This document provides a checklist for healthcare facilities in case of a mass casualty disaster.
Emergency management includes elements of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Such factors as the appropriateness and adequacy of physical facilities, organizational structures, human resources, and communication systems should also be taken into account in these plans. This checklist provides facilities with questions that stimulate assessment and dialogue with key stakeholders both within the facilities as well as at the local level and beyond. The checklist divides the assessment into sections, many of them overlapping and grouped in differing manners according to organization and operation of individual facilities. The facility assessment will identify new questions and considerations. Key players should include the city or community agency that deals with community emergencies, known as the Emergency Management Agency (EMA). First responder groups, known as Emergency Medical Services (EMS), are essential. Foundational considerations are whether the facility has a disaster plan, a collaborative relationship with the local EMS agencies, and if the plan is widely distributed and readily available. Lead items on the checklist include surveillance, identification of authorized personnel, activation of the plan, alerting system, response, hospital disaster control command center, security, communications systems, internal and external traffic flow and control, visitors, media, and reception of casualties and victims. Other items in the plan are hospital evacuation, relocation of patients and staff, hospital out of communication or cut off from resources, pharmaceuticals, post disaster recovery, and equipment, services, facility, and laboratory assessment. Education and training, and key internal and external personnel/agencies are the final items in the checklist. Identifying positions, not individuals, to fill each role is suggested if utilizing the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) as the framework for hierarchy in a disaster scenario. All aspects and all key participants should be familiar in exercising the disaster-planning program.