Philadelphia Hospitals Recognized For Their Coordinated Response To Amtrak Derailment
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pennsylvania's Health Secretary, today, gave recognition awards to the Philadelphia hospitals that treated 200 injured passengers on the night the Amtrak derailment last month.
Local hospitals drill regularly for mass casualty events but, as Temple University Hospital president John Kastanis says, they can't really know how well they'll do until they hear those dreaded words: "This is NOT a drill."
"On the night of May 12th, when it mattered most, our joint preparedness was unmistakable."
Health Secretary Karen Murphy says it was a remarkable performance.
"We are very fortunate that we have a community of hospitals in the southeast, true assets to the region and the nation, to turn to when we have a disaster of this magnitude."
Murphy gave the awards at Temple, which got the bulk of the casualties: 64, including its Episcopal branch.
In fact, six weeks later, one injured person remains at Temple.