Learn about the experiences of Dr. Josh Weil, Skip Skivington, and Mitch Saruwatari during and after the North Bay Fires. ASPR TRACIE interviewed these Kaiser staff members about their personal encounter with the wildfire and professional ordeal evacuating a hospital in the midst of one.
This presentation from Barton Health provides insights on response and business continuity plans in the event of a wildfire evacuation. Presenters share lessons learned from the full-scale evacuation of Barton Memorial Hospital and skilled-nursing facility in response to the Caldor Fire. The presentation reviews the logistical challenges of evacuating and repopulating a bi-state rural health care system, explore staffing and personnel challenges and considerations, and shares lessons learned.
2022 Disaster Conference
This session was presented by Kaiser Permanente Northern California and provides emergency management personnel with an overview of hospital evacuation considerations when there are only minutes to hours to prepare. The presentation reviews the life cycle of an evacuation event including the Pre-Evacuation, Evacuation, and Post-Evacuation stages, with a focus on the preparedness and response actions in each stage.
When planning for natural disasters, hospitals should focus on several key considerations.
Military, federal and state agencies have worked with Mortuary Response Solutions (MRS) to employ a mass fatality management and storage solutions for mass fatality events. MRS has designed, engineered and tested the four types of refrigeration systems to support storage of human remains.
The Coroners’ Mutual Aid & Mass Fatality Management Planning Program is an integral component of the California Law Enforcement Mutual Aid System.
Developed by LA County EMS Agency, The Mass Fatality Management Guide for Healthcare Entities guidance for hospitals aims to assist in the effective management of mass fatality operations.
This Mass Fatality Management Plan Template aims to assist hospitals in the development of their mass fatality management plans. It provides a structured format outlining essential components and considerations for effectively responding to mass fatality incidents, ensuring that facilities are prepared to manage such emergencies in accordance with relevant regulations and best practices.
To enhance response, hospitals must coordinate their mass fatality planning activities with county and regional planning efforts. Education, training, and exercises should be implemented to ensure that staff are familiar with the plan and that it is practical. Additionally, the hospital’s mass fatality plan must align with state and local regulations, the National Incident Management System, and The Joint Commission’s standards.
The resource outlines the essential roles and responsibilities health care personnel providing immediate care to victims of mass casualty incidents, particularly those involving hazardous materials.