C.W. Post, Glen Cove Hospital, Local EMS to Stage Drill
at Brookville Campus Nov. 3

Simulated carbon monoxide poisoning incident will test procedures;
C.W. Post students will act as victims in multiple-trauma scenario

Brookville, N.Y. – Glen Cove Hospital and local fire and emergency medical services departments will take part in a disaster drill at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University Saturday, Nov. 3 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Students will act the part of victims of carbon monoxide exposure at Brookville Hall, a dormitory on the campus, in the simulated “escalating mass casualty incident,” said Paul Rapess, acting director of Public Safety at C.W. Post.

Rescue personnel will respond to a call of an unconscious student at Brookville Hall, Rapess said. As the scenario unfolds, more students will show signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, one will be “injured” in a fall on stairs and one student who uses a wheelchair will require immediate evacuation.

 As many as 10 people will be transported to Glen Cove Hospital in simulated conditions ranging from serious to critical, said EMS Lt. Adam Levy of the Roslyn Rescue Fire Department, which is involved in planning the drill.

“We’re going to run 30 to 50 people through triage,” Levy said. “We’re going to try to make this as realistic as possible.”

Glen Cove Hospital will call in extra emergency medicine physicians and nurses for the drill, said Dr. John D’Angelo, chairman of the hospital’s Department of Emergency Medicine.

Also participating will be personnel from the C.W. Post departments of  Public Safety and Residence Life, the Nassau County Medical Reserve Corps and the Nassau County Community Emergency Response Team.

Long Island University’s Homeland Security Management Institute will send observers to the drill and participate in the “hotwash” evaluation session after the event, Rapess said. Local police agencies also are expected to send observers.

The drill will be the second major emergency exercise at C.W. Post in 19 months. In April 2006, the campus hosted a simulation of a chlorine gas leak that involved 1,600 students and numerous local, county and state public safety agencies.

“The health and safety of our students is our No. 1 priority,” said C.W. Post Provost Joseph Shenker. “Exercises like these are vital to the security of the campus community. I am grateful to Glen Cove Hospital, Roslyn Rescue Fire Companies and the other agencies and C.W. Post departments for their commitment of time and resources to this important project.”

Posted: October 26, 2007