Hickory, NC – Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) will be one of 20 hospitals and nine Emergency Medical Services who will participate in a regional disaster drill on Tuesday, July 28, 2009. The medical center is a partner in the Metrolina Trauma Advisory Committee of the State of North Carolina. Other participating hospitals include Carolinas Medical Center, Presbyterian Hospital, Lake Norman Regional Medical Center and the Blue Ridge Health Care facilities (Grace Hospital and Valdese Hospital).

“Practicing our skills is an important part of assuring that we will respond quickly and appropriately to any disaster that may occur in our community,” reports President & CEO J. Anthony Rose. “Volunteers from across our community will simulate victims to help make the incident as real as possible for our staff. Because the simulation will be realistic, we will alert our patients and visitors of this important exercise. At no time will patient care or services in our Emergency Department be affected. Anyone driving by the medical center should not be unduly concerned by an increase in the number of emergency vehicles.”

Christian Tours has donated a bus and driver for the comfort of the volunteers waiting for their chances to act the part of victims. In addition, Catawba County EMS plans to send staff to assist with practicing actual decontamination of some of the victims. The medical center is appreciative of the assistance of both these organizations.

The drill will begin at approximately 9:45 am and conclude around 2:00 p.m.

Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit, public healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. CVMC, twice recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Magnet facility, was named as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers as well as twice awarded as a “Distinguished Hospital for An Outstanding InPatient Experience” by J.D. Power and Associates.