Lower Keys Medical Center Thanks Hurricane Drill Partners
5/14/2026
Lower Keys Medical Center thanks the participants in the annual hurricane evacuation drill held on May 7, 2026, at the medical center and at NAS Key West Boca Chica. The event is a collaboration between multiple emergency management, military, EMS, nursing and transport teams, which simulates the preparation, hand-off of medical records, transport and aircraft loading of patients unable to be discharged safely from the hospital in the event of a major hurricane. Volunteers posing as patients were stabilized and evaluated, then transported to NAS Key West and boarded onto the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron aircraft. In an actual evacuation, those patients would be flown to a medical facility outside of the storm's impact.
“We appreciate all of our participants in the live action practice that strengthens our response in the event of an imminent hurricane,” said Drew Bigby, chief executive officer at Lower Keys Medical Center. “We are fortunate to have strong working relationships with the local, regional and national agencies that work together in times of crisis.”
Prior to the evacuation drill, members of the North Carolina Air National Guard and a C-CAT critical care team from South Carolina Air National Guard, conducted training for EMS and nursing staff on lifting, carrying, transferring and boarding the specialized litter systems with patients into the custom-fitted aircraft.
The Key West Military Affairs Committee hosted a post-training luncheon for the participants. John Picco, president of the Military Affairs Committee and a retired fighter pilot, welcomed and addressed the teams.
Participants included North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Delaware and Florida Air National Guard, NAS Key West, US Coast Guard, Monroe County and City of Key West Emergency Management, Monroe County Sheriff's Office, Key West Police and Fire Departments, Monroe County Fire Rescue, E-Care Ambulance, Southernmost Medical Transport, Keys Health Ready Coalition, Florida Department of Health - Monroe County, and hospital staff.
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