SPOKANE, Wash. – Providence recently conducted a multi-agency emergency preparedness drill to enhance the region’s readiness for handling highly infectious diseases. The drill, which started in Moses Lake and ended in Spokane, involved local and state health agencies.
The exercise simulated two patients suspected of having Marburg virus disease at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake. After initial treatment, the patients were safely transported by American Medical Response Spokane to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital’s Special Pathogens Unit in Spokane.
The exercise involved collaboration with the Grant County Health District and the Washington State Department of Health. These agencies, along with Providence, aim to ensure community safety and preparedness for infectious disease scenarios.
Providence says it is one of 13 federally funded Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers in the U.S., equipped to handle diseases like Ebola. The unit is staffed by trained healthcare providers and experts.
