From the Liveblog of
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Jerusalem hospital holds mass casualty drill as Iran tensions spike
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleRenee Ghert-Zand is the health reporter and a feature writer for The Times of Israel.
Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem holds a mass casualty event drill today.
The simulation comes as the country is on edge and the IDF ramps up its air defenses following Iran’s threat to retaliate for a lethal airstrike on Damascus on Monday.
The attack, which Iran attributes to Israel, killed Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ most senior official in Syria, along with his deputy, five other IRGC officers, and at least one member of the Hezbollah terror group.
The mass casualty drill simulated the handling of an influx of 100 wounded as a result of missile or rocket attacks on Jerusalem and the surrounding area.
Around 100 hospital staff members participated in the exercise, which was coordinated with emergency and rescue services.
The participants practiced the triaging and treating of patients with a variety of possible injuries, the transfer of patients to other hospitals, and other situations that could arise.
“We do these drills routinely, but during the current period, it is obvious to everyone that this preparedness is more important than ever. We continue to be ready for any occurrence but hope for quiet,” says Shaare Zedek CEO Prof. Ofer Merin.
The Times of Israel Community.