Tamingthesru
Flights - Shaken
You are sitting on the helipad during your UH shift talking with the flight nurse when the tones drop for a pediatric scene call. You gather yourself after you have that crap your pants moment that everyone has with pediatric scene calls and whip out your smart phone with your pediatric application of choice. You begin to write down doses and sizes on your tape on your leg based on the report of the patient’s weight from the providers on scene.
You land in an elementary school parking lot to the delight of the children at the local school. Cars begin to slow and pull over as you exit the helicopter and walk to the squad. You walk to the side door of the ambulance and find 6 EMTs crammed in the squad.
Disaster and Emergency Medicine: An Overview
Disaster. It’s trending right now. In the last few years we have seen epidemic outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever, earthquake induced nuclear meltdowns, and large-scale civil war. It is no secret: both the scale and frequency of disasters are increasing. This appears to be due to a complex interplay of interconnected, global factors that show no signs of slowing. More people means harvesting more food, tapping more clean water, clearing more land, crowding more cities, and releasing more harmful products into the environment. The consequences to this include rising water levels, widening temperature extremes, increasing erosion, and a growing number of vulnerable people. With inevitably more disaster on the horizon, preparedness and experienced leadership are critical for the world’s future.
Grand Rounds Recap - 5/20/15 - Disaster Day!
Explosive Injury with Dr. Calhoun
Explosive injuries cause high numbers of casualties compared to chemical and biological incidents
Determinants of injury
- Type of blast: high vs low explosive (has to do with how rapidly the gas is released)
- Environment: close quarters vs open field
- Presence of projectiles
- Distance from the explosion
- Shielding