Editorial: Health care agencies set for emergencies

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999 | 9:45 a.m.

As many as 1.5 million tourists may pour into Las Vegas on New Year's Eve to usher in a new millennium. While everyone hopes for the best, law enforcement and other government agencies have been preparing for the worst, working on plans to avert disasters and respond appropriately to any New Year's Eve emergencies.

And as the Sun's Launce Rake reported Monday, a group of representatives from local hospitals, fire departments, ambulance providers, ambulatory-care centers and the Clark County Health District have been meeting monthly to devise a strategy to cope with the possibility of taking care of those who get seriously injured at a time when the valley's population will nearly double with all the tourists here. Failing to plan for worst-case scenarios could imperil public safety. It's encouraging to see the government and health care providers readying themselves for the upcoming New Year's Eve celebration.

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