Deployment and operation of a transportable burn intensive care unit in response to a burn multiple casualty incident

Am J Disaster Med. 2010 Jan-Feb;5(1):5-13. doi: 10.5055/ajdm.2010.0001.

Abstract

In many hospitals, intensive care units (ICUs) operate at or above capacity on a daily basis. Multiple casualty incidents will create a sudden need for additional ICU beds and hospital planning for disaster response must anticipate the need for rapid ICU expansion. In this article, the authors describe the management of 6 patients who were burned in Guam and successfully transported a distance of 7,268 miles to San Antonio, TX, for tertiary burn center care. The mission required creation of a temporary burn ICU at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, approximately midway between the referring hospital and the receiving burn center. A method of creating a temporary burn center is described. Lessons learned, including the need to standardize equipment, and to cross-train and cross-credential medical personnel, are applicable to both military and civilian mass casualty management.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Air Ambulances
  • Burns / therapy*
  • Disaster Medicine / organization & administration*
  • Guam
  • Hawaii
  • Hospitals, Military / organization & administration
  • Humans
  • Intensive Care Units / organization & administration*
  • Mass Casualty Incidents*
  • Military Medicine / organization & administration*
  • Texas
  • Transportation of Patients*
  • Triage / organization & administration
  • United States