More than 35 people attended a demonstration on portable hospitals at Rutland Regional Medical Center last Friday and Satruday, Nov. 3-4.
Portable hospitals, made of high-strength polyvinyl chloride fabric, can be rapidly deployed in emergency situations and can add an extra 20 beds with a small surgical suite.
The drill last weekend gave staff and community partners the opportunity to observe the resources the state provides in the event of a mass casualty incident or medical surge, such as a rise in Covid-19.
Members of Killington Fire and Rescue, Brandon Rescue, Porter Hospital, Proctor Fire and Rescue and other organizations attended the event.
“Rutland Regional Medical Center is committed to being prepared for any type of emergency,” said Abby Spiegelman, the manager of emergency preparedness at Rutland Regional Medical Center. “We understand the importance of strong partnerships at the state level and with other healthcare facilities and that is why we are so pleased to host this drill for the Vermont Department of Health. We hope to never have to use portable hospitals, but if we need to, we want to be ready to deploy these resources as quickly as possible for our patients and our community.”
The demonstrations at Rutland Regional were presented in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health’s Medical Countermeasures Program and the Medical Reserve Corps.
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By Abby Spielgelman
A portable hospital demonstration was held at Rutland Regional Medical Center Nov. 3-4.. The event was attended by about 35 people from local rescue organizations and hospitals.
