Emergency Preparedness

Kern Medical Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

stored on site at the hospital to support an extended period of 96 hours. As part of the county wide plan the KCEOC has mapped and located all diesel tanks within the area and will deliver diesel if there is a disruption from our vendor. 2.7.2.12Alternative means of meeting essential building utility needs such as medical gases and ventilation are coordinated in advance and tested through the Engineering Department as part of the Utility Systems Management plan to ensure, to the extent practicable, uninterrupted services. If necessary, external arrangements and contracts for these essential services are coordinated through the HICS Logistics Section. 2.7.2.13Ventilation; all critical care areas in the hospitals have their HVAC systems connected to the emergency generators power source so that they will continue to operate during commercial power interruptions. 2.7.2.14Other areas that may desire ventilation during emergencies; will be provided by spot coolers on an as need basis. The spot coolers will be connected to emergency power receptacles. Kern Medical maintains a supply of spot coolers at the hospital. 2.7.2.15 Medical Gases; the medical air compressor and control circuits for other types of piped medical gas systems are connected to emergency power. Provisions have been made for portable air cylinders and appropriate regulators to enable stand-alone operations where medical air may be required (ventilators, etc.). The oxygen manifold is adequately sized with main and reserve cylinders and additional back up cylinders to enable functioning for 96 hours. The medical vacuum system is connected to an emergency power source and as a backup, all critical care units in the hospital are provided with battery operated suction pumps located on crash carts and in the unit storage rooms 2.7.2.16At least one elevator in each elevator bank is connected to emergency power 2.7.2.17Boilers used for steam production associated with steam sterilizers and heating are connected to emergency power and have adequate fuel supply for at least 96 hours. 2.7.2.18Chillers used for cooling are connected to the co-generation plant on site that is powered by emergency generators. 2.7.2.19 In the case of sewer failure, red bags will be put placed in the toilets and then disposed of in the appropriate container. 2.8 Hospital Patient Surge Preparedness 2.8.1 Surge capacity encompasses hospital resources required to deliver health care under situations which exceed normal capacity including potential available space in which patients may be triaged, managed, vaccinated, decontaminated, or simply located; available personnel of all types; necessary medications, supplies and equipment; and even the legal capacity to exceed authorized care capacity. 2.8.2 Normal hospital capacity could be exceeded during any type of emergency for reasons that include the following: • Random spikes in numbers of presenting patients. • Seasonal or other cyclical spikes (e.g., school required immunizations, flu

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