Despite arriving to a chaotic scene on the edge of Flathead Lake, law enforcement and first responders said the response to Saturday’s deck collapse injuring 50 people in Lakeside went off without a hitch.
Lake County Sheriff Don Bell said the incident underlines the importance of inter-agency coordination, especially in remote areas where response times can be exacerbated.
“From my observation the crews worked as one team and got the task in front of them done with a professional manner with compassion,” Bell said.
The incident also highlighted the extensive training done to prepare for such tragedies.
Bill Boyd, clinical safety and emergency preparation officer for Kalispell Regional Medical Center, said the hospital and other emergency service providers in the county frequently practice for mass casualty events, and the response to the June 17 deck collapse proved the training works. When a mass casualty incident is reported to the hospital, it designates an incident commander to review the facility’s available resources. In some cases, depending on the number of expected injured, the hospital will call in additional staff. KRMC also informs other area hospitals to be ready to receive patients.
A mass casualty incident control officer maintains contact with the first responders at the scene to determine which hospitals will take in the patients. A public information officer is also appointed to help communicate with staff, the media and the community at large.
Boyd said the hospital and its partners practice for major incidents at least twice a year. Earlier this year, they worked with Glacier Park International Airport to respond to a simulated plane crash. Last fall they had a simulated bus crash. Other simulations have included mass shootings and industrial accidents.
“In this case, everyone did a fantastic job coordinating with each other and working together,” he said.
At least 50 people were injured on Saturday when a deck collapsed at Glacier Camp south of Lakeside. First responders from both Flathead and Lake counties arrived at the scene to find dozens of people with injuries and immediately began triaging patients. Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said the injured ranged in age from young children to seniors.