When five Hormel workers were brought to the emergency room at Austin Medical Center Sept. 5 after an explosion at the plant, doctors and nurses already knew how to handle the situation.

Three more nurses and three more doctors had been called in -- all medical personnel who know how to treat burn victims.

The Austin Medical Center has plans and procedures in place for all types of accidents or disasters. Every person in the hospital has a role, depending on the situation, and medical personnel are ready to come in if they are needed, according to AMC staff.

"It's not like we just fly by the seat of our pants," said Tami Oldfather, AMC communications manager.

Dr. Fred Bogott, M.D., director of the emergency department, said knowing what each person will do and what happened are important to a disaster plan.

"In a major disaster plan, it's pretty all inclusive. Everybody is called in and has a place to go," Bogott said.

A major disaster, where everyone on staff is needed is rare and smaller emergency situations such as the Hormel accident, happen only about twice a year, according to the staff.

But that does not mean they are not prepared for those situations.

Oldfather displayed a five-inch red binder that contains plans categorized by type of disaster, which medical personnel can reference in an emergency situation.

The procedures are constantly being updated. The staff is trained to learn them and goes through mock procedures at least twice a year, Bogott said.

But many on staff rarely need to look in the binder. Some nurses have worked in the emergency room for 20 to 30 years and have seen all types of emergency situations.

Nurses like Diane Dammen, who has worked at Austin Medical Center for 37 years.

"We learn by whatever we do," Dammen said.

After a disaster emergency situation, the staff reviews how procedures were carried out and looks for ways to improve them.

A large part of the plan is working with other hospitals. Bogott emphasizes that all hospitals work as a system. When the Hormel employees were brought in, the staff consulted Regions Hospital in St. Paul, where four employees were sent, to make sure they were treating the patients correctly.

Bogott said the staff is highly trained and works well together. Sometimes Bogott said he can nod or grunt and a nurse will know what he means.

"I'm never uncomfortable working with the nurses," he said.

Dammen agreed that the staff serves the patients well.

"I don't think we would keep working here if we didn't do a good job," Dammen said.

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at cari.quam@austindailyherald.com