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By TRAVELER STAFF

Scenario: A car hits a 20-passenger bus; an explosion occurs, caused by a substance in the car that is used for manufacturing methamphetamine.

How would Arkansas City emergency services personnel respond? That question was considered Wednesday in a round-table discussion that will lead to a mock disaster drill to be held later this year, an official at South Central Kansas Regional Medical Center said today.

The "live drill" involved Emergency Medical Services personnel from the Ark City Fire Department, Cowley County officials and the Ark City Police Department, said Clayton Pappan, director of hospital public relations.

At the discussion Wednesday, Joanne Holman, SCKRMC disaster preparedness coordinator, led 22 hospital employees from 18 different departments.

They worked as a team to detail how to respond to the accident scenario, and what roles would be played by whom, Pappan said.

"(The disaster drills) allow us to assess our coordination as a team during disaster situations and to identify areas for improvement, future planning, and training needs," Holman said.

When a disaster involves an unknown substance or substance that is known to be hazardous, a special unit of SCKRMC's staff is called, Pappan said in a press release. This unit is referred to as the decontamination team.

Each member of the team has undergone extensive training in personal protective equipment, decontamination systems and caring for patients under these life-threatening circumstances.

Two disaster drills are required for the medical center each year by the State of Kansas. Along with the "table top disaster," the hospital also conducts a live disaster drill every year.