Northwell Holds Mass Casualty Drill With Service Dogs, Hazmat Suits

NEW HYDE PARK, NY — A mass casualty drill was held by Northwell Health's Emergency Response Team.

During Tuesday's drill at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, the Northwell members donned hazmat suits and followed operational protocols. They decontaminated and triaged simulated patients and mannequins, including several dogs provided by America's VetDogs.

While volunteers were doused in water and scrubbed down, the dogs walked through the station with their handlers — minus the actual cleaning — to give staff an example of how they'd handle a real-world scenario.

Northwell's Russ Fincher, a miltary veteran, joined the drill along with his service dog Jethro, a purpose-bred Labrador-golden retriever mix.