| July, 2006, many awoke this morning to
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| | has sought to proclaim itself the
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| the news of a major Counter terrorism
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| | "Masters of Disaster". They fail to
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| success. Conspirators in London were
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| | realize that most of the healthcare
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| arrested for alleged participation in an
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| | delivered after a disaster is simply the
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| apparent plot to blow-up an unknown
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| | daily practice of medicine in more
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| number of American aircraft at an
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| | austere of conditions. They also fail to
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| uncertain date in the not too distant
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| | understand that the majority of disaster
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| future, perhaps even on the anniversary
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| | medicine is practiced before disaster
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| of September 11th.
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| | ever strikes. Disaster Medicine
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| My short introduction points up the very
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| | specialists are essential to the
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| nature of terrorism and disaster
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| | integration of healthcare into the
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| preparedness. "Alleged participation"
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| | community disaster response, and the
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| and "apparent plot" juxtaposed to phrases
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| | elimination of profession-specific silos
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| like "unknown number," "uncertain date,"
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| | of authority and knowledge.
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| not too distant," and "perhaps" emphasis
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| | What these other specialties fail to see
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| the uncertainty of the information on
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| | is that in the planning, preparation,
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| which we must act and the need for
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| | response and recovery from disaster, the
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| vigilance and preparedness.
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| | healthcare community must be a seamless
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| Six short weeks ago, the National
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| | team, not a collection of egocentric
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| Academies of Science here in the United
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| | individuals. Rather than embracing the
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| States published 3 reports which pointed
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| | concept of board certification in the new
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| out just how unprepared America's
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| | specialty of Disaster Medicine, these
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| hospitals and healthcare industry is to
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| | territorial and fractious groups seek to
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| deal with the type of mass carnage
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| | stake their claim in this most critical
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| thwarted today or the catastrophe that
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| | part of our brave new world. In short,
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| was hurricane Katrina.
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| | they have learned nothing over the last
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| I am among that group of disaster
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| | five years.
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| response experts who lost colleagues and
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| | There is encouraging news. Disaster Life
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| family when the towers fell. It is
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| | support (DLS) has become the de facto
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| infuriating to know that five years later
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| | national standard for disaster
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| we who prepare the nation must still
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| | preparedness of individuals, families,
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| argue with corporations and healthcare
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| | businesses and healthcare professionals
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| institutions before they take
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| | and Healthcare First Responder training
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| responsibility for their part in our
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| | (HFR) has become the ruler by which
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| nation's safety, security, and
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| | hospitals and other healthcare
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| preparedness. Those who teach these most
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| | institutions are measured. It is
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| critical skills remind our students that
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| | immensely rewarding when participants
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| the goal is not to pass a test or gain
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| | "catch the bug" and understand how
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| career advancement. The goal is to go
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| | important it is to be prepared to protect
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| home alive at the end of the day.
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| | themselves, their families, their
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| On those occasions when corporations and
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| | communities, and their patients. Much
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| healthcare institutions bring in "the
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| | like the early days of CPR, it will take
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| experts," it is discouraging to see the
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| | time for the nation to understand the
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| room more than half empty. In a nation
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| | importance of every man, woman and child
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| whose businesses pride themselves on
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| | knowing what to do when the wind blows,
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| customer care, to see so few people
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| | the buildings falls or the whole planet
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| interested in preserving the nation's
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| | sneezes at once. Until then, those who
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| safety is demoralizing beyond words.
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| | teach these most precious skills will
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| Equally disturbing is the recent trend
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| | continue to strive to ensure that
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| towards territorialism among medical
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| | everyone goes home at the end of the day.
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| specialties. Since 9/11, every specialty
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