Norwalk stages gas drill By JILL BODACH Hour Staff Writer NORWALK -- The scenario was in place: A motor vehicle accident on Connecticut Avenue at the intersection of Scribner Avenue has resulted in a chlorine gas leak. Fifteen people in and around the area of the accident have been exposed to the hazardous material. "At 10:03 a.m., our paramedics alerted us to an accident and Hazmat spill on Connecticut Avenue," Jan Mola, executive director of Ambulatory and Emergency Nursing Services at Norwalk Hospital, said. "They also told us that there are patients on their way here, so we need to prepare for their arrival." This was Mola's instruction to personnel at Norwalk Hospital Monday morning. Although the Connecticut Avenue scenario was not real, the following actions were designed to mimic the actions that would take place if such an incident occurred in Norwalk. "We've spent a lot of time investigating our risks in Norwalk and Interstate 95 and its residual traffic is certainly one of our biggest risks with the number of tractor trailer trucks carrying hazardous material coming through our area," Mola said. This Hazmall drill was a logistical one. Its purpose was for hospital staffers to learn how long it takes from the time a call announcing a hazardous material spill arrives for the hospital to react and put its emergency plan in place. The plan includes setting up the hospital's decontamination tent and putting the hospital in lockdown mode. It also involves coordinating efforts with the fire and police departments. The fire department would assist at the scene and at the hospital. At the scene of the spill, firefighters, who are trained in hazardous material identification, would ensure that the scene is safe and determine if a perimeter needs to be established to contain the spill. They would also notify the department's Hazmat team and, if needed, the Fairfield County Hazmat Team. Norwalk has its own decontamination trailer, which would decrease the time it takes for the trailer to reach Norwalk Hospital and for it to become operational. "Our firefighters are trained to transport the trailer as well as how to set up and operate it," Assistant Fire Chief Laurence Reilly said. Norwalk's decontamination trailer is capable of treating 100 patients per hour. While the fire department is securing the spill and setting up the decontamination trailer, the police department is assisting hospital personnel with the lock down. "Once the decision is made by the hospital to lock down its facility, our job is to support them and their security staff by controlling access to the hospital," Deputy Chief Mark Palmer said during Monday's drill. Lock down consists of filtering patients through one entrance and hospital personnel through another, enabling the hospital to use the ambulatory parking lot as a staging area for decontamination. "Right now we have three officers here at the hospital and we'd also have officers at the scene assisting with traffic control, establishing a perimeter, and assisting in evacuation of local homes and businesses if necessary," Palmer said. Norwalk Hospital, in conjunction with the fire and police departments, held several drills since last year using different scenarios to test its response to hazardous material incidents.