The Indiana State Department of Health has a new tool for responding to emergencies and disasters—a mobile hospital.
The state Health Department tested the hospital yesterday during a statewide training to prepare emergency responders for disasters such as floods, terrorist attacks or nuclear explosions.
The hospital consists of three, 26 ft. trailers, each containing two structures with generators, HVAC systems and basic hospital equipment. The three trailers can be deployed separately or together as one large unit and can accommodate up to 50 patients.
The mobile hospital can be also used as a vaccine clinic, triage site, casualty collection point, volunteer management site, or donation management site.
State officials say the hospital will be deployed when local facilities' capacities are exceeded.