The purpose King’s Daughters Medical Center’s emergency drill Tuesday was to learn where they could improve, and learn they did.

     Officials said the drill went well but offered some insights into what they learned from the exercise.

     “Communications … seems to be one of the things that needs improving most every time,” said Director of Emergency Management Clifford Galey.

     Other officials agreed.

     “It’s always one of the top items on the checklist,” said David Culpepper, director of public relations at KDMC.

     Culpepper said the exercise went smoothly, but that proper communication was essential should a disaster ever happen.

     This requires coordinating a number of different offices and agencies, Culpepper said.

        “The exercise is designed to make sure those measurements are there and that we’re meeting those measurements,” he said.

     One reason Culpepper said communications is always high on the list is that when a disaster occurs, everyone goes into an “automatic mindset.”

     “When you get back into that mindset, you go back into your instincts and your training takes over,” he said. “They do what they’re supposed to do, but you have to make sure you’re on the same page.”

     Though no other specifics were given, Galey said there were other aspects that could use some improvements.

     “All in all it went well,” he said, “but every time we run it there’s other things we can do to make it better.”

     Both Galey and Culpepper said the main goal was to make sure everyone is prepared in case something like this ever happens.