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Southwest Healthcare System Hosts Mass-Casualty Incident Training

Southwest Healthcare System, which operates Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar and Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta, recently hosted a mass-casualty incident training for local health organizations.

“When there are a large number of patients injured, it is imperative that hospitals be involved because patients will be taken to those hospitals,” said Southwest Healthcare System Pre-Hospital Liaison Nurse Dan Sitar. “The process requires strategic coordination between the medical facilities and the addressing personnel to ensure patients are cared for adequately. This training helps us improve our communication between responding agencies.”

About 180 medical personnel from eight organizations completed the training. Participating agencies included the Murrieta Fire Department, Murrieta Police Department, Riverside County Fire Department, Mercy Air, American Medical Response, Mission Ambulance, Symon’s Ambulance and Mobile Intensive Care Nurses (MICN) from the Inland Valley Emergency Department. MICNs are responsible for communicating with the paramedics who respond to accidents.

These situations are rare, so they require extra training to maintain competency,” said Jim, an MICN at Inland Valley Medical Center who participated in the training. “It is good to review our procedures and identify areas for improvement so that when mass-casualty accidents do occur, we are prepared and able to communicate well with responding agencies.

The four-hour training included hands-on exercises to prepare medical personnel for car accidents, the most frequent type of multi-casualty accident seen in Southwest Riverside County over the past few years. The training also included preparation for an active shooter, large bus accidents, building collapses, building fires, and other potential accidents.

This is the fourth year of mass-casualty training in our community, which was previously held at the Murrieta Fire Department. Due to growing interest in the program and limited space at the Murrieta Fire Department, the training was moved to Southwest Healthcare System this year. As the only hospital in Southwest Riverside County designated a Trauma Center by the county’s Emergency Services Agency, Inland Valley Medical Center takes the majority of trauma patients from Southwest Riverside County. They are proud to continually work with personnel who respond to accidents to ensure their patients receive excellent care throughout their entire healing process.

Inland Valley Medical Center is located off the 15 freeway at the Clinton Keith Exit in Wildomar. They feature the regions only Level II Trauma Department and Weight-loss Surgery Center of Excellence.

Their contact phone number is 951-677-1111 or for a free physician referral, call 1-800-879-1020. www.InlandValleyMedCenter.com