Silverdale hospital calls on firefighters to help treat patients for second time in 2 months
Just over a month after St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale had to call in firefighters to help treat patients, the hospital was again understaffed for the number of patients it had Friday.
According to Poulsbo Fire Department Chief Jim Gillard, the hospital had to call in a mass casualty incident just after 6 p.m., since nine fire and EMS units were facing wait times of up to three hours to bring new patients into the hospital.
The mass casualty designation allowed each medic to treat multiple patients, which would not have been allowed under normal circumstances, Gillard said.
According to Gillard, the on-duty battalion chief for Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue coordinated the transfer of waiting patients to other area hospitals.
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