Hines VA Medical Center leads local medical emergency response efforts

For this exercise, inter-organizational coordination was the primary theme in completing a no-fail mission involving a federal coordinating center established at Chicago O’Hare International Airport to receive and provide care for casualties. Why? Because the VA has a “Fourth Mission,” to support public health and medical services during crises.

The exercise scenario involved moving military casualties in a C-17 Globemaster, a large U.S. Air Force transport aircraft from the 445th Airlift Wing, from a notional hostile environment to a simulated patient reception site at Chicago O’Hare. When the C17 arrived at the American Airlines hangar, Veterans Health Administration staff were ready to lead medical assessments and coordinate follow-on definitive care with healthcare facilities participating in the National Disaster Medical System — a federally coordinated program facilitating movement and care for injured or sick people during large-scale emergencies.

“Coming together to make this exercise a complete success was pivotal,” said Patrick Wozniak, an area emergency manager based at Hines VA and serving the greater Chicago area. “The VA cannot go at this alone; no one agency can. It takes a mountainous amount of people and agencies at all levels to see this through.”

Wozniak, a retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj., continues to serve in a different capacity to enhance the region’s NDMS partnerships in case these exercises someday become a reality. The VA partnered with about a dozen agencies, such as the Department of Defense, Health and Human Services, Illinois Department of Public Health, Chicago Department of Aviation and more, to achieve the no-fail mission.

“It takes a lot of time and effort to bring everyone together and make these exercises a success, but every second of every day spent is well worth it knowing that it could one day save lives,” he said. 

Watch the Chicago FCC video highlighting the exercise HERE