives by. Never was this more evident than in the early morning hours of Sep. 14, 2018.   As the eye of Hurricane Florence approached Wilmington, N.C., NHRMC EMS coordinated their responses to 9-1-1 calls with the Joint Command Center (JCC) that included fire department leaders from the city of Wilmington and New Hanover County. Around 3 a.m., sustained wind speeds began exceeding 50 miles per hour, which is when NHRMC EMS ceases responding to 9-1-1 calls. During this “shutdown phase,” 9-1-1 calls received by the Public Safety Communications Center (PSCC) are triaged by NHRMC staff until such time that the sustained winds allow for safe emergency vehicle responses. A Frantic Call Just after 7:00 a.m., the PSCC received a frantic 9-1-1 call: A large tree had fallen on a house, entrapping a family. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, a call was placed to the JCC. Following a risk assessment, a four-wheel drive response vehicle was dispatched with two paramedics, one of whom was a special operations paramedic trained in extrication and providing medical care in enclosed spaces.What normally would be a three-minute response took 15 minutes, as the team had to navigate around flooded roads and downed trees, they arrived shortly after Wilmington Fire. By this time, the eye of Hurricane Florence was beginning ...
Source: JEMS Operations - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Rescue & Vehicle Extrication Exclusive Articles Source Type: news