Press Release

October 5, 2006
Contact: Rogers Ramsey or
Claudie Benjamin
(973) 972-6273

Full Scale Disaster Drill to be held at The University Hospital
in Newark to Prepare for Chemical Explosions and Fires

NEWARK — In Newark, EMS and Hospital staff know that at any time they may be called to treat patients from a chemical explosion at one of the many industrial sites in the Newark area. They also know there is a high-risk of chemical fires on the New Jersey highways where trucks containing flammable and toxic substances drive the roads 24/7.

There also lurks the new possibility of a terrorist attack on any of the major transportation systems or international airports in the Newark area. Anticipating the need to urgently respond to these kinds of disasters, emergency planners at The University Hospital has coordinated a full-scale disaster drill with local firefighters and other community emergency response agencies in order to fine-tune their response.

This year the annual drill will involve more than 30 volunteer “patients” and another 20-30 members of the decon units connected to local fire departments.

The drill, which will be held Saturday, October 14 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at The University Hospital, 150 Bergen Street, Newark, includes assessment of rescue and decontamination skills and equipment. More specifically, this drill focuses on triaging patients, decontaminating them and bringing them into the hospital for treatment.

The University Hospital offers a wide range of specialty services including northern New Jersey’s only Level I Trauma Center (incorporating a trauma-intensive care unit and the NorthSTAR helicopter emergency and critical care transport system), a regional center for neonatal intensive care, the Acute Stroke Center, New Jersey’s first Liver Transplant Program, The University Center for Bloodless Surgery and Medicine and a special Brain Tumor Program.