Tzu Chi volunteers pacifying several anxious 'family members'. (Photo by Chin Wan Chin)
At about 9.30am on 9 July, the KK Women's and Children's Hospital received an 'alert' that reads, "There has been an explosion at a MRT station which might have involved chemical pollution. There are approximately 100 casualties and KK Hospital has to get ready to receive some young victims!"
In just ten minutes, the mobile phones of 33 Tzu Chi's home visit volunteers went buzzing with an incoming short message notifying them to be at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital as soon as possible. About an hour later, all mobilized members arrived at the hospital from all around the island in their neat uniforms. The temporary Family and Friends Area (FFA) set up by the hospital was instantly filled with the blue-and-white figures.
Donning the Tzu Chi vests and the identification tags issued by the hospital, the volunteers geared up swiftly waiting in lines for deployment by Karen Lim, Tzu Chi Singapore's social work officer, and Kenny Khoo, the liaison officer of Tzu Chi's disaster care team.
This is the second time Tzu Chi Singapore is invited by the KK Women's and Children's Hospital to participate in its disaster response exercise since six years ago. The disaster drill allows the hospital to test its staff's response capabilities to emergencies in real time. It also provided a platform for both the hospital’s Medical Social Workers (MSWs) and Tzu Chi volunteers to observe and learn from each other, and to strengthen their working relationship in times of disaster on post-disaster care services.
The main role of the volunteers in a disaster's aftermath is to assist the MSWs in providing moral support and company for the victims' families as well as to pacify the traumatized or emotional victims so that the medical care personnel can focus in treating casualties.
To make the exercise as realistic as possible, the hospital dispatched hundreds of staff to set up a temporary Emergency department to 'treat' the injured victims. The police and civil defense forces were also called in to help 'isolate' and 'treat' the chemical contaminated victims. Everyone involved in the exercise were ready for the arrival of the 'victims'.
15 minutes later, the first 'victim' was sent in and that kick started the operation of the victim care system and the operation of the Family and Friends Area (FFA). Home visit volunteer Sister Tham Sow Chan immediately led four volunteers to the Emergency department to comfort the traumatized 'victims' and to accompany their 'family members' to the waiting lounge to wait for the medical results of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, Sister Lin Shu Ting made her way to the Children's Lounge with three other volunteers to pacify the slightly injured and frightened young victims. These slightly or unharmed children were allowed to leave the hospital once their parents have completed the discharging procedures.
"Where's my child??"
"Is he hurt??"
"I want to see my child…!"
Scores of worried family members acted by a group of polytechnic students appeared anxiously at the FFA to look for their 'children'. Without hesitation, the MSWs and Tzu Chi's care team members immediately went forward to comfort the anxious 'family members'.
The hospital's standing order for disaster response is to have at least one MSW and one Tzu Chi volunteer to tend to each victim's family while the hospital strives to rescue the victims and verify their identity.
Waiting is undeniably a mental torture for the anxious family members. A series of probable situations were enacted during the exercise where some family members began to feel uneasy, some starting to complain that the wait is too long, while some began breaking down emotionally.
The well-trained social workers and Tzu Chi home visit volunteers were all able to keep calm and rise to the occasion with poise. While comforting the 'family members', they also serve water and light refreshment to them alongside distributing Tzu Chi's eco-blankets made of recycled (PET) bottles to keep them warm. Every action is to be carried out with patience and empathy.
Out of a sudden, one of the 'family members' had an 'asthma attack' due to over-worrying and 'collapsed' to the ground. Sister Ng Eng Eng quickly informed the medics and stayed by the side of the family until the 'asthma patient' was sent to the Emergency department.
In addition to staying by the family's side during their wait for the identity match, another challenge for the volunteers is to pacify the family members when what they received is a "bad news". The Tzu Chi disaster care team's performance during such scenarios was praised by the hospital and the Ministry of Health (MOH) officials, especially that of Brother Lim Teck Seng, Sister Ngai Sin Kam, and Sister Teoh Ai Peng for their professional response in the exercise.
The entire disaster response exercise concluded around 1pm. Ms Sylvia Mun, the Chief Medical Social Worker of KK Hospital, thanked Tzu Chi Foundation for its participation in the exercise. According to her, the hospital's CEO, Prof Ivy Ng, has high praise for Tzu Chi volunteers' quick mobilization and high cooperation and she looks forward to more cooperation opportunities with the Foundation in the future.
The MOH officials too recognized the humanistic care and discipline of the volunteers and asked the hospital for the contact details of Tzu Chi Foundation hoping to explore further collaboration.
After the event, the volunteers stayed back at FFA where each functional group share experiences and review the response procedures. Many expressed gratitude having the opportunity to participate in the exercise and many agreed that they have gained much valuable experiences from it.
The volunteers lined up swiftly after putting on the Tzu Chi vests and the identification tags issued by the hospital. (Photo by Chin Wan Chin)
Veteran volunteer Lin Shu Ting (3rd from left) and company comforting the slightly injured and emotionally disturbed children in the Children's Lounge. (Photo by Karen Lim)
The hospital has high praise for the volunteers' quick mobilization and high cooperation and looks forward to more cooperation opportunities with the Foundation in the future.
The volunteers stayed back at 'Family and Friends Area' to share experiences and review the response procedures after the exercise. Many expressed gratitude having the opportunity to participate in the exercise. (Photo by Douglas Lee)
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