Next Flu Pandemic: What to Do Until the Vaccine Arrives? Most scientists consider another influenza pandemic inevitable, but there is little information on how best to protect the public before a vaccine can be made available. Learn More
Accuracy of a Priority Medical Dispatch System in Dispatching Cardiac Emergencies in a Suburban Community Introduction: Over-triage of patients by emergency medical services (EMS) dispatch is thought to be an acceptable alternative to under-triage, which may delay how quickly life-saving care reaches a patient. Previous studies have looked at advanced life support (ALS) misutilization in urban- and county-based EMS systems and have attempted to analyze how dispatch methods either contribute … Continue reading “Accuracy of a Priority Medical Dispatch System in Dispatching Cardiac Emergencies in a Suburban Community” Learn More
Mental health in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina: Science to Practice This article talks about the programs that were developed post-Katrina in accordance with the mental health facilities and care programs. The Children’s Health Fund was funded 20 years ago to provide medical services to underserved children and families through mobile units. We have found mobile units to be effective ways of delivering services to people … Continue reading “Mental health in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina: Science to Practice” Learn More
Chronicles From Out-of-State Professionals: Providing Primary Care to Underserved Children After a Disaster: A National Organization Response Hundreds of thousands of lives in the Gulf Coast region were affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Children’s Health Fund (CHF) responded rapidly to the needs of children and their families after the hurricane. CHF is a national organization that supports direct health services, education, and advocacy for medically underserved children. Although CHF’s principle mission is … Continue reading “Chronicles From Out-of-State Professionals: Providing Primary Care to Underserved Children After a Disaster: A National Organization Response” Learn More
Responding to an Emerging Humanitarian Crisis in Louisiana and Mississippi: Urgent Need for Health Care "Marshall Plan" It is now clear that massive challenges are facing the recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region ravaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as the flooding of New Orleans. Evacuees from the hardest hit communities who are currently in extended shelter status, particularly those with limited economic means, may already formally fall under … Continue reading “Responding to an Emerging Humanitarian Crisis in Louisiana and Mississippi: Urgent Need for Health Care “Marshall Plan”” Learn More
Ethical and Legal Challenges Posed by mandatory Hurricane Evacuation: Duties and Limits When Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005, between 70,000 and 100,000 residents of New Orleans either did not or could not comply with the order that had been issued to evacuate. The events surrounding Katrina raised critical legal and ethical questions about the use of mandatory evacuation orders. We discuss four key ethical issues … Continue reading “Ethical and Legal Challenges Posed by mandatory Hurricane Evacuation: Duties and Limits” Learn More
Guide to Contracting Public Health Drills and Exercises In the wake of September 11, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) made available hundreds of millions of dollars through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to assist State, Local, and Territorial Health departments increase their capacity to respond to bioterrorism and … Continue reading “Guide to Contracting Public Health Drills and Exercises” Learn More
Homeland Preparedness for Major Terrorism in 2006: Not Yet Ready for Prime Time This year will represent a turning point for preparedness and homeland security in the United States. With Michael Chertoff firmly in place and making his own mark as the new Secretary of Homeland Security, the anticipated reauthorization of the federal bioterrorism bill and many other new perspectives and strategies on the table, changes are likely … Continue reading “Homeland Preparedness for Major Terrorism in 2006: Not Yet Ready for Prime Time” Learn More
Critical Concepts for Children in Disasters Identified by Hands-on Professionals: Summary of Issues Demanding Solutions Before the Next One This supplement contains many hands-on experiences of pediatricians and others who cared for children during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. They have all offered significant insightful suggestions to help planners better prepare for care of children during the next disaster. Pediatricians and other providers need to educate families on many aspects of disaster planning. Families should … Continue reading “Critical Concepts for Children in Disasters Identified by Hands-on Professionals: Summary of Issues Demanding Solutions Before the Next One” Learn More
Unanticipated Consequences of Pandemic Flu: Transportation Related Issues: A Preliminary Literature Review Broadly speaking, plans for the containment and treatment of pandemic flu lead to a set of circumscribed outcomes, which include process outcomes (e.g., numbers of individuals vaccinated, numbers of health care workers vaccinated, numbers of intensive care beds opened up) as well as health outcomes (e.g., flu-related morbidity and mortality, transmission rates, and attack rates). … Continue reading “Unanticipated Consequences of Pandemic Flu: Transportation Related Issues: A Preliminary Literature Review” Learn More
Pediatricians Providing Sophisticated Care Under Extreme Conditions We stand in awe of the pediatricians and other colleagues who met the challenge of maintaining care of ill children during a major disaster even while their hospital was being evacuated and while improvising and facilitating mass transport. The challenge in front of us is how to be sure that the children whose families have … Continue reading “Pediatricians Providing Sophisticated Care Under Extreme Conditions” Learn More
The Pediatrician and Disaster Preparedness Recent natural disasters and events of terrorism and war have heightened society’s recognition of the need for emergency preparedness. In addition to the unique pediatric issues involved in general emergency preparedness, several additional issues related to terrorism preparedness must be considered, including the unique vulnerabilities of children to various agents as well as the limited … Continue reading “The Pediatrician and Disaster Preparedness” Learn More
A Critical Concern: Pediatrician Self-care After Disasters As of this writing, health care in the areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina has shifted from emergency to primary care mode. Disasters take a heavy toll not only on victims but also on professionals and volunteers who experience the immediate, short-term, and long- term impact through their patients. The impact may occur because of the … Continue reading “A Critical Concern: Pediatrician Self-care After Disasters” Learn More
On the Edge: Children and Families Displaced by Hurricanes Katrina andRita Face a Looming Medical and Mental Health Crisis: Executive Summary The individuals and families who were displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and who have ended up in FEMA-subsidized community housing in Louisiana are facing a second crisis, one in which untreated and undertreated chronic medical problems and incipient mental health issues will overwhelm patients and providers. Among the displaced, children may be particularly vulnerable. … Continue reading “On the Edge: Children and Families Displaced by Hurricanes Katrina andRita Face a Looming Medical and Mental Health Crisis: Executive Summary” Learn More
On the Edge: Children and Families Displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Face a Looming Medical and Mental Health Crisis The individuals and families who were displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and who have ended up in FEMA-subsidized community housing in Louisiana are facing a second crisis, one in which untreated and undertreated chronic medical problems and incipient mental health issues will overwhelm patients and providers. Among the displaced, children may be particularly vulnerable. … Continue reading “On the Edge: Children and Families Displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Face a Looming Medical and Mental Health Crisis” Learn More
Remembrance and Wellness Five Years After 9/11 It has been five years. For some people time has barely passed. Tuesday, September 11, 2001 feels like yesterday. To others these last five years seem an eternity. Many people have slipped back into their everyday lives. The horrific images, unimaginable sadness, security threats and unanswered questions have given way to a world that on … Continue reading “Remembrance and Wellness Five Years After 9/11” Learn More
Life under the "new normal": notes on the future of preparedness Being prepared for emergencies is not a new concept. At every level of government there are contingency plans for natural disasters, accidental catastrophes, local events and personal emergencies of every conceivable manner. Organizations from the Red Cross to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to hospital emergency departments are in a constant state of readiness. Often, … Continue reading “Life under the “new normal”: notes on the future of preparedness” Learn More
Bioterrorism Terrorism preparedness is a highly specific component of general emergency preparedness. In addition to the unique pediatric issues involved in general emergency preparedness, terrorism preparedness must consider several additional issues, including the unique vulnerabilities of children to various agents as well as the limited availability of age- and weight-appropriate antidotes and treatments. Although children may … Continue reading “Bioterrorism” Learn More
Challenges in Meeting Immediate Emotional Needs: Short-term Impact of a Major Disaster on Children's Mental Health: Building Resiliency in the Aftermath of Huricanne Katrina Disasters, whether resulting from terrorism or natural events, have a dramatic impact on the health and well-being of children. Studies after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, in New York City and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and countless reports on the impact of natural disasters on children show that a child’s mental health … Continue reading “Challenges in Meeting Immediate Emotional Needs: Short-term Impact of a Major Disaster on Children’s Mental Health: Building Resiliency in the Aftermath of Huricanne Katrina” Learn More
National Preparedness Planning: The Historical Context and Current State of the U.S. Public's Readiness, 1940-2005 In the United States, national public preparedness efforts meant to ready individuals and families for disasters have been driven primarily by international threats, actual or anticipated. These include terrorism, war and the potential for global instability such as the millennium Y2K computer error. The national dialogue on public preparedness following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in … Continue reading “National Preparedness Planning: The Historical Context and Current State of the U.S. Public’s Readiness, 1940-2005” Learn More
Public Confidence in Government, Health Care System Continues to Drop as 5th Anniversary of 9/11 Approaches Survey respondents fear government is unprepared for terrorist attacks or natural disaster; health care system judged unable to respond to major crises or flu pandemic. Learn More
