FALLS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A power outage at a Bucks County hotel hosting a medical conference prompted a large emergency response Thursday evening after dozens of medically fragile children were reported to need assistance.
Emergency crews were dispatched around 6:15 p.m. Thursday to the Sheraton Bucks County Langhorne on Oxford Valley Road for a reported mass casualty incident involving children with special medical needs.
The hotel was hosting the International Foundation for CDKL5 Research Family Educational Conference, a multi-day event bringing together families, caregivers, clinicians and researchers connected to CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder.
Officials said there were approximately 200 people attending the conference, including about 65 children with special needs. Roughly half of those children reportedly rely on ventilators or other powered medical support equipment, creating an urgent concern when power was lost at the hotel.
A mass casualty response does not always mean a large number of people are injured. In this case, the designation allowed emergency responders to quickly send additional EMS resources, assess patients, and make sure medically fragile children had access to needed care and backup support.
There was no immediate confirmation of serious injuries or how many, if any, patients were transported from the scene.
The incident remains under review, and additional details may be released by local officials.
