EMS and emergency physicians responding to bombs and explosions need to understand the unique patterns of injuries and key concepts of emergency care including mechanisms, evaluation, and initial treatments based on Disaster Medicine best practices.
1. You local fire department responded to an incident at the courthouse where about ¼ teaspoon of white powder spilled from an envelope that contained payment for a parking ticket. What level of decontamination is required for the person handling the letter and those in the room? A
Without notice even the smallest EDs can be thrust into the limelight after a disaster. As a physician leader, handling public relations represents its own challenge during a time of crisis. We will share with you some simple tips and precautions of dealing with the media after a mass casualty situation.
Radiation exposure is an unusual occurrence in the ED, and because of this emergency physicians are unfamiliar with management. Below are some quick questions to help you review.
You are sitting watching re-runs of ‘Jeopardy’ and having a beer when breaking news shows a building collapse that has occurred several blocks from your home. Though you think you know the answer to the puzzle, you are torn between solving it before the contestant does and rushing to the scene. What should you do?
There is a historic collapse at the sports complex three blocks from your facility (structural, this time, not the on the field). Hundreds of people are rushing to your hospital for care. What can you say generally about the first arriving victims and what can you do about them? Us
This is an excellent 30,000 ft view of diaster medicine. Disaster means demand > resources – goal is to keep it an ‘incident’ and not a ‘disaster’. What constitutes a disaster may differ by facility, time of day, impact on the facility itself (damaged facilities or systems canno
For disaster situations, if we should we need to expand beyond our standard critical care beds, we have put together bedside kits (based on a colleague’s plan at the Royal London trauma center). There are 20 adult and 10 peds (age <8) bins. They are stored in a closet that