Hospital planning for weapons of mass destruction incidents.
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As terrorists attacks increase in frequency, hospital disaster plans need to be scrutinized to ensure that they take into account issues unique to weapons of mass destruction. This paper reports a review of the literature addressing hospital experiences with such incidents and the planning lessons thus learned. Construction of hospital disaster plans is examined as an ongoing process guided by the disaster planning committee. Hospitals are conceived as one of the components of a larger community disaster planning efforts, with specific attention devoted to defining important linkages among response organizations. This includes the public health authorities, political authorities, prehospital care agencies, and emergency management agencies. A review is completed of six special elements of weapons of mass destruction incidents that should be addressed in hospital disaster plans: incident command, hospital security, patient surge, decontamination, mental health consequences, and communications. The paper closes with a discussion of the importance of training and exercises in maintaining and improving the disaster plan. (+info)
Chemical warfare and medical response during World War I.
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Green paper on bio-preparedness--general comments.
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The Commission's Green Paper on Bio-preparedness represents an important signal that the European Commission is actively involved in, working on issues related to bio-preparedness across all Member States and the international Community. In 2006, the Commission held two seminars on European Bio Preparedness and a workshop on Transport and Traceability of Bio materials. The results and recommendations emerging from these discussions have been inserted in this Green Paper. The document intends to stimulate a debate within and between the Member States and to launch a process of consultation on how to reduce biological risks and to enhance preparedness and response. All the national authorities responsible for risk prevention and response, human, animal and plant health, customs, civil protection, law enforcement authorities, the military, bio-industry, epidemiological and health communities, academic institutions and bioresearch institutes are therefore called to be involved, to contribute and to improve the ability of the EU to prevent, respond to and recover from a biological incident or deliberate criminal activity. (+info)