The majority (over 80%) of DMAT team deployments from 1985 through 2002 were for natural disasters, although there has been an increase in "man-made" disasters in recent years with terrorist attacks being the most frequent man-made disaster. DMAT teams have also been deployed on missions outside the United States, most often responding to earthquakes and secondly for hurricanes/tropical storms. There has been a prevalence of "water-related" natural disasters including hurricanes/tropical storms and floods, which accounted for three fourths of all natural disasters (25/34=73.5%) and about two thirds of all (natural and man-made) disasters (25/43=59.5%) in the United States over an 18 year period. Recent events including hurricane Katrina suggest that our finding of a prevalence of "water-related" natural disasters is a reliable trend. In the future, DMAT teams need to be prepared to function in a variety of disasters, both natural and man-made, although resources and planning must include "water-related" disasters because they comprise the majority of disasters in the United States.
Although children and infants are likely to be victims in a disaster and are more vulnerable in a disaster than adults, disaster planning and management has often overlooked the specific needs of pediatric patients.We discuss key components of disaster planning and management for pediatric patients including emergency medical services, hospital/facility issues, evacuation centers, family separation/reunification, children with special healthcare needs, mental health issues, and overcrowding/surge capacity. Specific policy recommendations and an appendix with detailed practical information and algorithms are included. The first part of this three part series on pediatric issues in disaster management addresses the emergency medical system from the field to the hospital and surge capacity including the impact of crowding. The second part addresses the appropriate set up and functioning of evacuation centers and family separation and reunification. The third part deals with special patient populations: the special healthcare needs patient and mental health issues.
Although children and infants are likely to be victims in a disaster and are more vulnerable in a disaster than adults, disaster planning and management has often overlooked the specific needs of pediatric patients. We discuss key components of disaster planning and management for pediatric patients including emergency medical services, hospital/facility issues, evacuation centers, family separation/reunification, children with special healthcare needs, mental health issues, and overcrowding/ surge capacity. Specific policy recommendations and an appendix with detailed practical information and algorithms are included.The first part of this three part series on pediatric issues in disaster management addresses the emergency medical system from the field to the hospital and surge capacity including the impact of crowding. The second part addresses the appropriate set up and functioning of evacuation centers and family separation and reunification.The third part deals with special patient populations: the special healthcare needs patient and mental health issues.
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