Letter to the Editor: Emergency Medical Shelter Drill a Success

Recently, the Needham Health Department staff and volunteers from the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) from Canton, Dedham, Milton, Needham, Norwood, Wellesley and Westwood (NC-7) participated in a full-scale shelter exercise at the Dedham Middle School. They took on roles as medical staff and “victims” of a hypothetical apartment building fire that displaced residents and required the community to set up a shelter that could also address their medical needs.  Public safety personnel from several communities also attended.

Each of the “victims” of the fire presented as potential shelter residents with unique individual concerns, including language barriers, acute medical conditions, pets or service animals, and mental health issues. The drill tested the communities’ ability to be flexible and responsive in finding ways to respond to these needs.

Ultimately, the communities successfully set up a shelter that could house both the general population and individuals who required limited individualized medical assistance.  

Medical Director for Emergency Preparedness at Massachusetts General Hospital Paul Biddinger, MD, stated “One of the most important lessons learned from Superstorm Sandy was the importance of being able to support shelter residents’ medical needs in order to keep them healthy and avoid overload of the hospital system."

Led by their local health departments, the NC-7 communities routinely work together on issues related to local and regional emergency preparedness and response.  

If you would like more information on Emergency Preparedness please call the Needham Public Health Department at 781‐455‐7523 ext 511.