The Can Misses Hospital today carried out a fire drill in the laboratory area of its building, with the aim of preparing staff and evaluate the response to a possible chemical accident. This exercise was carried out on the second floor of building C of the hospital, specifically in the Pathology Anatomy Laboratory, as part of the Emergency Plan implemented by the Health Area of Ibiza and Formentera (ASEF) to face serious emergency situations, such as fires, bomb threats, or chemical leaks. The drill began around 13:00 hours, simulating a fire in a tissue processor, equipment that uses chemicals such as formaldehyde, whose spillage or combustion could generate a dangerous environment due to the risk of inhalation. The emergency was initially attended by the laboratories’ health personnel, who activated the corresponding protocol. In a short time, the chain of information escalated to the Emergency Chief, the managing director of ASEF, who coordinated the next step in the evacuation and the intervention of the fire department.
Intervention and post-evaluation
The simulation included the participation of the Clinical Analysis, Microbiology and Hematology laboratories, forcing a partial evacuation of their facilities and the intervention of the fire department to contain the supposed chemical emergency. In addition, this exercise was supervised by technicians in Occupational Risk Prevention and the head of Safety of the Health Service of the Balearic Islands. Once the drill was over, an evaluation meeting was held to review the procedures and actions carried out. According to Antonio Vázquez, deputy director of infrastructures of the Ibiza and Formentera Health Area and director of the drill, these exercises are essential to keep personnel prepared and trained to respond quickly and effectively to chemical risk emergencies.
Nearly one hundred professionals trained in emergencies by 2024
The Emergency Plan of the Health Area of Ibiza and Formentera has trained in 2024 almost a hundred professionals in self-protection and emergency protocols, through both classroom and online training. This drill is part of the ongoing efforts to improve safety at work and protect both staff and patients against high-risk situations. With these drills, the hospital seeks not only to prepare its team to act in emergency situations, but also to optimize response times and ensure a safer working environment in all its centers.
