-- but it was only a drill.

The drill was aimed at testing the hospital's readiness for a major hurricane.

Within an hour of the drill being launched, 34 volunteers from the Police Station, the Women's Hospital Auxiliary Office and the US Naval Air Station arrived at the hospital.

Director of emergency services, Dr. Edward Shultz, said the drill was designed to test the hospital's disaster plan.

"The drill determines if the present disaster plan is effective for moving large numbers of casualties through the hospital in a rapid fashion,'' he said.

"Members from all areas of the hospital, from housekeeping to hospital directors, were involved in the hour and a half drill.'' Dr. Shultz said volunteers instead of actual patients were used in the drill.

He added the hurricane disaster drill was different from past drills because half of the "patients'' were walk-in.

"In most disasters fatalities are mainly in one site. During a hurricane, injuries are half ambulance patients and half walk-ins.'' Dr. Shultz said that during a disaster patients had to be moved to areas of the hospital where they would receive definitive care.

"The emergency room becomes a resuscitation area for the most critically ill patients.

"During an actual disaster, patients are categorised and are held in areas where they are treated to the best of the hospital's ability.''