Today, Winn Army Community Hospital conducted a joint vertical evacuation exercise in support of Patriot South 2019. This joint level exercise is hosted by the National Guard Bureau. The exercise activates a Federal Coordination Center (FCC) to deploy the National Disaster Medical System. The exercise simulated a 7.7 Richter Scale earthquake with the Epicenter in Charleston, which affected surrounding counties to include 14 eastern and coastal counties in Georgia. The simulation included smoke, vertical and real-time helicopter evacuations, as well hospital staff/patient evacuations. Various emergency processes were put to the test. For Winn, the exercise has ended for the day. The information learned from the exercise will be used to better response times and actions from the Winn staff. This was only a training event. We hope we never have to react to such an event, but we want to always be ready to respond. This training is conducted to ensure we are able to provide a safe and secure environment for all our beneficiaries, staff, and visitors. We thank you for your patience and apologize for any inconvenience.