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Treatment Management in Disaster: A Review of the Bam Earthquake Experience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Masoud Saghafinia ,
Hassan Araghizade ,
Nahid Nafissi  and
Reza Asadollahi
Masoud Saghafinia
Affiliation:
Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hassan Araghizade
Affiliation:
Anesthesia Ward, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Nahid Nafissi
Affiliation:
Iranian Mine Victim Rescue Center (IMC), Tehran, Iran
Reza Asadollahi*
Affiliation:
Iranian Mine Victim Rescue Center (IMC), Tehran, Iran
*
PO Box 14665-199 Tehran, Iran E-mail: drezaa@gmail.com
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Abstract

In the early morning of 26 December 2003, Bam, an old city in southeastern Iran, was devastated by an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale. Managing such situations always brings about many problems. In the case of the Bam Earthquake, two of the most serious problems were rescue operations and provision of appropriate treatment within a short period of time.

By conducting an opinion survey, this study aims to assess different aspects of treatment management, including personnel, the transfer of the injured, equipment, facilities, and treatment planning. Questionnaires containing open questions regarding the management of treatment at five levels were prepared.Those engaged in treatment at different levels, including physicians, treatment workers, military personnel, and executives, were questioned. Several problems were revealed concerning the composition of the treatment forces dispatched, into the region, distribution of the tasks among treatment workers, and the transferring of equipment, and facilities. The most significant problem was a lack of coordination among the organizations responsible for the management of the disaster.

A comprehensive disaster plan is required if prompt handling of masscasualty incidents and coordinating the management of such large-scale disasters are to be ensured.

Keywords

Bam EarthquakedisasterIranmanagementtreatment
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 6 , December 2007 , pp. 517 - 521
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2007

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