More than 60 volunteers representing several agencies staged a disaster on Saturday, May 6 at Mount St. Francis Hospital in Nelson in an effort to practice coordinated emergency response and demonstrate what can happen in a real-life event.
“This exercise allowed response agencies to share and practice their expertise,” said Nora Hannon, an emergency program coordinator with the Regional District of Central Kootenay.
The exercise involved a mock bus accident that involved multiple “casualties” and hazmat conditions.
Representatives from RDCK Emergency Services; three of the 18 RDCK volunteer fire departments, including Balfour Harrop Fire Department, Beasley Volunteer Fire Department, North Shore Volunteer Fire Department; Nelson Police; RCMP; BC Ambulance Service; Kootenay Lake Hospital; Nelson Fire and Rescue; BC Corners Service; and Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure — West Kootenay District worked together to bring the disaster to life. Additional support came from the City of Nelson and Western Auto Wreckers.
“We’re extremely grateful to everyone who participated in and supported this event, including members of the public who endured the rain to bring this event to life,” added Hannon. “The event strengthened relationships between the agencies and helped us practice life-saving skills.”