Speaker
	Name: April Moell, WA6OPS
	Topic: Hospital Disaster Communication
	Location: Sierra Room
	Date & Time: Saturday 3 - 3:50 PM
	The operation of a hospital is not only crucial in a major disaster but is important to a community on a daily basis. This means communications are crucial too, every day. The Hospital Disaster Support Communications System (HDSCS) in Orange County California has been providing support communications to hospitals since 1980 and is now in the disaster plans of 34 medical facilities. This includes all of the county's paramedic receiving centers, trauma centers, and specialty care hospitals that are part of Orange County’s mass casualty response plan. This presentation outlines the importance of rapid alerting procedures, rapid response, rapid set-up and rapid messaging in the support of hospitals. You will learn the value of backing up communications rather than backing up systems, and how crucial it is to maintain simplicity and commonality of communications in emergencies. Find out what it takes to accomplish the urgent mission of backing up communications that are critical to patient care. More information about HDSCS is on the Web at www.hdscs.org April Moell has been Coordinator of the HDSCS in Orange County and participated in hospital disaster planning since 1980. She provided patient care for 20 years, is a former hospital department head, and has a Master's degree in Human Resources Management. Active in Amateur Radio, she has developed its potential for supporting local hospitals. In addition, she has identified the value and appropriate use of other alternative communication resources and she consults in this area. She has written articles for medical, government and Amateur Radio publications and is a contributing editor to CQ-VHF Magazine. Her interest in the topic also led to the development of a handbook for hospitals on Amateur Radio emergency back-up for medical communications. April has organized and presented programs at numerous disaster and radio conferences since 1983. Licensed since 1976, April holds an Advanced class license. In 2005 HDSCS, the group she coordinates, received the "Meritorious Service Award" for its 25 years of support to hospitals from Orange County Emergency Medical Services. At the same ceremony, April was presented the 2005 "Vision in EMS" award.
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