The Saginaw News

SAGINAW, Mich. — Saginaw hospitals will practice a joint disaster drill tonight that requires moving volunteers acting as patients to an alternate care center.

The drill scenario, "Operation Twister," involves three tornadoes touching down in Saginaw County and damaging several medical facilities.

Covenant HealthCare and St. Mary's of Michigan hospital will put their disaster plans into action between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and set up an alternate care center in the gym at Carrolton Middle School, 3211 Carla.

Covenant will focus on evacuations at its medical centers on Michigan and Harrison in Saginaw. St. Mary's officials will concentrate on different types of evacuations, triage locations and communications.

Local law enforcement and public safety departments -- including the Carrolton Police Department and the Saginaw County Office of Emergency Management -- are taking part in the drill.

Participants will work on using evacuation equipment, following the county's emergency medical systems plan and activating the alternate care center for the first time. They also will offer training and evaluate patient tracking systems.