Chemical warfare: disaster preparation in an Israeli hospital

The situation in the Middle East makes it imperative that Israeli hospitals be prepared for disaster, particularly that associated with chemical warfare. To prepare for the impact of chemical warfare, Israeli hospitals have designed mass trauma programs, which include staff training and simulated disaster drill exercises. These have been incorporated in the conventional disaster program since 1989. This article provides a brief overview of the trauma program at Beilinson Medical Center in Petach Tikva, Israel, including definition of four stages of injury, guidelines for intervention, and a discussion of the role of the social worker in the disaster plan.