In high-stakes emergencies, the reliability and efficiency of your response infrastructure are paramount. The 2024 Vista Forge exercise in Charlotte, North Carolina, underscored this truth. This exercise, led by US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), evaluated the readiness of military and civilian assets’ preparedness and response capabilities in and around major metropolitan areas. The main focus of this exercise was determining the ability of the US Army and its civilian counterparts to respond to a nuclear detonation in downtown Charlotte.
“The scenario took out three major hospitals in Charlotte. The role the shelters play in this is that they allow us to set up, in this case, a mobile hospital behind me. It allows us to expand our capability and treat additional patients.”
“Setting up a DLX shelter is easy. The fact that they integrate into our existing systems makes it a lot easier in the long run. It also makes them more profitable for us because we’re not spending as much time in setting them up.”
Atrium Health showcased its preparedness by utilizing its mobile hospital system that can deploy anywhere in North Carolina to respond to emergencies such as this one. Utilizing its main command unit which integrates with its suite of DLX shelters enables them to rapidly establish a fully functional field hospital equipped for patient triage, decontamination, and treatment.
The adaptability of DLX shelters ensured compatibility with Atrium Health’s existing infrastructure, allowing for a phased upgrade without significant overhauls anda cost increase. Deployed Logix offers adapters that seamlessly connect to other shelter options, enabling organizations like Atrium Health to gradually replace outdated inventory within budget while maintaining full system interoperability and compatibility.
In critical situations, every moment counts. DLX shelters are designed for rapid deployment, ensuring that medical teams can begin operations within minutes of arrival. Our commitment to innovation and user-centric design guarantees that our shelters meet the rigorous demands of emergency response.
The Atrium Health team was able to unload and set up this field hospital in a couple of hours. The hospital is fully equipped with a 2-lane Decon system, a reception and triage room, an administration and coordination area, an operating room, patient recovery and monitoring rooms, and a morgue.
While the collective hope is such facilities will remain unused, global realities press the need for preparation, training, and the continued development of nimble and capable field hospitals. The city of Charlotte will be glad to know that Atrium Health’s Mobile One is ready should the call ever come in.
