A Cloud In The Midnight Sky Case Study

Case Study: A Cloud in the Midnight Sky

The facts given in the case of A Cloud in the Midnight Sky raise more questions than they answer. Reviewing this case with the mindset of an administrator, proves to be quite complex. Since I am the acting incident commander, It is my responsibility to declare this situation an external disaster. While the facts in this case study definitely point to catastrophic possibilities, I feel like there are still many pieces of the puzzle that need to be filled. Before I declare a disaster, I need to be in close communication with the local authorities. I will need to assess the entire situation and gather as much information about the incident as possible. Two of the most important pieces of information I would need is what chemical agents if any, have the patients been exposed to and

an estimated number of persons exposed.

Gaining a better understanding of what exactly my hospital is dealing with will determine the appropriate course of action. Did the explosion send poisonous chemicals into the air or are the patients simply having a reaction from smoke? As the incident commander on duty it is my responsibility to implement the three key strategies of disaster response; protect and preserve life, stabilize the disaster scene, and protect and preserve property. I will also begin implementation of the hospital’s emergency operation plan. Although I have not yet established the cause of illness in the patients, it is important to treat the incident as a potential mass disaster situation. I will proceed with implementing the “3 C’s” of incident leadership; coordination, communication, and cooperation (Reilly & Markenson, 2011). Effective management of this crisis weighs heavily on my ability to coordinate, communicate, and cooperate not only

with my staff, but with outside authorities.
Activating the hospitals command center will allow management to begin organizing staff and appropriate supplies. Since it is obvious the victims are suffering from respiratory issues, all on-call respiratory therapists along with all other on-call staff will be required to report for duty. Although, I am still unsure what the patients are suffering from, a triage center will be set up away from other patients and staff that are not dealing directly with victims from the incident. This will be done to minimize possible contamination and for the safety of staff and patients. I do not feel that locking down the facility is an option. This is the closest hospital to the point of exposure, so we should expect to receive a surge of victims from the incident. I do feel the need to have security present as a way of maintaining order due to the increase of persons arriving at the hospital.
Once I have coordinated my staff, I will establish communications with other health and medical agencies, facilities, and organizations that have emergency response roles and responsibilities, and verify their treatment and support capacities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011, p. 15). Coordinating with other health care agencies will be useful if it determined that the hospital itself is at risk of exposure to the toxic air or if the hospital becomes low on essential supplies. Creating an evacuation plan before it is needed, will minimize logistic issues and create a safer environment for patients and staff. If needed the public information officer will be contacted to communicate crucial information to the public. Communication is vital in this particular situation. Establishing clear and direct communication with local authorities will be the hospitals greatest asset to stabilizing and maintaining control over patient care and safety.