Hospitals across Central Florida hold full-scale disaster preparedness exercise

Loading Video…

This browser does not support the Video element.

Local hospitals are making sure that they are ready for any emergency by holding full-scale disaster preparedness exercises.

This is one of the largest exercises in the state. The emergency drill will involve 40 different agencies, 36 hospitals, and 1,300 volunteer victims. First responders will treat volunteer victims as if they are in a real life emergency situation.

Eric Alberts, the Corporate Manager for Emergency Preparedness at Orlando Health, told Fox 35 that "we really want them to be familiar and comfortable with what a disaster looks like, feels like, and smells like so to speak. Because even during a Pulse or something like it, we want them to go into a fight mentality. Be able to stand there and care for our patients, as opposed to the flight mentality of running away in fear, not being able to care for out patients."

Coordination and collaboration is also key to this emergency rehearsal. The drill will also involve other partners like the FBI and Homeland Security to see how all the agencies work together.