Burn-injured patients in a disaster: September 11th revisited

We sought to review the steps taken by the New York Presbyterian Healthcare System to address disaster preparedness in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We reviewed the institutional records of emergency preparedness efforts, including improvements in infrastructure, employee education and training, and participation in intramural and extramural disaster response initiatives. We used a state discharge database to review burn injury triage within New York State (1995-2004). Since September 11, 2001, significant resources have been devoted to emergency preparedness: expansion of emergency services training, education, response, equipment, and communications; participation in regional disaster response exercises; revision of hospital preparedness plans; and development of municipal and regional responses to a burn mass casualty incident. A review of state and city burn triage patterns during the period of 1995 to 2004 revealed a decline in the number of burn cases treated in New York State-based hospitals by an average of 81 +/- 24 (mean +/- SEM) fewer cases/year (P = .01), occurring primarily in hospitals outside of New York City. Additionally, there was a steady increase in the proportion of New York City burn patients treated at burn center hospitals by 1.8 +/- 0.1 % per year (P < .0001). In response to the events of September 11, 2001, this health care system and this hospital has taken many steps to enhance its disaster response capabilities.