Earthquake Drill at Manila Doctors Hospital

Last June 20, 2006, to support the government’s earthquake awareness and preparedness program and to make the hospital safe for staff, patients, and visitors, an earthquake drill was conducted at Manila Doctors Hospital. At exactly 9:00 pm, the drill started with the sounding of a siren through the public address system to signify the presence of an ongoing earthquake. All staff, patients, and visitors in the hospital premises at that time responded with “duck, cover, and hold,” opening of doors, temporarily stoppage of medical procedures at the same time protecting patients, and turning off of gas ranges, electrical and machinery switches. Two additional sirens were sounded off after 10 minutes and 5 minutes later. Aside from simulating aftershocks, the two additional sirens gave sector coordinators opportunity to teach those who were not able to respond properly during the first earthquake. At 9:20 pm, selective evacuation started from the fifth floor down and was completed within 5 minutes. Mock victims, real ambulatory patients, relatives of confined patients, visitors, nursing students, medical secretaries, hospital staff (doctors, nurses, and support staff), and valuables were evacuated using the driveways and streets as holding areas. Reconstruction was called at 9:30 pm with the participants going back inside hospital. A debriefing session was held at 9:40 pm in the presence of a Philippine National Red Cross observer in the person of Mr. Sergio Pangan and moderated by Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson, Chairman of the MDH Disaster Preparedness Committee. At the end of the drill, the outcome consisted of 1) a tested structured and comprehensive earthquake preparedness program at MDH which can be used as a model for other hospitals, both private or government, to adopt; 2) elevated awareness of earthquake preparedness and response among 623 staff, 300 patients, and 228 visitors who participated in the drill; and 3) most important of all, the first private hospital to have conducted a structured earthquake drill. For information on how to conduct earthquake drill in a hospital setting, please email: rjoson@maniladoctors.com.ph