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DISASTER PLANS Disasters are unforeseen events and planning for them may seem paradoxical. It has, however, been shown that disaster - planning not only works but also saves lives. Disaster planning is a wide field but a résumé of the important aspects follows...

Damage assessment The first objective in disaster management is an assessment of the damage and the number of casualties. All sources of information must be employed. The 24-hour news services are frequently the first on the scene and can be an important sourc...

Dealing with the media Disasters act like a magnet for the media. In today’s world of 24-hour news coverage, this plays an important part in shaping public opinion. It is essential to establish a working relationship between the media and the rescue teams. Wit...

Debridement Taken from the French, meaning to ‘unleash or cut open’, debridement plays a crucial part in the management of trauma. Wounds sustained in disasters are often heavily contaminated, containing foreign bodies and non-viable tissues ( Figure 33.9 Deb...

Designated centres Initially , the casualties may be scattered among many hospitals. After the first few weeks most of the acute problems have been dealt with and only those patients who require longer term treatment remain. At this point it is advisable to de...

Establishment of a national disaster management organisation This is the first step in the planning for disasters. Most resource-rich countries already have such an agency , which can formulate policy at the national level and has the infrastructure to react qu...

Establishment of a national disaster management organisation This is the first step in the planning for disasters. Most resource-rich countries already have such an agency , which can formulate policy at the national level and has the infrastructure to react qu...

Evacuation of casualties Decisions regarding the best destination for each patient need to be based on how far it is safe for them to travel and whether the facilities that they need for definitive treatment will be available. A quick retriage is very useful in...

Evacuation planning Evacuation of large population centres as a prelude to, or in the wake of, an impending disaster is a complex exercise. Y et it may be the most prudent course of action to remove as many people as possible from harm’s way . Clear identific...