Health care workers meet in Jackson for emergency response training

JACKSON, Tenn. — Health care facilities from across West Tennessee met Wednesday in Jackson to practice communicating with first responders during a disaster.

About 100 employees from different nursing homes and health care facilities worked on their plans for everything from power outages to natural disasters.

Emergency personnel from agencies from across the state and right here in Madison County met with those employees to help them learn what to do and how to use radios to call for help from first responders.

“It saves lives,” Madison County EMA Director Marty Clements said. “You know it’s going to happen sooner or later, and if they get it down here, maybe somebody that works here goes to another state. If they know the process and they know how to do it, it’s going to save lives somewhere.”

The groups were able to practice their plans one-on-one with the Tennessee State Guard and EMA.