Emergency Drill Held at Hudson Valley Hospital Center

Editor's Note: The following item was posted by the editor of the Peekskill-Cortlandt Patch, but submitted by Victoria Hochman of the Hudson Valley Hospital Center.
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Cortlandt Manor, NY— In recognition of National EMS Week, a group of first responders from Peekskill and Cortlandt Volunteer Ambulance Corps conducted an emergency drill with Hudson Valley Hospital Center on May 21 to practice response plans for an outbreak of NoroVirus.

The extremely contagious infection causes diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramping, low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. It can be serious and even life threatening in young children and the elderly.  

Justin Costable, EMS Coordinator and Emergency Management Director at HVHC, said that first responders have to practice for all types of emergencies not just hurricanes and train derailments. Since the virus spreads rapidly, emergency rooms without a plan can be overwhelmed trying to respond to dozens of patients seeking treatment.

A recent outbreak during a convention at the Hilton in Westchester sickened an estimated 200 people. Assisting in the drill were a group of community minded senior citizens from the Drum Hill Senior Living Facility in Peekskill who played patients. The mock patients were transported by ambulance and bus to the emergency room staff at Hudson Valley Hospital Center where staff worked to triage and treat the patients. 

Dorothy Margolies, 93, a resident of Drum Hill, said that she was more than happy to volunteer for a good cause. “I volunteer for many other things in the community,’’ she said. “It’s important that our first responders are prepared.’’ 

Also, participating in the drill were members of Peekskill’s Police Department and Office of Emergency Management as well as 60 Control, the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services, who dispatched the calls. The drill was part of a larger regional exercise involving hospitals countywide. 

The Peekskill/Cortlandt Agency and Hudson Valley Hospital Center were named EMS Agency of the Year by the Westchester Regional EMS Council. The group was chosen from among 60 agencies countywide. They are being honored May 22 at an awards ceremony at Sleepy Hollow High School.