TCH Newsroom
Contact: Rodney Foushee
Public Relations & Marketing Manager
(828) 883-5435
Hospital Training Pays Off in Camping Accident Response
BREVARD, N.C., June 11, 2008—Frequent emergency drilling by the medical staff at Transylvania Community Hospital paid off early Wednesday morning when five victims of a camping accident were treated in the hospital’s Emergency Department.
A camp counselor and four boys, ages 9 to 10, were treated in the Brevard hospital’s emergency room after a tree fell on their tent during the night while camping in the nearby Pisgah National Forest. The hospital’s emergency staff received a call around 3:30 a.m. of the accident. The hospital staff was told by rescue crews that multiple victims were being transported to the hospital.
Transylvania Community Hospital immediately initiated a mass-casualty incident response to prepare for the arrival of the patients. The hospital holds multiple mass-casualty drills each year to prepare for such situations.
“Despite the time of night, our emergency room doctor, nurses and medical staff were completely ready to receive patients when they arrived on the scene,” said Becky Carter, the hospital’s chief operating officer and also a registered nurse who was called in for the incident. “The ER staff, with help from our Medical/Surgical Unit, did a great job of putting this group of young campers at ease and making them feel safe during treatment after an obviously traumatic night in the forest.”
The frequent drilling by the hospital staff to handle many patients at once—from a school bus accident to a chemical spill—made the difference, Carter said. “You can’t practice too much to be ready for the eventual time when it’s no drill. Practice means the difference between the smooth assessment and treatment of each patient and chaos.”
The counselor and two campers were treated and released in the Emergency Department. One boy was transferred to Mission Hospitals in Asheville and another was admitted to Transylvania Community Hospital.
For more information on the camping accident, please contact the U.S. Forest Service Pisgah Ranger District at (828) 877-3265.
About Transylvania Community Hospital
Celebrating its 75th year, Transylvania Community Hospital is a nationally ranked 5-Star Hospital and a leading provider of quality healthcare services in Transylvania and surrounding counties. Based in Brevard, N.C., it is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1933 and is the largest employer in Transylvania County.