ML20238F304

Direct Testimony of M Barrows on Behalf of Seacoast Anti-Pollution League (Sapl).* Addresses Sapl Contention 25 Re Sheltering & Evacuation of Residents at Rockingham County Nursing Home in Event of Emergency.Related Correspondence

ML20238F304
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	09/11/1987
From:	Barrows M ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NH, SEACOAST ANTI-POLLUTION LEAGUE
To:
Shared Package
ML20238F199	List: ML20238F196 ML20238F219 ML20238F231 ML20238F237 ML20238F244 ML20238F282 ML20238F301 ML20238F304 ML20238F313
References
OL, NUDOCS 8709160068
Download: ML20238F304 (4)

Text

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p Df RECT TESTZMONY OF COMMISSIONER MAUREEN BARROWS ON BEHALF 0F

, THE'SEAC0AST ANTI-POLLUTION' LEAGUE i

My name is Maureen Barrows, Commissioner.of.Rockingham County. My professional background includes Registered Nurse since 1957, Human Resources Administrator  !

of Rockingham County and Town of Exeter since 1980 and elected official of-Rockingham County since January of 1987.

The purpose of my testimony is to address SAPL Contention-25, specifically whether adequate' sheltering or evacuation of special needs residents at the Rockingham County Nursing Home is' feasible in the event'of a radiological, emergeficy at Seabrook Station.

Rockingham County Nursing Home is a 290 bed Intermediate Care Facility, with'an Adult Medical Day Center with a census of 30 Clients daily, located on North Road, Brentwood N.H. Residents of this facility require varying degree,s of medical treatment and supervision. Many of its residents are forgetful, become disoriented, receive medication and are nonambulatory.

There are 93 residents in Lounge Chairs, 133 residents who move about by the use of wheelchairs and 56 residents who are ambulatory ad lib.

Many of the residents require staff to assist or perform activities of daily living; ie, washing,. dressing, feeding, etc. j I

The Rockingham County Nursing Home provides 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> nursing care to its residents with on call physicians visiting on a daily basis, who do not reside on the premises. The staff of Rockingham County Nursing Home may be summarized as follows.

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY j 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. 11:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.  !

1 13 Nurses 41 CNA's 11 Nurses 20 CNA's 6 Nurses 18 CNA's 10 Housekeepers 11 Dietary Staff (until 8PM) 17 Dietary Staff 2 Housekeepers 8 Laundry 2 Laundry 8709160068 870911 "

PDR ADOCK 05000443 C_ T__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ PDR;

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j WEEKENDS 7:00 a.m.-3:03 p.m. 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m.

1 12 Nurses 30 CNA's 12 Nurses 15 CNA's 6 Nurses 15 CNA's 17 Dietary Staff 11 Dietary Staff (until 8PM) 10 Housekeeping 1 Housekeeper 1 Laundry At this point in time our staff is at an all time low due to the shortage of nursing personnel in this area.

Dr. Karl Singer,our Medical Director resides with his family in Kensington.

He also has responsibility to the Exeter Family Medical Center and Exeter Hospital. There are no guarantees at this time as to where Dr. Singer would be in the event of a radiological emergency at Seabrook Station.

Rockingham Nursing Home conducted a survey in 1986 as to the number of staff that would remain at the County home if working and the number that would return to the County home if on off hours. The results of this survey showed that the Nursing Home would be operating with approximately 25% of its staff during an emergency.

This would create an overwhelming problem if the emergency should arise between the hours of 11 p.m and 7 a.m on a weekend and a problem of a' lesser sort but still of crisis proportion on a better staffed shift.

Under the New Hampshire Emergency Response Plan (NHRERP), in the event i

of a radiologice.1 emergency the Rockingham County Nursing Honme may be advised to evacuate or shelter. I do not believe that evacuation of the Nursing Home can be accomplished in a safe or timely manner.

A trial evacuation of a wheelchair resident was conducted on a week day i

(Tuesday) at 11:30 a.m. for the purpose of comparision of actual time with the estimated time of 15 seconds per special needs resident, that is  !

I stated by the New Hampshire Civil Defense (NHRERP Vol . 6, p 11-21). The actual time totaled 5 minutes, 17 seconds, the timed trial was begun in the lobby, going up on the elevator to the selected residents room (unannounced).

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page 3 A resident was removed from her bed via Hoyer lift (2 aides) into her waiting wheelchair, to the elevator and down to the ground floor proceeding )

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'to the designated loading dock where the evacuation buses would be waiting. l Total time did not include the time it would take to list the residents name, fill out the information which would be required to accompany this resident and determine the destination for this particular resident.

Residents must be moved from environments designed and equipped to provide 1

care for the sick and handicapped; moved onto buses, vans and ambulances that may not be equipped to handle some of the situations that may arise.

Moreover, in many cases the trauma involved in moving these residents and the long distances to travel to hosts sites could result in serious injuries along with much discomfort and distress to residents.

In October 1984, The Safety and Lost Control Committee at Rockingham County Nursing Home became involved with The New Hampshire Civil Defense in order to work out a disaster plan regarding the Seabrook Station. The first meeting took place on October 19, 1984, both evacuation and sheltering were discussed and in either case civil defense personnel would offer assistance to Rockingham County Nursing Home in developing in-house training shelter management and comprehensive emergency planning and that education programs to staff were likely to begin in the spring of 1985, and disaster plan drill in November of 1985. An additional meeting with Civil Defense was held on April 4,1985, again training was discussed for staff to be held in May 1985.

As of this date, September 1987, Rockingham County Nursing Home staff has had no formal training or drills with Civil Defense regarding a Seabrook Station l I

disaster. In addition to the training there are many unanswered questions  !

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1. Civil Defense stated they would supplement 30 - 40 people to the staff of the Nursing Home. Where will these people come from?

3. Conversion kits were to be made and stored at Rockingham County .

Nursing Home. They have not arrived as of September,1987.

4. Ambu bags, portable 02 tanks and suction units to be provided for each bus. Where are they? Will they arrive to be stored at RCNH ?

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' pag 7 4 As I stated in my opening remarks I do not feel that evacuation can safely andtimelybAaccomplishedatRockinghamCountyNursingHome. l l

l Sheltering at Rockingham County Nursing Home in the event of a Seabrook Station Disaster: I Civil Defense assessed the buildings at Rockingham County Nursing Home in 1984 stating that Fernald & Blaisdell buildings would offer good protection.

Wood structured Underhill building and wood roofed Mitchell Building would .

1 offer less protection. Where would extra help come from? At this point in time we are seriously under staffed and the possibility of operating on a skeleton staff for even a few days is out of the question. Again, there are still many questions that have been asked over and over and never a "yes" or "no" answer ie, how far from a window that is closed and drapes are drawn is a safe area for residents. There is not enough room in hallways to line residents beds after removing them from their rooms. Air handling systems would have to be shut down . Rockingham County Nursing Home was to be supplied with Potassium Iodiode, when will this arrive and how will it be packaged?

At this point in time and with all the grey areas that remains no matter which option Rockingham County Nursing was advised " evacuate" or " shelter" we would not be able to provide adequate, prompt, or reasonably safe protection i

for our 290 residents. l 1

It is the recommendation of William F. Sturtevant, Administrator that the I

Board of County Commissioners not sign off on the Rockingam County Nursing j

Home plan until all questions are answered.

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