Mass shooting drill at LCMH reflection of current events

By Gena Latrell
glatrell@americanpress.com

{{tncms-inline content=”<p class="p1"><strong>‘… the choice of a mass shooting drill had a lot to do with the current situation in the world, with all of the mass shootings that have been happening recently.’</strong> </p> <p class="p3"><strong>Roman Jenks</strong></p> <p class="p4">Lake Charles Memorial Hospital’s ER director</p>” id=”18adca43-5c47-4187-8568-f19f49556c56″ style-type=”quote” title=”Pull Quote” type=”relcontent”}}

Lake Charles Memorial Hospital held a mass shooting drill Wednesday that involved medical personnel from throughout the region.  

The storyline for the drill had active shooters at all government buildings in area parishes.

“We do drills multiple times a year. We must have drills; they’re required,” said Roman Jenks, Memorial’s emergency department director.

“But the choice of a mass shooting drill had a lot to do with the current situation in the world, with all of the mass shootings that have been happening recently.”

Medical workers from hospitals in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu and Cameron parishes took part in the drill, along with nursing homes, the Health Department, clinics and some home health agencies, Jenks said.

“Other facilities did this drill, but they did it as a simulation, simulating patients on paper: What would you do with them? Where would you send them?” he said.

“Memorial decided we were going to have live, made-up patients to better serve the nurses — for them to learn to triage patients that are coming in from that type of situation.”

If a mass shooting were to really happen, Jenks said, Memorial would marshal as many doctors as necessary to handle victims.

“If it’s going to take more than just the ER physicians, we actually do have an understanding with physicians employed at Memorial Hospital that we would call them,” he said.

“They would cancel clinics or cancel elective surgeries so that those individuals could come to the ER to assist.”

Jenks said the public could also aid in caring for victims. He said the website www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed provides information on how to use tourniquets to stanch bleeding.

Several victims in the Sandy Hook shooting died from blood loss “because people didn’t know how to apply tourniquets.”

‘… the choice of a mass shooting drill had a lot to do with the current situation in the world, with all of the mass shootings that have been happening recently.’ 

Roman Jenks

Lake Charles Memorial Hospital’s ER director

Local News

Solo home run gives LSU 6-5 win over Oregon State

Local News

Capitol Police stop youth performance of ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ after ‘miscommunication’

life

Learn about bugs Tuesday at the Moss Bluff library

Local News

Saudi Arabia cuts oil output by 1 million barrels per day to boost sagging prices

Local News

Head of Louisiana’s coastal protection agency set to resign next month

Local News

UPDATE: Shelter-in-place, evacuation order lifted

life

Back in the game: Former Cincinnati Reds player Blake Trahan among those being honored in a new History of Baseball in Southwest Louisiana exhibit

life

Grand Isle State Park reopens nearly 2 years after Hurricane Ida

Business News

Shelter-in-place issued near Calcasieu Refining

Local News

Biden signs debt ceiling bill that pulls US back from brink of unprecedented default

Local News

India train crash death toll rises above 230 with 900 injured as rescuers comb through debris

life

Church split in Louisiana: Some staying, some leaving

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column: ‘Kingfish U’ links Long to LSU

Local News

PHOTO GALLERY: Apartment complex catches fire

Local News

VIDEO: Apartment complex catches fire

Local News

Skenes delivers dominant performance in 7-2 Tigers win

Local News

New Ferrara Custom Pumper Truck now part of city’s firefighting fleet

Local News

VIDEO: Welcome, Fire Truck 402-192

Crime

Sheriff: 55-year-old molested child while she slept

Crime

6/2: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

life

PHOTO GALLERY: It’s gator feeding time

Local News

APSB cancels meeting to vote on superintendent

life

Zigler exhibit chronicles history, culture and people of local Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana

life

All in the family: Artist James Hunter fashions his work after his famous grandmother