Emergency vehicles, tents, and responders will be active around Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua next Wednesday—but it’s all part of a drill.
Starting at 9 a.m. on Sept. 17, multiple agencies will take part in a large-scale emergency preparedness exercise designed to simulate a chemical exposure incident.
The countywide drill brings together UR Medicine Thompson Health, UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, Ontario County Public Health, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, and the Canandaigua Fire Department.
A decontamination area will be set up outside the hospital’s Emergency Department, and officials say the public should expect to see emergency vehicles and a large tent on the west side of the campus.
Despite the activity, normal hospital operations will continue without interruption.
Focused on chemical safety and emergency response
The goal of the drill is to evaluate how well local healthcare and public safety teams can respond to hazardous chemical releases—whether accidental or intentional.
Key parts of the exercise include accessing critical medications, managing suspected nerve agent exposure, and carrying out rapid decontamination of affected individuals.
“Emergency preparedness exercises ensure that, as a community, we are prepared for the unexpected,” said Kurt Koczent, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Thompson Health.
The event underscores the region’s commitment to coordinated response and community safety in high-risk scenarios.
Learn more at www.ThompsonHealth.com.
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