BRISTOL, Conn. -- Bristol Hospital is ready for the hundreds of people who will fill its rooms if there is an avian flu breakout, officials said.

"The probability is high that it's going to come,” said pulmonary specialist Michael Ptaszynski. "The problem is we don't know when it's going to come - we don't know what it's going to look like."

Doctors, nurses and emergency crews said they’ve seen the warning signs. That's why they said they’re conduct a four-hour drill Saturday in which they’ll act as if a disaster has struck.

"That's pretty much what this scenario is,” said Laura Nagle, emergency management coordinator. “What do you do in extreme situations?"

"If you can prepare properly for the event, you optimize the chances of you, yourself, surviving and also planning the responsible role in having your community survive," said Ptaszynski.

Avian flu is like the regular flu, he said, only a lot more dangerous. The symptoms are the same, but if detected too late, he said, hundreds of people can be exposed, and an outbreak can happen fast.

That's why doctors aren't only performing this drill, he said, they're also telling people to take the usual precautions.

"This is where it's important for people to get the regular flu immunization,” said Ptaszynski. “Most of the usual flu immunizations are quite effective in protecting you."

After the training, the medical professionals said they’ll be ready for anything that comes their way.