Situation: EXERCISE - EXERCISE - EXERCISE - 0945 hours: the National Weather Service in Wakefield detected a tornado on the ground in Western Virginia Beach near the Chesapeake City line. The storm was tracking North/Northwest at 35 miles per hour towards the city of Norfolk. 1005 hours: the tornado entered the city of Norfolk near the Virginia Beach city line tracking North towards the Norfolk Naval Base. 1015 hours: it passed Northeast of the Norfolk Naval Base headed out over the Chesapeake Bay towards the City of Hampton. 1025 hours: the tornado entered the City of Hampton proceeding North and dissipated just West of Langley Airforce Base.
Immediate Impact and/or Required Action: An EF 4 tornado touched down across the Hampton Roads region causing extensive damage and large numbers of casualties. Mass Casualty Incidents have been declared by Fire/EMS within several localities. Emergency Operation Centers within the affected areas are open and staffed. Mutual aid response into the affected areas is being slowed due to widespread damage and there are reports of damage to healthcare infrastructure within the region.
Background: On Monday March 10, 2025, at 0900 the National Weather Service in Wakefield issued a SKYWARN briefing which forecasted severe thunderstorms across the Eastern Region of Virginia for Tuesday March 11, 2025. On Tuesday March 11, 2025, at 0945 hours the National Weather Service in Wakefield detected a tornado on the ground in Western Virginia Beach near the Chesapeake City line tracking North/Northwest at 35 miles per hour towards the city of Norfolk.
Discussion: At 0945 hours the drill will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System via the Required Monthly Test (RMT). There WILL NOT be an actual Tornado Warning issued, and the notification WILL NOT be sent to cellular phones. https://www.vaemergency.gov/severe-weather-awareness. At 0950 the Eastern Region RHCC will send out a VHASS Alert entitled “EXERCISE - EASTERN REGION - TORNADO DRILL COMMEX 2025”
Recommended Action:
ACUTE CARE AND FREE-STANDING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS: From 0950 until 1050 hours all participating Eastern Region acute care hospitals and free-standing emergency departments, please update the following in VHASS: Emergency Department Status, Security Status, Clinical Status, Blood Availability Status.
LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES: From 0950 until 1150 hours all participating Eastern Region long term care facilities, please update the following in VHASS: Facility Status, Facility Supplies, Clinical Status, Clinical Supply Status.
DIALYSIS FACILITIES: From 0950 until 1150 hours all participating Eastern Region dialysis centers, please update the following in VHASS: Clinical Operations Supply Status, Staffing Status, Generator Availability Status, Generator Fuel Status.
All Facilities who received the alert via VHASS please enter in the Event Log - VHASS ALERT RECEIVED – VHASS STATUS UPDATED”.
IF you only or also received the VHASS Emergency Alert via Listserv please also include “LISTSERV MESSAGE RECEIVED” in your response in the regional event log.
All participating acute care hospitals, free-standing emergency departments, long-term care facilities and dialysis centers please answer the questions contained in the TORNADO DRILL COMMEX 2025 SITMAN and post all answers in the EASTERN REGION - TORNADO DRILL COMMEX 2025 Event Log.
| Chris Leonard
Regional Healthcare Coordination Center (RHCC) Manager E-mail: cleonard@PROTECTED Office: 757-963-0632 x324 I Cell: 757-513-4709 Toll Free: 844-757-TEMS (8367) I Fax: 757-963-2325 RHCC Activation: 844-757-7422 Eastern Virginia Healthcare Coalition Tidewater EMS Council, Inc. 1104 Madison Plaza, Ste 101, Chesapeake, VA 23320 | |
|
