Submitted by St. Francis Memorial Hospital
On Wednesday, October 12, 2022, Renfrew County Paramedics and St. Francis Memorial Hospital conducted a planned emergency CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) exercise. This planned/staged exercise was a learning opportunity for Paramedic and hospital staff to practice a CBRN disaster with all the required equipment, personal protective equipment, and processes. Above photo submitted.
Volunteer students Kolton, Kale, Sara, and Peyton acted as patients affected by a chemical incident who required decontamination and treatment. Paramedic staff responded readily while ensuring safety of the patient and themselves were at the forefront of their response.
Steve Osipenko, Acting Commander for the County of Renfrew Paramedic Services shared, “Our goal was to ensure our partnership was prepared to respond if a real event occurred in the hospital catchment area. This exercise showed that we are ready and where we can make adjustments to be more efficient. We were glad to work with the SFMH staff to maintain our readiness. Bravo to all those involved.”
