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Due to staff departures from the Salida VA Clinic, the clinic hours will temporarily be reduced starting on October 7. The new clinic hours will be Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-12pm and 12:30-3:30pm. Lab draw appointments will be available on Tuesday mornings only.

Joint National Disaster Medical System Exercise Occurring June 18

PRESS RELEASE

June 14, 2024

Aurora , CO — VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System and community partners will conduct a “boots on the ground” National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) simulated patient reception exercise on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.

NDMS patient movement is a coordinated effort between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense.

The exercise is designed as a learning scenario for VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System staff and community partners to exercise and validate the Denver Federal Coordinating Center Patient Reception Site Operations Plan. Denver is one of 62 Federal Coordination Centers (FCC) throughout the US.

This local exercise is part of Ultimate Caduceus 2024, a U.S. Transportation Command led annual patient movement field training exercise, which provides the global patient movement enterprise hands-on experience in large scale movement of patients from overseas locations to points of definitive care within the United States.

The exercise will respond to this scenario: A catastrophe in the Indo-Pacific affecting U.S. forces has taken place. Casualties from the disaster are being flown back to the United States, and Denver is one of the Federal Coordination Centers receiving patients. The patients will be received and then distributed to local hospitals to receive inpatient care.

The scope of the exercise in Denver includes these participating emergency response partners:

  • Eastern Colorado VA Health Care System
  • City & County of Denver
  • Denver International Airport Authority
  • Signature Air Flight Services, Denver
  • Arapahoe County
  • State of Colorado
  • North Central Regional Healthcare Coalition
  • Colorado Hospital Association
  • Denver Healthcare Paramedic Services
  • Rocky Mountain RDHRS
  • WellPower

The exercise will take place at 10:00 a.m. on June 18, 2024, at the Signature Flight Support south hanger, 7850 Harry B Combs Parkway, Denver, CO. Media interested in covering the event are asked to arrive no later than 8:00 a.m.

“Mass casualty, full-scale exercises test our operational response to uphold VA’s ‘Fourth Mission’ to support our civilian community in times of crisis,” said Amir Farooqi, Interim VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System Director. “These exercises ensure we can quickly and effectively provide the kind of support needed to keep our communities safe during an emergency."

VA’s “Fourth Mission” is to improve the nation’s preparedness for response to war, terrorism, national emergencies, and natural disasters VA develops plans and takes actions to ensure continued service to Veterans, while supporting national, state, and local emergency management, public health, safety and homeland security efforts.

Joint National Disaster Medical System Exercise Occurring June 18

Who: Local emergency response agencies, federal agencies & military

When: Tuesday, June 18, 8 a.m.

Where: Signature Flight Support south hanger
7850 Harry B Combs Parkway, Denver, CO

Media contacts

Janelle Beswick, Acting public affairs officer

Phone:

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