Burn mass casualty incident planning in Alberta: A case study

Area of Science:

• Disaster Medicine
• Burn Care
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Preparedness for burn mass casualty incidents (BMCI) is insufficient across Canada.
• Existing mass casualty incident (MCI) plans are often general and do not address the specific needs of burn patients.
• There is a need to evaluate current policies and practices for BMCI response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore current policies, protocols, and practices in Alberta for responding to a BMCI.
• To identify deficiencies in existing preparedness and response strategies for burn disasters.
• To provide recommendations for improving BMCI preparedness at provincial and national levels.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative descriptive case study approach was employed.
• Data were collected through analysis of 15 relevant documents and 9 semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals.
• Thematic analysis was used to identify common themes in policies and participant responses.

Main Results:

• Current policies and protocols primarily focus on general all-hazards MCI planning, lacking burn-specific considerations.
• Key deficiencies include the absence of dedicated burn-specific plans at burn centers, lack of provincial recognition of BMCI challenges, and no established Canadian burn disaster communication plan.
• Participants suggested strategies like forward triage, optimized patient movement, telemedicine, interdisciplinary staffing, and enhanced supply procurement.

Conclusions:

• Alberta's current MCI framework is inadequate for addressing the unique demands of a BMCI.
• Provincial health authorities must prioritize the development of specialized BMCI response plans.
• Dedicated time and resources for burn care experts are essential to create effective BMCI preparedness strategies for improved patient outcomes.