Citation

Ahn ME, Lim KS, Hwang SO, Lee JW, Kim SM, Lee KH, Kim YS, Lee BS, Kang SJ. J. Korean Soc. Emerg. Med. 1994; 5(2): 313-328.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Korean Society of Emergency Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

To initiate an EMS( Emergency Medical System ) ― based disater plan at Wonju city ( popula­tion : 170,000), a mock disaster was developed and carried out. The scenario involved a mock train derailment near Wonju Station resulting in 40 casualties (status : 5 dead, 4 urgent, 10 moderate, and 21 non-urgent). The duties of the disaster relief team were determined by the specific situation at that time. The mock disaster was carried out at the Wonju Station plaza on April 29th, 1994 from 2 to 4 PM. The mock disaster was evaluated by timing each level of response and after completion of the simulation, a meeting was held for discussion. The follow­ing results were obtained. 1. The reaponse time for reaching the site was ; disaster relief team 6 minutes, emergency re­lief team 10 minutes, medical support team 20 minutes, and military support team 25 minutes. 2. The time interval from triage (citical, emergency treatment needed patients) to emergency treatment was 80 minutes and was due to the small number of emergency and medical support personnel. 3. The time interval from triage to transportation : (1 ) Twenty minutes from start of exercise to 110 minutes for the last patient. (2) Urgent patients : First was evacuated after 20 minutes and the last after 80 minutes (average : 42.5 minutes). The critical patient transported after 80 minutes was trapped inside a structure, and therefore time consuming. (3) Moderate patients : First was after 30 minutes and last was 85 minutes (average : 56 minutes). (4) Non-urgent : First was after 35 minutes and last was 110 minutes (average : 90 min­utes). All were transported by bus, two were evacuated by ambulance after misjudgement by the emergency personnel. (5) The dead were transported by truck after all living patients were transported. 4. Points discussed at evaluation meeting : (1 ) The current Wonju city's disaster relief personnel lack systematic training. (2) The fire department does not have a specialized relief team, and are lacking in emergen­cy aid techniques and equipment. (3) The police department lacks plans for guiding emergency vehicles and controlling the dis­aster site. (4) The military hospital had in sufficient and outdated medical equipment, and cooperation with the medical team was poor. (5) There was a definite need of more emergency relief personnel and more training was needed in triage. (6) Cooperation between our medical personnel and the military medical personnel was insuf­ficient. (7) The recognition of critical patient tags by the relief personnel was inadequate. (8) Communication between the relief teams was problematic due to the absence of a wire less communication system.
Conclusion
For an effective simulated disaster relief exercise at Wonju city, all relief teams need adequate and sufficient equipment with a systematized training program consisting of a joint exercise at least twice a year. Sufficient emergency relief personnel with adequate equip­ment should decrease the time consumed at triage and emergency treatment.

Language: en