Patients burn disasters

For purposes of NDMS involvement in regional burn disasters, the ABA recommends that the primary function of the NDMS disaster teams should be to assist the local burn center director with secondary triage of burn patients to other burn centers, according to the following prioritization ... 

The ABA recommends that, if needed, the involvement of burn SMART teams in regional burn disaster management should be in facilitating secondary triage and transport of burn patients to burn centers outside the disaster area. 

Burn patients consume many resources and have long lengths of stay. After the response to the disaster is over, these patients can remain hospitalized for months. The average length of stay for a patient with 50% TBSA burns is 50 days. Burn center staff may become exhausted, operating at or above capacity for this period of time. It is recommended that staff work regular 8-hour shifts if possible to prevent emotional and physical fatigue. 

Burn Injuries Are Common in Mass Disasters and Terrorist Acts. In general, in most traumatic events, approximately 25 % to 30 % of the injured will require burn care treatment. Approximately one third of those hospitalized in New York City on 9/11 had severe burn injuries the Pentagon attack resulted in 11 burn patients, again a high percentage of those injured. 

Surge Capacity. Surge capacity is the capacity to handle up to 50 % more than the normal maximum number of burn patients when there is a disaster. Normal capacity will be different for each burn center, may be seasonal, and will vary from week to week or possibly even day to day. 

Encourage incorporation into the hospital-specific disaster plan of ABA-recommended triage plan for burn casualty mass disaster situations and provide outpatient care for nonintubated patients with burns covering <20% TBSA also, address issues of communication with families, psychological support needs, and media control. 

---