Iowa Nurse Credits CDP Training For Successful Flood Response

When the Cedar River reached historic flood levels June 2008 and forced the evacuation of as many as 10,000 townspeople from nearby Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a local nurse knew exactly what to do thanks to specialized training she'd received from FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP).

Joan McMahon, a nurse with the Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, was a recent graduate of the Healthcare Leadership (HCL) and Pandemic Influenza Planning and Preparedness (PIPP) courses at the CDP.

Mercy leadership decided to evacuate 183 patients and activate their Emergency Operations Center as heavy rain, city wide power problems, and infrastructure failures crippled the city. Despite the chaotic environment, McMahon says she was able to stay calm and focused thanks to her CDP training. McMahon utilized the flexibility and teamwork emphasized during CDP training.

"The intense CDP exercises were constantly throwing injects, scenarios, and requests all at once," said McMahon, a 27-year veteran of Mercy Medical Center. "This was exactly what happened during our disaster. [As a result of the training,] I get it. I finally get it."

McMahon stressed that the Incident Command portion of her courses were most beneficial during the flood and ultimate stand up of the EOC.

"The atmosphere in the EOC was chaotic," she said. "I would say the ICS system and the constant planning and preparedness helped to educate us all and helped us remain calm. As a representative for our emergency management group we constantly try to integrate [CDP training] into our objectives and show everyone how vital the tools we've learned are to successful disaster management."

McMahon has consistently stressed preparedness and pushes her coworkers and most senior officials to attend CDP training.

"The concepts and principles taught at the CDP have helped me tremendously," stressed McMahon. "I am so thankful for the courses and we continue to EDUCATE, EDUCATE, and reinforce all of the principles taught during HCL and PIPP."