Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T15:14:20.105Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Volunteer First Responders for Optimizing Management of Mass Casualty Incidents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 June 2018

Eli Yafe ,
Blake Byron Walker ,
Ofer Amram ,
Nadine Schuurman ,
Ellen Randall ,
Michael Friger  and
Bruria Adini
Eli Yafe
Affiliation:
Volunteers, Public Relations, Training, Fund-raising & International Relations Division, Magen David Adom, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Blake Byron Walker
Affiliation:
Geographisches Institut, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Ofer Amram
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington
Nadine Schuurman
Affiliation:
Volunteers, Public Relations, Training, Fund-raising & International Relations Division, Magen David Adom, Tel-Aviv, Israel Geographisches Institut, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Department of Public Health, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel Department of Disaster Management & Injury Prevention, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
Ellen Randall
Affiliation:
School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Michael Friger
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel
Bruria Adini*
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster Management & Injury Prevention, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Bruria Adini, Hatamar 16, Bat Chen, 40290, Israel (e-mail: [email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

Rapid response to a trauma incident is vital for saving lives. However, in a mass casualty incident (MCI), there may not be enough resources (first responders and equipment) to adequately triage, prepare, and evacuate every injured person. To address this deficit, a Volunteer First Responder (VFR) program was established.

Methods

This paper describes the organizational structure and roles of the VFR program, outlines the geographical distribution of volunteers, and evaluates response times to 3 MCIs for both ambulance services and VFRs in 2000 and 2016.

Results

When mapped, the spatial distribution of VFRs and ambulance stations closely and deliberately reflects the population distribution of Israel. We found that VFRs were consistently first to arrive at the scene of an MCI and greatly increased the number of personnel available to assist with MCI management in urban, suburban, and rural settings.

Conclusions

The VFR program provides an important and effective life-saving resource to supplement emergency first response. Given the known importance of rapid response to trauma, VFRs likely contribute to reduced trauma mortality, although further research is needed in order to examine this question specifically. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:287–294)

Keywords

mass casualty incidentsvolunteersresponse timestriageemergency medical services
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , April 2019 , pp. 287 - 294
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Shoher, A, Chang, DC, Efron, D, et al. Multiple, simultaneous trauma patients: are they worse off? J Trauma Inj Infect Crit Care. 2006;61:611-615.Google Scholar
2. Hammond, J. Mass casualty incidents: planning implications for trauma care. Helsinki, Finland. Scand J Surg. 2005;94:267-271.Google Scholar
3. Lennquist, S. Management of major accidents and disasters: an important responsibility for the trauma surgeons. J Trauma Inj Infect Crit Care. 2007;62:1321-1329.Google Scholar
4. Committee on Trauma, American College of Surgeons. Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient 2006. Chicago, IL: American College of Surgeons; 2006.Google Scholar
5. Levi, L, Michaelson, M, Admi, H, et al. National strategy for mass casualty situations and its effects on the hospital. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2002;17:12-16.Google Scholar
6. Trauma System Agenda for the Future: Key Issues in Developing Inclusive Trauma Systems. http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/ems/emstraumasystem03/intro-keyissue.htm. Accessed February 10, 2017.Google Scholar
7. Eiseman, BMD. Combat casualty management for tomorrow’s battlefield: urban terrorism. J Trauma Inj Infect Crit Care. 2001;51(5):821-823.Google Scholar
8. Halpern, P. Mass-casualty, terrorist bombings: implications for emergency department and hospital emergency response (Part II). Prehosp Disaster Med. 2003;18:235-241.Google Scholar
9. Jenkins, J, McCarthy, M, Sauer, L, et al. Mass-casualty triage: time for an evidence-based approach. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2008;23:3-8.Google Scholar
10. Iserson, KV, Moskop, JC. Triage in medicine, Part I: Concept, history, and types. Ann Emerg Med. 2007;49:275-281.Google Scholar
11. Kennedy, K, Aghababian, RV, Gans, L, Lewis, CP. Triage: techniques and applications in decisionmaking. Ann Emerg Med. 1996;28:136-144.Google Scholar
12. Aylwin, CJ, König, TC, Brennan, NW, et al. Reduction in critical mortality in urban mass casualty incidents: analysis of triage, surge, and resource use after the London bombings on July 7, 2005. Lancet. 2006;368:2219-2225.Google Scholar
13. Soffer, D, Klausner, JM. Trauma system configurations in other countries: the Israeli model. Surg Clin North Am. 2012;92:1025-1040.Google Scholar
14. First Responders. https://www.mdais.org/en/first-responders. Accessed February 10, 2017.Google Scholar
15. Alpert, EA, Lipsky, AM, Elie, ND, et al. The contribution of on-call, volunteer first responders to mass-casualty terrorist attacks in Israel. Am J Disaster Med. 2015;10:35-39.Google Scholar
16 Statement on Disaster and Mass Casualty Management. http://www.facs.org/. Accessed February 10, 2017.Google Scholar
17. Ryan, J, Sibson, J, Howell, G. Assessing injury severity during general war. Will the Military Triage system meet future needs? J R Army Med Corps. 1990;136:27-35.Google Scholar
18. Nathens, A, Maier, R, Brundage, S, et al. The effect of inter-facility transfer on outcome in an urban trauma system. J Trauma Inj Infect Crit Care. 2003;55:444-449.Google Scholar
19. Davis, D, Poste, J, Hicks, T, et al. Hospital bed surge capacity in the event of a mass-casualty incident. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2005;20:169-176.Google Scholar
20. Mistovich, JJ, Hafen, BQ, Karren, KJ, et al. Prehospital Emergency Care. Boston: Brady Prentice Hall Health; 2004.Google Scholar
21. Feliciano, DV, Mattox, KL, Moore, EM. eds. Trauma, 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional; 2008.Google Scholar
22. Shemer, J, Shapira, S. Establishing of a nationwide trauma system in Israel. Harefuah. 1995;129:526-529.Google Scholar
23. Ramesh, AC, Kumar, S. Triage, monitoring, and treatment of mass casualty events involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear agents. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2010;2:239.Google Scholar
24. Jacobs, LM Jr. Joint committee to create a national policy to enhance survivability from mass casualty shooting events: Hartford Consensus II. J Am Coll Surg. 2014;218:476-478.Google Scholar
25. Goolsby, C, Branting, A, Chen, E, et al. Just-in-time to save lives: a pilot study of layperson tourniquet application. Acad Emerg Med. 2015;22:1113-1117.Google Scholar
26. Flint, CG, Stevenson, J. Building community disaster preparedness with volunteers: Community Emergency Response Teams in Illinois. Nat Hazards Rev. 2009;11:118-124.Google Scholar
27. Susetyo Koespradiyanto, E, Adinugroho, K. Community based emergency preparedness as key part in anticipation mass casualties in surrounding oil and gas industry. Paper presented at: International Conference on Health, Safety and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production; September 11-13, 2012; Perth, Australia.Google Scholar
28. Furbee, PM, Coben, JH, Smyth, SK, et al. Realities of rural emergency medical services disaster preparedness. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2006;21:64-70.Google Scholar
29. Glow, SD, Colucci, VJ, Allington, DR, et al. Managing multiple-casualty incidents: a rural medical preparedness training assessment. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28:334-341.Google Scholar
30. Hamilton, SE. Volunteers in disaster response: The American Red Cross. J Aggress Maltreat Trauma. 2005;10:621-632.Google Scholar
31. Aldrich, DP, Meyer, MA. Social capital and community resilience. Am Behav Sci. 2015;59(2):254-269.Google Scholar
32. Farmer, J, Currie, M, Kenny, A, et al. An exploration of the longer-term impacts of community participation in rural health services design. Soc Sci Med. 2015;141:64-71.Google Scholar