Mobile Burn Disaster Response Teams: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The resources needed to deliver modern burn care may be overwhelmed by mass casualty disasters. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that countries prepare teams of deployable burn experts to assist with responding to a mass casualty disaster. The aim of this scoping review was to identify existing literature regarding burn mobile response team organization, describe the reported effectiveness of these teams, identify challenges in adopting the WHO recommendations, and consider how the recommendations may be reconsidered. We conducted a scoping review of all literature types published up to January 2022. Searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and CINAHL databases were conducted to identify reports informing or reporting the use of mobile burn care specialty teams that respond to events resulting in multiple burn-injured victims, including pediatric victims and military response to civilian events. Of 6,132 identified reports, 26 publications were reviewed. Three types of mobile burn response teams were identified: 1) teams organized by burn care networks, 2) government-organized medical disaster teams with burn-specific experts, and 3) the US Army Burn Flight Team. Teams have responded to events such as terrorist attacks by providing specialized burn supplies and personnel. These teams have demonstrated expert triage and stabilization advantages but are limited by the number of deployable specialists. Although the WHO recommends increasing the number of mobile burn response teams available around the world, few countries have implemented this recommendation. A hybrid model where responders on scene communicate with burn centre experts to manage triage may address these challenges.

An Introduction to Burn Care: The Sequel

“…Local triage becomes important. Several countries and regions are setting up burns incidence response teams to prepare for mass casualty burn incidents with triage tables that are designed to manage large numbers of victims 85,86 …”