Interim guidelines for hospital response to mass casualties from a radiological incident

Details

• Personal Author:
  Smith, James M. ; Spano, Marie A.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Center for Environmental Health (U.S.). Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects. ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
• Description:
  On September 11, 2001, U.S. symbols of economic growth and military prowess were attacked and thousands of innocent lives were lost. These tragic events exposed our nation’s vulnerability to attack and heightened our awareness of potential threats. Further examination of the capabilities of foreign nations indicate that terrorist groups worldwide have access to information on the development of radiological weapons and the potential to acquire the raw materials necessary to build such weapons. The looming threat of attack has highlighted the vital role that public health agencies play in our nation’s response to terrorist incidents. Such agencies are responsible for detecting what agent was used (chemical, biological, radiological), event surveillance, distribution of necessary medical supplies, assistance with emergency medical response, and treatment guidance.
  
  In the event of a terrorist attack involving nuclear or radiological agents, it is one of CDC’s missions to insure that our nation is well prepared to respond. In an effort to fulfill this goal, CDC, in collaboration with representatives of local and state health and radiation protection departments and many medical and radiological professional organizations, has identified practical strategies that hospitals can refer to in preparing for and responding to a radiological terrorism event involving mass casualties.
  
  The guidance focuses on six key areas: (1) notification and communication, which emphasizes the importance of hospitals working with their communities and public health agencies on developing emergency communication plans; (2) triage; (3) patient management, including decontamination, treatment, care of special populations, discharge and follow up, and patient mental health concerns; (4) healthcare provider protection, including staff training and practitioner mental health concerns; (5) surveillance, and (6) community planning.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Disaster Planning Mass Casualty Incidents Radiation Protection Radioactive Hazard Release Security Measures Terrorism
• Source:
  Radiation emergencies
• Document Type:
  Pamphlet (or booklet)
• Genre:
  Guideline
• Pages in Document:
  47 numbered pages
• Collection(s):
  Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:ab804e79932ed1284c0334a952264114927ef484fe1a6ab89731cbc4db285628
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/24812/cdc_24812_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 527.11 KB ]