NEENAH, WI -- This latest, deadly shooting spree in San Bernardino has some asking: would hospitals in Northeast Wisconsin be able to handle a major influx of victims in the case of a mass shooting?
With mass shootings dominating the headlines now, emergency responders say being ready to treat multiple victims is a grim reality.
In the Fox Cities, that kind of response was needed back in May.
As feeling of chaos still hangs over San Bernardino tonight, and the dead and injured are counted, Dr. Ray Georgen--Medical Director of the trauma center at ThedaCare, in Neenah--is reminded of the chaos in the deadly aftermath of the Trestle Trail shooting that left four dead.
"Police speculate there may have been close to 80-100 people on the Trestle Trail bridge at that time," says Dr. Georgen, thankful the number of victims didn't rise as initially anticipated. "At the trauma center, we had to mobilize all of our resources."
Dr. Georgen says, in any case with several victims, responders will focus on those with salvageable injuries.
That means making difficult choices, and avoiding casualties to find survivors.
"Those are the people you have to get to first," says Dr. Georgen, "because you've got the best possible chance of saving those people."
It's also critical to avoid overcrowding the E.R., say experts.
"You've got to be talking with the hospitals," says Dr. Georgen, "you have to know 'Hospital X-Y-Z' has room to take that patient."
Dr. Georgen says victims also need to be separated by severity of their injuries.
That means likely seeing the most severe cases at ThedaCare Neenah's trauma center.
"The clock is ticking from the minute you're injured," says Dr. Georgen. "You've got to get at these people within that golden hour of trauma care."
While a gunshot wound is a chilling thought, it doesn't mean it's life threatening.
Dr. Georgen says many smaller hospitals would have the means to treat such a wound, while keeping the larger E.R. wards open.
