Defend in Place
Today just as I was about to leave work the fire alarm went off, but we ignored it as usual and let the fire doors close. I clocked out and left the lab. A passing employee told me that she'd smelled smoke in the elevator, so we figured some circuit in the elevator had burned out and set off the alarm, and guided patients across the way to another elevator bank.
Then, as we started across the skybridge we looked back at our building and saw what looked like smoke pouring out of the first floor windows! We ran back and let the lab know that there WAS a fire and that we'd have to evacuate. I put my badge back on and went over to Internal Medicine next door and let them know too, but when I asked the front desk ladies if I could pass the responsibility of evacuating the area to them, one said, "What, the front desk?" So I went back into the clinic and knocked on doors to make sure everyone knew and got their patients out. One doctor said, "Is this a drill?" to which everyone replied, "Nope!" and they scooted right out.
In the clinic there was one patient who was receiving an IV infusion and would need a wheelchair to move, but there were none on the floor. Outside Internal Medicine was starting to really fill with smoke, so the nurses quickly disconnected the IV and we guided the patient and his wife toward the stairs. He held on to me for support, and I led him down the stairs and out of the building, and through the cloud of smoke to where it was clearer. His wife expressed concern that he was prone to chills, so I took them inside nearby Multnomah Pavilion and up to DayStay where there's a nice waiting room. Once there, I explained the situation to the front desk ladies (who had no idea there was a fire) and had them page the doctor who had been treating the patient.
The patient's wife was worried about his IV, so I took a look at it and reassured her that the vein was fine, but that it would probably have to be replaced to finish the infusion because the nurse didn't flush the line with saline so there was blood clotting in it. She was relieved, but asked me to continue to stay with them until the doctor arrived, and I told her I of course would. The doctor showed up remarkably quickly to take over care of the patient, and after saying goodbye to them I headed down to the street.
There were at least five fire trucks there! Everybody was outside and pretty disorganized, but my boss Steve seemed to have a plan for us. I just checked in with everybody then hopped on the shuttle down the hill. I wonder how long it will take to get the smoke out! It seemed to fly up to the 3rd and 4th floors so quickly, and was thick enough there that we had to cover our mouths. What a crazy day...and all this AFTER I'd clocked out!
Then, as we started across the skybridge we looked back at our building and saw what looked like smoke pouring out of the first floor windows! We ran back and let the lab know that there WAS a fire and that we'd have to evacuate. I put my badge back on and went over to Internal Medicine next door and let them know too, but when I asked the front desk ladies if I could pass the responsibility of evacuating the area to them, one said, "What, the front desk?" So I went back into the clinic and knocked on doors to make sure everyone knew and got their patients out. One doctor said, "Is this a drill?" to which everyone replied, "Nope!" and they scooted right out.
In the clinic there was one patient who was receiving an IV infusion and would need a wheelchair to move, but there were none on the floor. Outside Internal Medicine was starting to really fill with smoke, so the nurses quickly disconnected the IV and we guided the patient and his wife toward the stairs. He held on to me for support, and I led him down the stairs and out of the building, and through the cloud of smoke to where it was clearer. His wife expressed concern that he was prone to chills, so I took them inside nearby Multnomah Pavilion and up to DayStay where there's a nice waiting room. Once there, I explained the situation to the front desk ladies (who had no idea there was a fire) and had them page the doctor who had been treating the patient.
The patient's wife was worried about his IV, so I took a look at it and reassured her that the vein was fine, but that it would probably have to be replaced to finish the infusion because the nurse didn't flush the line with saline so there was blood clotting in it. She was relieved, but asked me to continue to stay with them until the doctor arrived, and I told her I of course would. The doctor showed up remarkably quickly to take over care of the patient, and after saying goodbye to them I headed down to the street.
There were at least five fire trucks there! Everybody was outside and pretty disorganized, but my boss Steve seemed to have a plan for us. I just checked in with everybody then hopped on the shuttle down the hill. I wonder how long it will take to get the smoke out! It seemed to fly up to the 3rd and 4th floors so quickly, and was thick enough there that we had to cover our mouths. What a crazy day...and all this AFTER I'd clocked out!