Citation

Lai TI, Shih FY, Chiang WC, Shen ST, Chen WJ. Acad. Emerg. Med. 2003; 10(10): 1109-1112.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. tingi@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

14525746

Abstract

Natural disasters present significant potential for injuries and death. Unlike the experience of Hurricane Andrew that destroyed a vast surface area in the rural countryside, Typhoon Nari in Taipei proved that significant damages from natural disasters also can happen to modern health care systems in urban areas. To ameliorate such damages, specific structural, nonstructural, and administrative issues must be taken into account. Such issues include the location of the health facility, design of the infrastructure, storage of equipment and machines, maintenance, medical, and nonmedical operations. Specific considerations, such as early evacuation and securing the safety of the patients before a disaster, should be emphasized. Recovery plans that determine how soon medical service can be restored to the community should also be established. Emphasis on emergency-response preparedness, mitigation procedures, and recovery efforts should all be included in a comprehensive emergency plan against the destruction caused by natural hazards.

Language: en