The rural interhospital disaster plan: some new solutions to old problems

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health
• Rural Health Systems

Background:

• Rural areas face unique challenges during multi-casualty incidents due to vast service areas, limited medical facilities, and communication hurdles.
• Existing emergency medical services (EMS) systems may not be adequately prepared for large-scale events in non-urban settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a comprehensive rural EMS system plan for managing multi-casualty incidents.
• To identify essential components and strategies for effective rural mass casualty response.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Susquehanna Valley Health Care Consortium plan, incorporating rural-specific factors.
• Conducting three field tests to assess and refine the proposed EMS strategies.
• Analyzing outcomes to determine critical elements for successful incident management.

Main Results:

• Successful triage and resuscitation require organized participant efforts.
• Mandatory police involvement for crowd and traffic control is essential.
• Designation of an overall incident commander and reliable two-way communication are critical.
• Victim tracking by an administrator and arranged air evacuation capabilities improve response effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• A structured rural EMS system, including clear command, communication, and logistical support, is vital for multi-casualty incidents.
• Field testing identified key operational adjustments for enhancing rural mass casualty response.
• The developed plan provides a framework for improving rural EMS preparedness and patient outcomes.