MEDIA AVAILABILITY

WHAT:                

At 10:19 a.m. Senate President Peter Courtney, OHSU Provost Elena Andresen and OHSU emergency management experts Terri Schmidt and Susan Hedland will join millions of people around the globe in observing the Great ShakeOut, an international earthquake preparedness drill that instructs people to “Drop, Cover and Hold On!”

Schmidt and Hedland, who recently returned from hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico, will share their experiences and discuss:

• How individual health care professionals, businesses and families can prepare for a catastrophic earthquake
• How lessons learned in Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida will inform local preparedness efforts

WHO:           

Peter Courtney, Senate President

Elena Andresen, Ph.D., OHSU executive vice president and provost

Terri Schmidt, M.D., M.S., who recently served as chief medical officer for the federal response to hurricanes Harvey in Texas, and Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico. Schmidt is a member of the Oregon Disaster Medical Team and the National Disaster Medical System OR2, and a professor of emergency medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Susan Hedlund, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., O.S.W.-C., who recently returned from supporting relief efforts in Puerto Rico. Hedlund is a member of ODMT and OR-2 DMAT, and an assistant professor of medicine (hematology/medical oncology) in the OHSU School of Medicine, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

WHEN:                

9:45 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017.

Participation in the worldwide drill occurs at 10:19 a.m. PT.

WHERE:              

OHSU Marquam Hill Campus, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland                                

DETAILS:            

News crews should gather in the ninth-floor lobby of OHSU Hospital near the fireplace. A media relations representative will provide an escort to the media availability.

Parking is available on the top level of the Sam Jackson Park Road parking structure, across from the Emergency Department.