Hurricane Ida Emergency Medicine Resident Disaster Response

Area of Science:

• Medical response strategies
• Disaster medicine
• Emergency medicine training

Background:

• Hurricane Ida impacted New Orleans in late August 2021, causing widespread resource scarcity.
• The metropolitan area has over one million residents, with significant impact on healthcare access.
• Essential resources like food, electricity, water, and medications were severely limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the medical response and action plan of the LSU New Orleans Emergency Medicine Residency Program during Hurricane Ida.
• To provide an after-action summary of the program's operational adjustments and challenges.
• To outline strategies for future disaster preparedness in academic medical centers.

Main Methods:

• Describing the redistribution of Emergency Medicine (EM) residents within University Medical Center New Orleans (UMCNO).
• Detailing the daily communication structure involving chief residents and the program director.
• Outlining the daily EM response protocols and pre- and post-hurricane action plans.

Main Results:

• The Emergency Medicine (EM) department experienced a substantial intensification of daily activities.
• Residents, nurses, attendings, ancillary staff, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) collaborated to manage increased patient load.
• The program successfully adapted its operations despite significant resource limitations.

Conclusions:

• The LSU EM Residency Program demonstrated resilience and adaptability in its response to Hurricane Ida.
• Effective communication and resident redistribution were key components of the disaster response.
• The experience provides valuable insights for enhancing disaster preparedness in medical residency programs.