Bay Area Medical Center
Press Release

For Immediate Release: February 2, 2004

For more information contact:
John Hofer
Director of Marketing
715-735-4200, ext. 3116.
jhofer@bamc.org

Tony Rich of Bronson Healthcare Group in Kalamazoo, MI, instructs regional emergency personnel on how to setup a decontamination station using BAMC's equipment.

(Marinette, Wis.) - On January 20, Bay Area Medical Center and many other Upper Peninsula-based healthcare entities and emergency medical crews were involved in a two-part hazardous materials awareness and operations class conducted at UW-Marinette and BAMC to help prepare for bioterrorism. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Region 8 sponsored the event, which is a federally funded grant program to help medical response teams in Michigan's Upper Peninsula prepare for bioterrorism.

The first session, "Haz Mat for Healthcare: An Awareness & Operations Level Course," was conducted by national speaker Tony Rich, who is the emergency management coordinator at Bronson Healthcare Group in Kalamazoo, Mich. Rich brought his expertise in hazardous materials to the UW-Marinette classroom instructing participants on biohazards, chemicals and radioactive materials; danger cues; the risks, why's and how's of a hazardous situation; safety procedures and how to decontaminate patients.

Instruction later moved to Bay Area Medical Center where Rich used the hospital's decontamination equipment and personal protective clothing to instruct participants in the proper procedure for decontaminating a patient. Bay Area Medical Center currently has an emergency response plan in place. Charlotte Staffeldt, BAMC paramedic, has worked for two years spearheading the hospital's decontamination plan and shared it with other facilities at the event. " I feel very proud of BAMC, our plan and our training," said Staffeldt. " We want the community to know that we're here for both counties," said Jeanne Brummitt, director of emergency services at Bay Area Medical Center. " Should anything happen, we'll all have to work together."