When Minutes Matter: Glendale Hosts Regional Decontamination Drill

A hazmat emergency can happen anywhere, without warning. See how Adventist Health Glendale and regional partners are preparing.

A hazardous materials emergency rarely arrives with warning. It can begin with a ruptured chemical tank at an industrial site, an unknown substance in a home, a transportation accident, or a leak that forces neighborhoods to evacuate.

In the moments after an incident, first responders move quickly to control the scene. Hospitals must be ready just as quickly to receive, decontaminate, and safely care for patients without exposing other patients, staff, or visitors.

That readiness was the focus on Wednesday, June 3, when Adventist Health Glendale hosted a regional hospital decontamination exercise in collaboration with Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the Glendale Fire Department.

The half-day drill brought together hundreds of healthcare workers from 10 nearby hospitals to practice a mass-casualty chemical decontamination response. Participants trained in donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE), setting up and operating mobile decontamination equipment, and guiding simulated patients through a decontamination shower before they entered the hospital.

Darren Verette, disaster program manager for Los Angeles County EMS Agency, said the exercise tests the hospital’s skills to keep staff and patients safe in the event of a real hazardous material incident.

“Today is the Region 10 regional decon drill, where local hospitals come together to practice the decontamination of patients,” Verette said. “The goal is to make sure that people who may have been exposed can be washed off before entering the hospital, helping keep staff, patients, and others inside the hospital safe from contamination.”

The exercise comes at a time when several recent, high-profile hazmat incidents have underscored how quickly these emergencies can unfold — and how different they can look from one event to the next.

Just last month, hazardous materials incidents across the country have ranged from neighborhood evacuations to workplace disasters involving serious injuries and loss of life, underscoring how quickly these emergencies can unfold and why hospitals must be prepared to respond.

• In Washington state, a catastrophic chemical tank failure at a packaging facility released a caustic mixture used in paper production, resulting in multiple casualties and an emergency medical response.
• In nearby Orange County, California, officials ordered widespread evacuations after a storage tank containing a volatile chemical used in manufacturing became compromised at an aerospace facility. At one point, tens of thousands of residents were affected by evacuation orders before officials later declared the immediate threat resolved.  
• In New Mexico, an unknown substance exposure at a private residence resulted in loss of life and affected neighboring homes. It sickened first responders and showed that hazardous materials incidents are not limited to large industrial facilities.

Together, these events demonstrate that hazmat emergencies can vary dramatically in size, setting, and impact. For hospitals, the common thread is the need to respond immediately and safely. Glendale Fire Department Battalion Chief Joe Donnelly said that kind of readiness depends on repeated training and close coordination between agencies.

“It’s always great to see different agencies work together and collaborate on a common drill to prepare for any situation that may happen in the future,” Chief Donnelly said. “There are so many disciplines in the hazmat field, and it’s hard to predict exactly what’s going to come next. That’s why it’s important that we stay up to date on common trends and train together.”

During the exercise, Glendale Fire brought hazmat resources and personnel to the Adventist Health Glendale campus, allowing hospital teams and first responders to practice the handoff and coordination that would be essential in a real emergency involving multiple contaminated patients.

Verette commended Adventist Health Glendale and the participating agencies for the planning and collaboration that went into the drill. “Adventist Health Glendale did a fantastic job setting this up,” Verette said. “Having Glendale Fire here with their hazmat unit and engines, along with the EMS Agency’s decon trailer and all the participating hospitals, shows the level of coordination that goes into this work.”

While the drill was only a simulation, the purpose was real: to strengthen the systems that protect patients, hospital teams, and the broader community when seconds count.

By practicing before an emergency occurs, hospitals can identify opportunities to improve, build confidence among caregivers, and ensure that teams are prepared to respond safely when a hazardous materials incident brings patients to their doors.

For Adventist Health Glendale, the exercise was a reminder that emergency preparedness is not a one-time checklist. It is an ongoing commitment to readiness and the safety of the communities we are privileged to serve.