An emergency drill last week at the Duchesne County Hospital sent Roosevelt police and firefighters racing to the hospital in the belief that a reported bomb threat was real.
City officials, upset over the unnecessary drain on emergency services and the associated costs, say better communication is needed to make sure such an incident never happens again.Brad Hancock, city administrator, estimates it cost the city approximately $1,000 to respond to the simulated emergency. He said dispatchers who notified the police and fire departments of the bomb scare also believed the call for help was real.
The City Council complained in a letter to hospital officials that the response by city emergency personnel to what they believed was a legitimate bomb threat needlessly tied up emergency departments for hours and took volunteer firefighters away from their full-time jobs unnecessarily.
The letter also stated that "while the city understands the importance of being able to adequately respond to such emergencies, they must be notified beforehand whether the situation is real."
Kyla Allred, DCH spokeswoman, said the mock bomb threat was supposed to be very low-key, similar to a fire drill. She said the hospital was not put on full alert or even evacuated during the emergency preparedness drill.
The city will arrange a meeting with hospital officials to discuss how such emergency drills can be effective but cause less negative impact on emergency services.