Mass Casualty Incident at Imperial Sugar

[ta2mama]

On Feb. 7th, we had an MCI here, when the Imperial Sugar Refinery experienced an explosion. It has been on the national news, so maybe some here have seen it.

The day of the incident, I was riding a clinical with a unit on that side of town with the service I work for (I am an EMT-I in paramedic school) but I went home at 6:30...less than hour later, a huge explosion rocked the refinery, sending a fire ball into the sky. I live 15 miles down the river from the place, and felt and heard the BOOM. My daughter and I thought it was BIG thunder, or someone hitting a transformer (or a meth lab, lol...).

The night of the explosion, four died at the scene, 7 were missing and at least 30 were transported to the level 1 trauma center I work for, and then depending on their injuries, to the Augusta Burn center. I did NOT work that night, and at first I really regretted not being on, but after hearing some of the stories of co-workers who WERE there (including the truck I was riding along with...they were SECOND on scene), I am kind of glad I missed it...people with their clothes blown off, 2-3rd degree burns over 80% of their bodies, body parts blown off...

The only thing I did contribute was some blood I donated, and I worked Stand-bye at the plant while they searched for the body of the last missing worker, 8 days later, which they found the same day I was there. It was so strange seeing the place, twisted metal and the smell of burned sugar.

I am so proud of our EMS system and Hospital team, for how smoothly everything worked that night....the situation could have been MUCH worse, but MHUMC and the FD's, and PD's (some police officers had to drive ambulances, there were so many injured to care for! You know it's bad when you get PD to drive you in...) and the ER staff and the Life flight copters that responded from all over.

This is why drills and training are important and it looks like in this case, served the purpose. Here are a few links I found, but just Googling Imperial Sugar Blast will get you more.

http://tinyurl.com/2uvnhx

http://tinyurl.com/37zzpw

http://tinyurl.com/32zhgf

[karieduckworth]

Great Job to everyone involved in patient care. :D/

On the flip side, know that from patient all the way through to patient care, know everyone involved is in the thoughts and prayers of alot of people.

Lets hope this opens the eyes of those companies not practicing and preparing for mci's. And remind those just how important it is to contiue practicing.

[firedoc5]

Saw all that on the news. We're in a rural area where we've had the same explosions here from grain mills. Never would have thought sugar, but makes sense.