LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Nevada Hospital Association released a case study on the medical response during 1 October.
An unprecedented attack brought an unprecedented effort inside local hospitals.
RELATED: Las Vegas remembers those killed in mass shooting
A flood of patients - 800 injured with nearly 600 needing medical attention.
Survivors helped the wounded. Shirts, belts and other implements were used by these good Samaritans as make-shift tourniquets and compression bandages.
Hospitals reported that most existing patients when they learned of the incident, wanted to help.
"Nurses were saying, you must be in pain, and they would say it looks like that person over there is in more pain than I am. So everyone was selfless," Dr. Deborah Kuhls said.
Doctors, nurses and hospital staff were quick to report back to work. Many simply showed up prior to being requested. This was both a blessing and a curse.
"Wow, I wish I could have come in to help. That was their initial human reaction, but in reality, we had a lot of work to do the next day and subsequent days," Dr. Kuhls said.
Employees who were called into work were told to stop by other outlying hospitals and bring in additional supplies.
"This is such a comprehensive report that it's not only helpful for us as a community, but it's helpful to other communities, and those other communities want information because they're not sure if they're prepared," Dr. Kuhls said.
There were many heroes that night. Their ingenuity, teamwork and hard work cannot be overstated. The human spirit was alive and well. Whenever the plan, policy or procedure failed, the people came together to solve the issue. Training, exercises and policy all help - but in the end, it's the people who make the difference.
