Urban Search and Rescue Teams and a Mass Casualty Incident in Washington

Objective: Search and rescue after mass casualty incidents relies on robust data infrastructure. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA’s) Task Force 1 (TF1) trains its volunteers to locate and virtually tag scene incidents using a global positioning satellite (GPS) device programmed with markers for each incident (Iron Sights). The authors performed a pilot study comparing Iron Sights™ to a Wi-Fi-based real-time incident geolocation and virtual tagging dashboard (Panacea™) in creating a dynamic common operating picture.Design: Twenty-nine stations were placed at a predefined scene incident, each featuring a set of varying waypoint markers using standard FEMA/TF1 nomenclature. Two volunteers performed the experiment for both the Iron Sights and Panacea systems, digitally tagging all station waypoints.Setting: TF1 simulation training field. Main outcome measure(s): Metrics compared included GPS location precision, marker accuracy, and delay between scene sweep and common operational picture (COP) generation.Results: Two hundred and sixty-one waypoints were digitally tagged after excluding three stations for missing data. The average GPS location difference for all waypoints between Iron Sights and Panacea was 3.65 m. Marker tagging accuracy between Iron Sights and Panacea was equivalent and not statistically different (78.8 percent vs 66.2 percent, respectively, p = 0.11). Waypoints were tagged in 26.59 minutes and 10.55 minutes on average, respectively. Time from scene sweep to virtual COP generation was 7.97 minutes for Iron Sights after complete scene sweep and 37 seconds for Panacea for each waypoint posting in real-time.Conclusions: Panacea generated the COP in real-time compared to a delay with Iron Sights while maintaining the same location precision and marker accuracy. This pilot trial successfully demonstrated the ability to provide real-time actionable intelligence to incident commanders during mass casualty search and rescue missions. Larger field trials are recommended to refine the system and broaden its capabilities.

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1600: REAL-TIME TRACKING OF MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT MARKERS IN A SEARCH-AND-RESCUE TRAINING SIMULATION

Critical Care Medicine ◽

10.1097/01.ccm.0000510273.32108.0d ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 44 (12) ◽

pp. 475-475

Author(s):

Kendall Park ◽

Salman Ahmad ◽

John Gillis ◽

Prasad Calyam ◽

Amy Cheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Mass Casualty Incident ◽

Mass Casualty ◽

Search And Rescue ◽

Real Time Tracking ◽

Training Simulation

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Effect the Education of Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) on Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Satisfaction in Red Crescent Rescuers of Hamadan

Scientific Journal of Hamedan Nursing and Midwifery Faculty ◽

10.21859/nmj-25016 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 44-51

Author(s):

Arezo Karampourian ◽

Zohreh Ghomian ◽

Katayoun Jahangiri ◽

Behroz Karkhanei

Keyword(s):

Mass Casualty Incident ◽

Mass Casualty

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Urban Search and Rescue with Anti-pheromone Robot Swarm architecture

2021 Telecoms Conference (ConfTELE) ◽

10.1109/conftele50222.2021.9435557 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ruben Martin Garcia ◽

Daniel Hernandez de la Iglesia ◽

Juan F. de Paz ◽

Valderi R. Q. Leithardt ◽

Gabriel Villarrubia

Keyword(s):

Search And Rescue ◽

Urban Search And Rescue ◽

Robot Swarm

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Prehospital Triage by Lay Person First Responders: A Scoping Review and Proposal for a new Prehospital Triage Tool

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2021.19 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Wesley D Jetten ◽

Jeroen Seesink ◽

Markus Klimek

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Life Support ◽

First Responders ◽

Mass Casualty Incident ◽

Mass Casualty ◽

Mass Casualty Incidents ◽

Lay People ◽

Online Databases ◽

Healthcare Experience ◽

Prehospital Triage

Abstract Objective: The primary aim of this study is to review the available tools for prehospital triage in case of mass casualty incidents and secondly, to develop a tool which enables lay person first responders (LPFRs) to perform triage and start basic life support in mass casualty incidents. Methods: In July 2019, online databases were consulted. Studies addressing prehospital triage methods for lay people were analyzed. Secondly, a new prehospital triage tool for LPFRs was developed. Therefore, a search for prehospital triage models available in literature was conducted and triage actions were extracted. Results: The search resulted in 6188 articles, and after screening, a scoping review of 4 articles was conducted. All articles stated that there is great potential to provide accurate prehospital triage by people with no healthcare experience. Based on these findings, and combined with the pre-existing prehospital triage tools, we developed a, not-yet validated, prehospital triage tool for lay people, which may improve disaster awareness and preparedness and might positively contribute to community resilience. Conclusion: The prehospital triage tool for lay person first responders may be useful and may help professional medical first responders to determine faster, which casualties most urgently need help in a mass casualty incident.

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A call for a global terrorism-related mass casualty incident response research consortium

European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery ◽

10.1007/s00068-020-01572-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Amila Ratnayake ◽

◽

Kirthi Abayajeewa ◽

Samiddhi Samarakoon ◽

Tamara Worlton

Keyword(s):

Mass Casualty Incident ◽

Mass Casualty ◽

Incident Response ◽

Global Terrorism ◽

Research Consortium

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The potential benefits of enzymatic debridement in multi-casualty burns incidents

Trauma ◽

10.1177/14604086211002583 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 146040862110025

Author(s):

John Kiely ◽

Ibrahim Natalwala ◽

Joseph Stallard ◽

Orla Austin ◽

Umair Anwar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Mass Casualty Incident ◽

Mass Casualty ◽

Burn Wound ◽

Post Injury ◽

Wound Debridement ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Goal Directed Fluid Therapy ◽

Male Patients ◽

Enzymatic Debridement

Bromelain-based enzymatic debridement (ED) is a topical treatment that is growing in popularity for the non-surgical management of burn wounds. Although initially used for small injuries, experience has grown in using it for burns >15% Total Burns Surface Area (TBSA). A household explosion resulted in burns to multiple patients, with four requiring burn wound debridement. This case report demonstrates their management using ED. Four adult male patients were treated with ED, mean age 38.4 years. Their injuries ranged from 5–24% TBSA (mean 14.9%), with a high proportion of intermediate-deep dermal injury to their faces and limbs. Our centre has performed enzymatic debridement since 2016 and all senior burns surgeons and burns intensive care specialists in the team are experienced in its use. We perform enzymatic debridement using Nexobrid™ (Mediwound Ltd., Israel). Three patients were managed on a single theatre list, using ED for their burns at 19, 16 and 23 hours post-injury. One patient had ED of his injuries on intensive care at 18 hours. Patients with >15% TBSA were treated in a critical care setting with goal directed fluid therapy. Through the use of enzymatic debridement we were able to achieve burn debridement for four patients in under 24 hours. While not a true mass casualty incident, our experience suggests that for an appropriately resourced service it is likely to have advantages in this scenario. We suggest that burns services regularly using this technique consider inclusion into mass casualty protocols, with training to staff to enable provision in such an incident.

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