Nov. 02, 2026 | By Rodolfo Arispe, Brooke Army Medical Center Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas — Brooke Army Medical Center participated in the annual San Antonio Mass Casualty Exercise and Evaluation Oct. 21 to test the hospital’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities in case of a mass casualty incident.
SAMCEE is designed to assess the surge capabilities of hospitals in the 26,000-square-mile region covered by the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council. The exercise specifically covers participating hospitals’ treatment processes, patient tracking abilities, and family reunification procedures. “As one of two Level 1 trauma centers, we not only treat military members and their beneficiaries, but also civilian trauma patients,” Emergency Manager George Wible said. “So, if there ever was a mass casualty incident, BAMC will be one of the primary recipients of patients.”
As part of the simulated drill, BAMC physicians, nurses, medical personnel and staff received news via mass text shortly after 8 a.m. that a mid-air collision had been reported near San Antonio International Airport. Soon after, about 55 “victims,” or volunteer role players, began arriving at BAMC in emergency vehicles with various life-threatening mock injuries.
Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Michael Rowland, trauma medical director, said the Trauma Department’s participation in the exercise each year is vital. “By treating patients through a variety of emergency scenarios, the exercise allows our trauma surgeons to provide quality care for critically injured patients should an incident ever happen,” he said.
One role player, Army Pvt. Angelina Doss, portrayed a 9-year-old who arrived at the emergency room with severe chest pain and breathing problems. Emergency physicians diagnosed her with a collapsed lung after conducting medical tests. “It was a lot of fun,” she said. “I liked the staging area where they put the moulage, simulated injuries, on us, and then coming in and seeing how the entire hospital was involved to prepare for an actual emergency.”
BAMC was one of 50 hospitals and healthcare facilities in the region to participate in SAMCEE.
Air Force Col. Amy Brown, deputy commander of surgical services, who executed her role in the Hospital Command Center along with other key leadership, said BAMC takes an “all-hands on deck approach” while conducting the disaster drill. “Disaster response is directed by the hospital incident commander with additional team members having assigned roles and areas of responsibility,” Brown said. “We have playbooks that allow for dynamic collaboration between departments such as the Emergency Department, Logistics, Facilities, Public Affairs, Operating Room, Manpower, and Patient Registration. Security, Mental Health and Chaplain services play a vital role in assisting families separated from victims and providing reunification.”
Army Capt. Cristina Western, dietitian, volunteered to be an observer/controller and was responsible for tracking patient movements from point of entry to placement in an inpatient unit. She also noted any procedures that could be improved on. “I didn’t realize how widespread across San Antonio that SAMCEE was and how many external entities were involved,” Western said. “It was eye-opening to see what the whole process involves.”
According to STRAC, the South Texas medical community uses a four-pronged approach to emergency preparedness: plan, equip, train, and exercise. Results from the exercise are used to improve emergency plans, identify equipment shortages, and other areas for improvement.
After the four-hour exercise ended, Wible provided an early assessment of the simulated drill. “I’ve heard positive remarks that things went a lot more smoothly and effectively than previous exercises,” he said. “Of course, not everything went flawlessly. Ultimately, what we hope to have accomplished is that we identify any gaps or inconsistencies that we can improve upon. We will take those lessons learned and put them into a revised plan, and when we do it again, hopefully we will do even better.”
