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Comment by truth on June 18, 2009 at 12:58pm

VIDEO
Operation "Red Dragon" is a mock drill being staged throughout Sout...



Children's, Froedtert to Participate in Community Disaster Exercise Wednesday, June 17
Submitted By Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

Posted: Jun. 11, 2009

On Wednesday, June 17, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital will participate in a large-scale community disaster exercise in partnership with units of the U.S. military.

The training exercise is known as "Red Dragon." It is the first full-scale drill to be conducted in the nation in which the military assists civilian hospitals. The drill will involve hospital staff, local emergency response services and federal/military personnel and other resources.

Red Dragon, which is part of the U.S. government's Homeland Defense Initiative, will be the largest exercise in the nation this year. Hospitals in seven counties throughout southeastern Wisconsin will participate.

If you are visiting the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center that day, please note:

-Doyne Ave. near Froedtert's Clinical Cancer Center will be closed. Traffic will be re-routed.

-During your visit, you may see military personnel, vehicles and tents. Near our hospital. This is all part of the drill.

-We will continue to provide the highest level of patient care. For more information visit the home pages of our Web sites: www.froedtert.com and www.chw.org.




"Operation Red Dragon" Disaster Drills Today
By Gene Mueller with Diane Pathieu and Jay Sorgi


The place: Southeastern Wisconsin.

The time: Wednesday, starting at 7:30 a.m.

The scenario: A radioactive event involving a huge crowd.

How would local hospitals react?

16 of them answer that question as part of Operation "Red Dragon," a mock drill being staged throughout Southeastern Wisconsin Wednesday.

Areas around some participating hospitals have already been cordoned off to set up the activities.

This is the first time that military and civilian personnel are working together to create this major drill.

"I don't want the community to view us as a threat, or that we're there to take over anything," said Lt. Col. Leslie Dillard, chief of Homeland Defense for the 335th Signal Command/U.S. Army Reserves based in Georgia. "We're there to train with their personnel in the community, and help make us better as responders, just in case something happens."

She says that if you're heading to an area hospital during that time, chances are you'll see some of it's 2,700 members here preparing for the worst.

"As the event matures, you'll start to see soldiers going into their protective gear," said Dillard. We call them level 'A', but the general public knows them as the big bubble suits, bright green, blue or orange suits that protect our soldiers when they're dealing with biological, radiological or nuclear hazards.

She explained that the mock event will be centered around a nuclear device going off at a baseball game.

"Red Dragon" involves the FBI as well as state and local agencies over seven Southeastern Wisconsin counties.

It's the first full-scale drill in the nation in which the military assists civilian hospitals.

Among those involved: Froedert, Childrens, Columbia St. Mary's, Wheaton Franciscan All Saints Racine, Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Aurora Sinai, St. Luke's, West Allis Memorial, Elmbrook, Wisconsin Heart Hospital and Aurora Kenosha.

You may notice some street closures around the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, but hospital operations will be going on as usual.


Homeland Security Drill
Shelley Walcott

WAUWATOSA - It almost looked like a scene out of a war movie. But this was just a drill. Members of the U.S. Military and hospital officials joined forces Wednesday for "Operation Red Dragon." It was to test how they would work together in a disaster.

The scenario was a scary one: It had been five days since a dirty bomb went off at Miller Park, and the hospitals can't handle any more patients. "The hospitals are overloaded, overrun, they’re exhausted, the resources are gone, our people are exhausted, we’ve gone to the county, we’ve gone to the state, we’re at the point where we need military assistance," said Doug Birlingmair with ProHealth Care.

Doctors and soldiers worked together on the "victims," even running some through mock decontamination tents. About 3,000 soldiers from the 415th Chemical Brigade of the U.S. Army Reserves participated in drills at nine hospitals across southeastern Wisconsin.

The Milwaukee area was chosen as the drill site, because of its proximity to Fort McCoy near Tomah, Wisconsin where they have held disaster exercises for years.

Among the hospitals involved: Froedtert, Childrens, Columbia St. Mary's, Wheaton Franciscan All Saints Racine, Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Aurora Sinai, St. Luke's, West Allis Memorial, Elmbrook, Wisconsin Heart Hospital and Aurora Kenosha.

All of the hospitals remained fully operational during Wednesday's drills.

Comment by Tara on June 18, 2009 at 10:18am

Comment by truth on June 17, 2009 at 4:58pm

Well that is a little odd isnt it? Wonder why? We need fresh intel...off infowarriors to your batmobiles.

Comment by Tara on June 17, 2009 at 4:52pm

Our local newspaper in Sheboygan has been completely silent about this. Today was the first I've heard of it happening here at a local hospital clinic and it was in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal. WTF, it would of been nice to know!

Comment by truth on June 17, 2009 at 4:44pm

Thanks for the update !

archived here for your protection. lol

Disaster drill continues for local hospitals, public safety staff

By Sharif Durhams of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Jun. 17, 2009 7:19 a.m.

Click to enlarge

First responders in hazardous material suits worked alongside U.S. military personnel and hospital officials at area hospitals Tuesday and will continue the operation Wednesday as part of a community disaster drill.

That's why visitors to local hospitals might see military personnel, vehicles and tents Wednesday. Some people trying to get to Froedtert Hospital during the day Wednesday will face a detour.

Ten area hospitals are participating in the drill, according to Froedtert officials. Officials are trying to get the word out so that the exercise, dubbed "Red Dragon," doesn't spark concern that a real disaster is happening.

The drill, which will simulate a dirty bomb explosion at a sporting event, is designed to determine whether area emergency workers are prepared to respond to mass casualty events that require decontamination. It also will assess the military's ability to support local civilian authorities in case of such an emergency. One hundred mock victims will be sent to participating hospitals, and military personnel will set up decontamination camps on hospital grounds.

This is expected to be the largest such drill in the country this year, according to a news release from Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, with the participation of 3,000 military personnel, representatives of federal agencies including FEMA and the FBI, and local firefighting and police authorities. The exercise is the culmination of yearlong military training in disaster management focused on responding to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incident. Army reservists from throughout the country are expected to participate.

The following hospitals are taking part in the drill: Aurora Medical Center Washington County, Aurora Sheboygan Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee, Froedtert Hospital, Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac, Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waupun Memorial Hospital and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-All Saints in Racine.

Comment by Tara on June 17, 2009 at 3:28pm

Disaster drill continues for local hospitals, public safety staff

Comment by Tara on June 16, 2009 at 10:57am

Nice, this is close to my neck of the woods! The shyte is getting too close for comfort! I'll have to keep my eyes and ears open and find out more about this.