Medical Disaster Response: A Survival Guide for Hospitals in Mass Casualty Events

While the job of a clinician in a disaster scenario is to save lives without regard for the cause or rationale for the injury, medical and emergency professionals who understand the diverse aspects of a disaster are better equipped to respond effectively. Giving emergency personnel the tools they need to perform in catastrophic situations, Medical Disaster Response: A Survival Guide for Hospitals in Mass Casualty Events addresses the critical planning and response issues surrounding a mass casualty disaster before, during, and after the event.

The book presents the fundamental components of a comprehensive medical disaster management plan that provides readers with a framework for developing individual policies to suit their particular institution. It examines natural, man-made, and terrorist disasters, and offers insight into the different strategies required for distinct scenarios, as well as the need to be prepared for the cascade effect of secondary events resulting from the original disaster.

Real case studies examining medical disaster response

This volume provides a powerful and unique case example through a chronology of the events of September 11th, offering a firsthand account and insight into the quintessential test case for disaster response effectiveness. It also profiles other notorious events―including Hurricane Katrina, the Madrid bombings, the SARS outbreak in 2004, and the sarin gas attack in Tokyo in 2005―as seen through the eyes of the expert contributors who witnessed and responded to these tragedies.

The book presents the lessons learned from these events by the contributing authors who acted on the front lines of the medical disaster response. It is a valuable reference manual for emergency planning, response, and healthcare professionals to confront future disasters and help prevent and mitigate destruction and unnecessary casualties.

David Goldschmitt, MD , is a board-certified emergency physician with experience and training in Disaster Management. As the former chief of emergency at New York Downtown Hospital (only three blocks from Ground Zero) during the events of September 11, 2001, he has the practical experience and exposure that few clinicians possess in this field.A graduate of Bowdoin College Magna Cum Laude with a BA in biology and art history, and with post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago in medical sociology and hospital administration, culminating in receiving his MD in 1985 from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Residency Trained in Emergency Medicine at Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York City under New York Medical College, Dr. Goldschmittreceived his board certification in 1990.Immediately upon graduation from his residency program, he became the interim director of Emergency Medicine at Metropolitan Hospital after the untimely death of the original director, Dr. Ralph Altman, a visionary and pioneer in the field of Emergency Medicine. He held that post for one year until a replacement director could be found, and then remained as assistant director of the Emergency Department and Emergency Medicine Residency Program for the next eight years.During that time, he was also liaison to the NYC EMS (prior to the relocation of EMS into FDNY). During that time, he worked at several emergency departments as a clinical attending physician, which led him to New York Downtown Hospital in 1996.One year later, he became director of the Emergency Department and the EMS Paramedic Unit, a position he held for eight years, recently stepping down to an attending physician position in order to pursue other interests, such as writing. Prior to September 11th, Dr. Goldschmitt orchestrated the training of the hospital staff in incident command disaster management, and helped to shape t