Coordinated drills test Ebola emergency response across Sydney hospitals
In a high-stakes, simulated mission, a quarantine room at Concord Hospital in Sydney’s inner west becomes the stage for a meticulous test of the city’s emergency response plans. A returned traveller displaying symptoms associated with Ebola is strapped into a bio-containment bubble on a stretcher, with specialist paramedics and doctors rapidly securing life-support basics as preparation to move to Westmead Hospital for expert treatment.
The exercise, designed to stress-test procedures rather than individual performance, brings together a network of health and governmental agencies. It is part of a broader program to refine the way front-line workers handle potentially deadly infectious diseases, where every second and every action can influence outcomes for patients and responders alike.
What the drill aimed to validate
Sydney Local Health District disaster manager Caren Friend emphasised that the exercise’s core aim was to validate emergency response plans and keep staff up to date with current best practices. “Firstly, to make sure we’re prepared … and our staff are current in their knowledge,” she said. “But also to make sure we’re doing the right thing — it gives us a little bit of peace of mind as well.”
The scenario began when the patient walked into Concord Hospital’s emergency room and reported fever, aches, pains, and bleeding gums. A crucial detail—recent travel to Sierra Leone—triggered the hospital’s high-risk emergency response protocol, setting in motion the chain of protective measures and isolation procedures that would be tested throughout the exercise.
Protective measures and containment
As the red alert sounded—an audible reminder of the seriousness of the situation—staff donned personal protective equipment (PPE), including face shields, to safeguard themselves while transporting the patient into a quarantine room. The exercise highlighted how a hospital must balance rapid transport with stringent infection-control practices, even when the risk is hypothetical.
During the containment phase, the patient was connected to monitoring equipment for heart rate and temperature while the team ensured an uninterrupted oxygen and hydration supply. A simulated vomit incident on the corridor route was used to mirror real-world contamination risks and to test the hospital’s ability to manage biohazard cleanups quickly and safely. These details help ensure that when real emergencies arise, protocols are practiced and understood by all staff involved.
Communication and multi-agency coordination
A central pillar of the drill was the way information flows between hospital units and external agencies. In the incident control room, decision-makers from various departments held real-time discussions with government partners to plan the patient’s next steps. Timely, clear communication is essential to coordinate patient transfer, resource allocation, and protective measures across facilities.
Timothy Gray from Concord Hospital’s Infectious Diseases Department articulated the patient’s symptoms and travel history to paramedics and staff at the NSW Biocontainment Unit at Westmead Hospital. The consensus was clear: the patient would be transferred for specialist treatment at the Westmead facility, which houses high-containment capabilities for dangerous pathogens.
Why drills matter, especially now
Dr Gray underscored the broader context for these exercises, noting the current Ebola outbreak in Africa and the united imperative for preparedness. “Australia hasn’t had any Ebola or Ebola-like illnesses imported yet — but cases have been imported [in the past] to America and also into Europe as well,” he said. “So we must be prepared for the event it occurs here.”
Similar drills were conducted this week at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Canterbury Hospital, and Balmain, illustrating a comprehensive regional effort to bolster readiness across multiple facilities. By validating plans and rehearsing inter-agency communication, the Sydney health system aims to minimize risk and protect both patients and responders in potential future events.
Looking ahead
Participants described the exercise as a learning experience that informs ongoing improvements in hospital protocols, staff training, and intergovernmental coordination. While the scenario was not real, the lessons learned will shape how Sydney’s hospitals respond to high-risk infectious disease threats in the months and years ahead.
