NVERS and NCR Partners Host Pediatric Surge TTX

On August 21, 2024, NVERS along with partners from the DC Department of Health and DC Health and Medical Coalition, Maryland Hospital Association Region 5, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, and the Maryland Region 5 Emergency Preparedness Coalition, hosted a National Capital Region Pediatric Surge Tabletop Exercise. The exercise was held at in-person locations in Northern Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland, with the venues also connected virtually. Exercise participants at the NVERS location included hospitals, health systems, fire/emergency medical services, public health, and healthcare coalition staff. The exercise focused on testing regional plans for healthcare sector response during a pediatric surge incident, with participants working through a bleacher collapse scenario generating over 200 pediatric patients. The region's healthcare coalitions, through their partnership in the National Capital Region Pediatric Surge Working Group, will use the lessons learned in the exercise to continue to refine regional processes and foster collaboration on the topic of pediatric mass casualty preparedness. NVERS thanks all participants and our NCR partners for their ongoing commitment to preparing the region to care for children during disaster.