Friday’s crash of a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train was a horrific event that cost the lives of at least 25 people and injured more than 100. When the tragedy struck the Los Angeles community, the emergency medicine physicians and staff of Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center (LAC+USC) jumped into action, caring for five critical patients injured in the accident.

“The hospital response was excellent and we had additional staff ready to respond if necessary,” said Edward Newton, chair of emergency medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

According to Christian McClung, Keck School of Medicine clinical instructor of emergency medicine, who was on duty on Friday evening, the LAC+USC emergency room immediately responded to requests for assistance. “Our HERT Team [Hospital Emergency Response Team] – a special response team of an ER doctor, two surgeons and two nurses trained to extricate patients from debris – was flown out to the scene of the crash,” said McClung. “Their services were not required, but we were prepared in the event that they were.”

When the announcement came about the incident, LAC+USC responded that the medical center could treat up to 50 victims. “We first received notice that there was a mass casualty incident at approximately 4:25 p.m.,” said Stephanie Hall, chief medical officer of LAC+USC Medical Center. “Our staff really stepped up to the plate. Nurses stayed; residents stayed. Surgeons came in from home. We worked like a well-oiled machine.”

Administrative staff, nurses and physicians worked together to clear the emergency room by moving patients to other areas. “The hospital’s response was very well coordinated thanks to the surge capacity plan that we have in place,” said McClung. “The surge capacity plan has enabled huge improvements in our ability to respond to disasters like this.” LAC+USC’s surge capacity plan compensates for an increased demand on emergency room services by increasing resources from throughout the hospital.

“We received approximately five critical patients from the rail crash, and they came in one after another,” McClung said. “We also received additional critical patients at the same time: a man suffering from a heart attack, another with a gunshot wound. So at the same time we were taking the crash victims, we received four to five critical patients that were unrelated to the crash.”

In comparison to the LAC+USC Medical Center’s response to previous disasters, Hall felt that the entire hospital responded with better efficiency and coordination. “Resources came together so much more quickly than they have in past incidents,” she said. “People did just what they were supposed to do. All of the planning that our staff, nurses and physicians have done paid off.”