EPs and natural disasters

[GiJoe]

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what can EPs do specifically to help in disasters such as the tsunami that hit southeast asia? While I may not be an EP, there's somthing about the nature of EM that makes me think it was created for events like this one. has anyone on this board ever gone out and helped firsthand these victims or other victims of natural disasters?

 

[Gunner04]

I think that many programs are involved in their local disaster management teams or DMATs. Our team went to pensacola after one of the thousand hurricanes that hit florida this year. I think that these teams cover the US and are deployed when needed. There also are disaster medicine courses that are taught that are called BDLS and ADLS. Our attendings and some residents go around the US and latin america teaching them. We teach mainly to first responders- EMS etc. The course goes over responses to many natural disasters and chemical and biological attacks. Anyway I'm not sure what we can do for people in Indonesia, but there are lots of opportunites in the US.

 

[FoughtFyr]

DMATS are generally deployed stateside, but the FEMA USAR teams, which include EPs are sent worldwide. If you google search, I'm sur eone of more of the teams are currently deployed or gearing up to go.

The US Military also sends relief teams through the Corps of Engineers. M*A*S*H units, and their atendant EPs go with.

- H

 

[Jeff698]

Here's the link for Texas Task Force 1, a USAR team:

http://usar.tamu.edu/

Take care,
Jeff

 

[APRN-BC]

what can EPs do specifically to help in disasters such as the tsunami that hit southeast asia? While I may not be an EP, there's somthing about the nature of EM that makes me think it was created for events like this one. has anyone on this board ever gone out and helped firsthand these victims or other victims of natural disasters?

I'm not an EM MD (I'm a NP), but I did go out for Hurricane's Charley & Ivan. Was deployed by FEMA under the NDMS (National Disaster Medical System). It's a domestic (within the US) DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team) but they also have an international tean based out of Boston.
Feel free to contact me if you'd like additional info. 🙂

 

[Seaglass]

In the sense that public health is deifinitely within the realm of E-Med, yes we are in a sense prepared for this type of relief work but I doubt that many US EPs would know exactly what to do if dropped in the middle of Indonesia. Some EPs and physicians from other specialties take a special interest in relief medicine. You need to know what's in a WHO medical kit, how to do procedures when resources are limited, how to manage public health in a refugee camp etc. For those who are interested I just got done reading "Emergent Field Medicine" which basically covers all the bases of relief-type medicine including setting up a safe water supply, handling mass casualty in a third world setting, managing waste, etc. It's a great read especially if you're interested in this stuff.

Casey

 

[docB]

Just to spark some controversy let me throw this out. I'd argue that EP are not a good choice for internations disaster teams. Anything that will only be reached after a matter of days (say longer than 48 hours) would do better with surgeons, orthos, internists. For the tsunamis it seems like they could best use pediatricians and infectious disease/ public health docs right now. Now I know that with limited resources having a generalist would be more feasible than specialists but for the timeframes we're talking about emergent stabilization would not be needed.

 

[FoughtFyr]

Just to spark some controversy let me throw this out. I'd argue that EP are not a good choice for internations disaster teams. Anything that will only be reached after a matter of days (say longer than 48 hours) would do better with surgeons, orthos, internists. For the tsunamis it seems like they could best use pediatricians and infectious disease/ public health docs right now. Now I know that with limited resources having a generalist would be more feasible than specialists but for the timeframes we're talking about emergent stabilization would not be needed.

I respectfully disagree. EPs are the only folks used to making decisions based on little data and limited diagnostic resources. But the ID and PH guys are needed to restart critical infrastructure. Of course, there are EPs who hold MPHs in environmental and occupational health. Like me for instance! 😛

- H

 

[tonem]

What do they need internists for? I'm sure their cholesterol can wait till after the disaster has run its course.

 

[EMDrMoe]

In the sense that public health is deifinitely within the realm of E-Med, yes we are in a sense prepared for this type of relief work but I doubt that many US EPs would know exactly what to do if dropped in the middle of Indonesia. Some EPs and physicians from other specialties take a special interest in relief medicine. You need to know what's in a WHO medical kit, how to do procedures when resources are limited, how to manage public health in a refugee camp etc. For those who are interested I just got done reading "Emergent Field Medicine" which basically covers all the bases of relief-type medicine including setting up a safe water supply, handling mass casualty in a third world setting, managing waste, etc. It's a great read especially if you're interested in this stuff.

Casey

I'm definitely interested in reading the book; it applies to a project I just started - who's the author? How long (approx) will it take me to get through it, or I suppose a better question would be what type of book is it?

ps-I never saw your first name until today! Hi 😀

 

[tonem]

I'm definitely interested in reading the book; it applies to a project I just started - who's the author? How long (approx) will it take me to get through it, or I suppose a better question would be what type of book is it?

ps-I never saw your first name until today! Hi 😀

Emergent Field Medicine
by Michael VanRooyen, Thomas Kirsch, Kathleen Clem, James Holliman

 

[Apollyon]

Emergent Field Medicine
by Michael VanRooyen, Thomas Kirsch, Kathleen Clem, James Holliman

Hey - Kathy Clem is my division chief!

 

[Seaglass]

It's a textbook, it looks like it's about 600-700 pages long, and I was able to skim it in a few hours, It would probably take a few days to actually read. It was very interesting though, I had no idea how much you can do ( or people in third world countries actually do) with ketamine. They say if you only have one drug to take, this is it.