Hospital Bioterrorism Planning and Burn Surge

Randy D. Kearns; Brent Myers; Charles B. Cairns; Preston B. Rich; C. Scott Hultman; Anthony G. Charles; Samuel W. Jones; Grace L. Schmits; Mary Beth Skarote; James H. Holmes; Bruce A. Cairns

doi:10.1089/bsp.2013.0065

Journal article

Hospital Bioterrorism Planning and Burn Surge

Randy D. Kearns, Brent Myers, Charles B. Cairns, Preston B. Rich, C. Scott Hultman, Anthony G. Charles, Samuel W. Jones, Grace L. Schmits, Mary Beth Skarote, James H. Holmes, …

Biosecurity and bioterrorism, Vol.12(1), pp.20-28

02/01/2014

DOI: 10.1089/bsp.2013.0065

PMCID: PMC3934438

PMID: 24527874

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/3934438View

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Abstract

On the morning of June 9, 2009, an explosion occurred at a manufacturing plant in Garner, North Carolina. By the end of the day, 68 injured patients had been evaluated at the 3 Level I trauma centers and 3 community hospitals in the Raleigh/Durham metro area (3 people who were buried in the structural collapse died at the scene). Approximately 300 employees were present at the time of the explosion, when natural gas being vented during the repair of a hot water heater ignited. The concussion from the explosion led to structural failure in multiple locations and breached additional natural gas, electrical, and ammonia lines that ran overhead in the 1-story concrete industrial plant. Intent is the major difference between this type of accident and a terrorist using an incendiary device to terrorize a targeted population. But while this disaster lacked intent, the response, rescue, and outcomes were improved as a result of bioterrorism preparedness. This article discusses how bioterrorism hospital preparedness planning, with an all-hazards approach, became the basis for coordinated burn surge disaster preparedness. This real-world disaster challenged a variety of systems, hospitals, and healthcare providers to work efficiently and effectively to manage multiple survivors. Burn-injured patients served as a focus for this work. We describe the response, rescue, and resuscitation provided by first responders and first receivers as well as efforts made to develop burn care capabilities and surge capacity.

International Relations

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Science & Technology

Social Sciences

Details

Title: Subtitle: Hospital Bioterrorism Planning and Burn Surge
Creators: Randy D. Kearns - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Brent Myers - Wake County Human Services
Charles B. Cairns - Univ N Carolina, Sch Med, Chapel Hill, NC USA
Preston B. Rich - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
C. Scott Hultman - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Anthony G. Charles - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Samuel W. Jones - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Grace L. Schmits - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Mary Beth Skarote - NC Off Emergency Med Serv, Hosp Preparedness Program, Raleigh, NC USA
James H. Holmes - Wake Forest University
Bruce A. Cairns - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Biosecurity and bioterrorism, Vol.12(1), pp.20-28
DOI: 10.1089/bsp.2013.0065
PMID: 24527874
PMCID: PMC3934438
NLM abbreviation: Biosecur Bioterror
ISSN: 1538-7135
eISSN: 1557-850X
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc
Number of pages: 9
Grant note: CDC-RFA-TP12-1201 / OPHPR CDC HHS
Language: English
Date published: 02/01/2014
Academic Unit: Surgery
Record Identifier: 9984755391102771

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