COLUMBUS (WCMH) — In light of the deadly shootings in Orlando, area doctors say they are prepared for a possible mass casualty situation.
Central Ohio is home to three Level I Trauma Centers, located at Grant Medical Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and the Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center.
“We have the capability to do everything a patient requires 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year,” said Dr. Shay O’Mara, Medical Director of Grant Trauma Services.
According to O’Mara, there are one or two trauma surgeons working, at all times.
In the event of a catastrophic event, the emergency room staff is capable of activating a plan, which includes notifying several on-call surgeons who can report to work.
“What they [the ER physicians and surgeons] do is trigger the event and call everyone,” O’Mara explained. “Truthfully, any day of the week, I can have seven to nine surgeons in the building, within an hour. That’s just normal.”
O’Mara said the trauma center staff receives year-round training for these situations, often going through at least one course per month.
“The reality is we train continuously,” he said. “We could handle as many [patients] as they send us.”
According to OhioHealth, Grant Medical Center’s Trauma Program is the largest and busiest in Ohio.
Level II Trauma Centers are located at Riverside Methodist Hospital and Mount Carmel West Hospital.What others are clicking on: