The current Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) model throughout the United States involves emergency vehicles which respond from a primary location (ie, firehouse or municipal facility) to emergency calls. Quick response vehicles (QRVs) have been used in various Fire/EMS systems; however, their effectiveness has never been studied.

The goal of this study was to determine if patient response times would decrease by placing an Advanced Life Support (ALS) QRV in an integrated Fire/EMS system.

Response times from an integrated Fire/EMS system with an annual EMS call volume of 3,261 were evaluated over the three years prior to the implementation of this study. For a 2-month period, an ALS QRV staffed by a firefighter/paramedic responded to emergency calls during peak call volume hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The staging of this vehicle was based on historical call volume percentages using respective geocodes as well as system requirements during multiple emergency dispatches.

Prior to the study, the citywide average response time for the twelve months preceding was 5.44 minutes. During the study, the citywide average response time decreased to 4.09 minutes, resulting in a 27.62% reduction in patient response time.

The implementation of an ALS QRV in an integrated Fire/EMS system reduces patient response time. Having a QRV that is not staged continuously in a traditional fire station or municipal location reduces the time needed to reach patients. Also, using predictive models of historic call volume can aid Fire and EMS administrators in reduction of call response times.

AndersonDW, DhindsaHS, WanW, SalotD. Does the Implementation of an Advanced Life Support Quick Response Vehicle (QRV) in an Integrated Fire/EMS System Improve Patient Contact Response Time?Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(4):1 – 3.

With an increasing number of sicker patients, limited hospital beds, and an emphasis on day care, the profile of patients hospitalized to medicine wards has undergone a radical re-definition. The increasing share of patients hospitalized through the emergency department for acute care to medicine wards has left little space for hospitalization through the outpatient department (OPD). There are some global data available on the profile of patients presenting to the emergency rooms (ERs) and their subsequent outcome. Data from developing countries, especially India, in this regard are lacking.

This cross-sectional study included all patients hospitalized to the medicine ward through the medical emergency services, provided by the Department of Medicine, each Wednesday and every sixth Sunday for the entire year (a total of 62 days), from November 2010 through October 2011, and followed their outcome up to seven days after hospitalization.

Of the 3,618 cases presenting to medicine emergency on these days, 1,547 (42.3%) were advised admission. Nine hundred sixty-seven reported to the medicine wards. One hundred eleven (7.73%) expired within 24 hours; others absconded, were lost in transit, did not consent to participation, or were discharged. During the next seven days, 452 (46.7%) recovered sufficiently and were discharged to go home. Two hundred thirty (23.8%) left the hospital without informing the medical staff. Fourteen (1.4%) patients were transferred to other departments. One hundred thirty-seven (8.8%) patients died during the next six days of hospitalization. After Multivariate Logistic Regression analysis, abnormal Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, high systolic blood pressure (BP), age, increased total leucocyte count, increased globulin, low bicarbonate in arterial blood, low Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score, and a raised urea >40 mg/dL were found to be associated significantly with mortality.

Of the 1,547 patients who needed urgent hospitalization, 248 (16%) died within the first week, one-half of them within the first 24 hours. An advanced age, abnormal GCS score, low MMSE score, increased systolic BP, leukocytosis, acidosis, and uremia were found to be associated with a fatal outcome. Therefore, nearly one-half of the patients who would have a fatal short-term outcome were likely to do so within the first 24 hours, making the first day of presentation “the golden day” period.

ChoudharyR, GoelA, PruthiS, KalraS, AgarwalS, KalraOP. Profile of Patients Hospitalized through the Emergency Room to the Medicine Ward and their Short-term Outcome at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Delhi. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(6):593–598.

In the past two decades, there has been a worldwide increase in the number of disasters, as well as the number of people affected, along with the number of foreign medical teams (FMTs) deployed to provide assistance. However, in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, multiple reports and anecdotes questioned the actual, positive contribution of such FMTs and even the intentions behind these aid efforts. This brought on a renewed interest in the humanitarian community towards accountability. Between 2000 and 2012, the number of “Quality and Accountability” initiatives and instruments more than tripled from 42 to 147. Yet, to date, there is no single accepted definition of accountability in the humanitarian context.

The aim of this report was to explore and assess how accountability in the humanitarian context is used and/or defined in the literature.

The electronic database PubMed and a predefined list of grey literature comprising 46 organizations were searched for articles that discussed or provided a definition of accountability in the humanitarian context. The definitions found in these articles were analyzed qualitatively using a framework analysis method based on principles of grounded theory as well as using a summative content analysis method.

A total of 85 articles were reviewed in-depth. Fifteen organizations had formal definitions of accountability or explained what it meant to them. Accountability was generally seen in two paradigms: as a “process” or as a “goal.” A total of 16 different concepts were identified amongst the definitions. Accountability to aid recipients had four main themes: empowering aid recipients, being in an optimal position to do the greatest good, meeting expectations, and being liable. The concepts of “enforcement/enforceability” under the last theme of “being liable” received the least mention.

The concept of accountability is defined poorly in many humanitarian organizations. Humanitarian providers often refer to different concepts when talking about accountability in general. The lack of a common understanding is contributed by the semantic and practical complexities of the term. The lack of emphasis on “enforcement/enforceability” is noteworthy. Other aspects of accountability, such as its “measurability” and by whom, similarly lack a common understanding and community-wide consensus. To what extent these vague definitions of accountability affect agencies’ work in the field remains to be documented.

TanYSA, von SchreebJ. Humanitarian Assistance and Accountability: What Are We Really Talking About?Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(3):17

Smartphone applications (or apps) are becoming increasingly popular with emergency responders and health care providers, as well as the public as a whole. There are thousands of medical apps available for Smartphones and tablet computers, with more added each day. These include apps to view textbooks, guidelines, medication databases, medical calculators, and radiology images.

With an ever expanding catalog of apps that relate to disaster medicine, it is hard for both the lay public and responders to know where to turn for effective Smartphone apps. A systematic review of these apps was conducted.

A search of the Apple iTunes store (Version 12; Apple Inc.; Cupertino, California USA) was performed using the following terms obtained from the PubMed Medical Subject Headings Database: Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Responders, Disaster, Disaster Planning, Disaster Medicine, Bioterrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Hazardous Materials (HazMat), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After excluding any unrelated apps, a working list of apps was formed and categorized based on topics. Apps were grouped based on applicability to responders, the lay public, or regional preparedness, and were then ranked based on iTunes user reviews, value, relevance to audience, and user interface.

This search revealed 683 applications and was narrowed to 219 based on relevance to the field. After grouping the apps as described above, and subsequently ranking them, the highest quality apps were determined from each group. The Community Emergency Response Teams and FEMA had the best apps for National Disaster Medical System responders. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had high-quality apps for emergency responders in a variety of fields. The National Library of Medicine’s Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) app was an excellent app for HazMat responders. The American Red Cross had the most useful apps for natural disasters. Numerous valuable apps for public use, including alert apps, educational apps, and a well-made regional app, were also identified.

Smartphone applications are fast becoming essential to emergency responders and the lay public. Many high-quality apps existing in various price ranges and serving different populations were identified. This field is changing rapidly and it deserves continued analysis as more apps are developed.

BachmannDJ, JamisonNK, MartinA, DelgadoJ, KmanNE. Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: There’s An App for That. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(5):1–5.

Music festivals, including electronic dance music events (EDMEs), increasingly are common in Canada and internationally. Part of a US $4.5 billion industry annually, the target audience is youth and young adults aged 15-25 years. Little is known about the impact of these events on local emergency departments (EDs).

Drawing on prospective data over a 2-day EDME, the authors of this study employed mixed methods to describe the case mix and prospectively compared patient presentation rate (PPR) and ambulance transfer rate (ATR) between a first aid (FA) only and a higher level of care (HLC) model.

There were 20,301 ticketed attendees. Seventy patient encounters were recorded over two days. The average age was 19.1 years. Roughly 69% were female (n=48/70). Forty-six percent of those seen in the main medical area were under the age of 19 years (n=32/70). The average length of stay in the main medical area was 70.8 minutes. The overall PPR was 4.09 per 1,000 attendees. The ATR with FA only would have been 1.98; ATR with HLC model was 0.52. The presence of an on-site HLC team had a significant positive effect on avoiding ambulance transfers.

Twenty-nine ambulance transfers and ED visits were avoided by the presence of an on-site HLC medical team. Reduction of impact to the public health care system was substantial.

Electronic dance music events have predictable risks and patient presentations, and appropriate on-site health care resources may reduce significantly the impact on the prehospital and emergency health resources in the host community.

LundA, TurrisSA. Mass-gathering Medicine: Risks and Patient Presentations at a 2-Day Electronic Dance Music Event. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(3):18

More than 90% of traumatic morbidity and mortality occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and lacks contemporary statistics on the epidemiology of traumatic injuries. This study aimed to characterize the burden of traumatic injuries among emergency department patients in the Northeast region of Haiti.

Data were collected from the emergency departments of all public hospitals in the Northeast region of Haiti, which included the Fort Liberté, Ouanaminthe, and Trou du Nord sites. All patients presenting for emergent care of traumatic injuries were included. Data were obtained via review of emergency department registries and patient records from October 1, 2013 through November 30, 2013. Data on demographics, mechanisms of trauma, and anatomical regions of injury were gathered using a standardized tool and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Temporal analysis of injury frequency was explored using regression modeling.

Data from 383 patient encounters were accrued. Ouanaminthe Hospital treated the majority of emergent injuries (59.3%), followed by Fort Liberté (30.3%) and Trou du Nord (10.4%). The median age in years was 23 with 23.1% of patients being less than 15 years of age. Road traffic accidents (RTAs) and interpersonal violence accounted for 65.8% and 30.1% of all traumatic mechanisms, respectively. Extremity trauma was the most frequently observed anatomical region of injury (38.9%), followed by head and neck (30.3%) and facial (19.1%) injuries. Trauma due to RTA resulted in a single injury (83.8%) to either an extremity or the head and neck regions most frequently. A minority of patients had medical record documentation (37.9%). Blood pressure, respiratory rate, and mental status were documented in 19.3%, 4.1%, and 0.0% of records, respectively. There were 6.3 injuries/day during the data collection period with no correlation between the frequency of emergent trauma cases and day of the week (R^2=0.01).

Traumatic injuries are a common emergent presentation in the Northeast region of Haiti with characteristics similar to other LMIC. Documentation and associated data to adequately characterize the burden of disease in this region are lacking. Road traffic accidents are the predominate mechanism of injury, suggesting that interventions addressing prevention and treatment of this common occurrence may provide public health benefits in this setting.

AluisioAR, De WulfA, LouisA, BloemC. Epidemiology of Traumatic Injuries in the Northeast Region of Haiti: A Cross-sectional Study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(6):599–605.

Abuse or unintended overdose (OD) of opiates and heroin may result in prehospital and emergency department (ED) care. Prehospital naloxone use has been suggested as a surrogate marker of community opiate ODs. The study objective was to verify externally whether prehospital naloxone use is a surrogate marker of community opiate ODs by comparing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) naloxone administration records to an independent database of ED visits for opiate and heroin ODs in the same community.

A retrospective chart review of prehospital and ED data from July 2009 through June 2013 was conducted. Prehospital naloxone administration data obtained from the electronic medical records (EMRs) of a large private EMS provider serving a metropolitan area were considered a surrogate marker for suspected opiate OD. Comparison data were obtained from the regional trauma/psychiatric ED that receives the majority of the OD patients. The ED maintains a de-identified database of narcotic-related visits for surveillance of narcotic use in the metropolitan area. The ED database was queried for ODs associated with opiates or heroin. Cross-correlation analysis was used to test if prehospital naloxone administration was independent of ED visits for opiate/heroin ODs.

Naloxone was administered during 1,812 prehospital patient encounters, and 1,294 ED visits for opiate/heroin ODs were identified. The distribution of patients in the prehospital and ED datasets did not differ by gender, but it did differ by race and age. The frequency of naloxone administration by prehospital providers varied directly with the frequency of ED visits for opiate/heroin ODs. A monthly increase of two ED visits for opiate-related ODs was associated with an increase in one prehospital naloxone administration (cross-correlation coefficient [CCF]=0.44; P=.0021). A monthly increase of 100 ED visits for heroin-related ODs was associated with an increase in 94 prehospital naloxone administrations (CCF=0.46; P=.0012).

Frequency of naloxone administration by EMS providers in the prehospital setting varied directly with frequency of opiate/heroin OD-related ED visits. The data correlated both for short-term frequency and longer term trends of use. However, there was a marked difference in demographic data suggesting neither data source alone should be relied upon to determine which populations are at risk within the community.

LindstromHA, ClemencyBM, SnyderR, ConsiglioJD, MayPR, MoscatiRM. Prehospital Naloxone Administration as a Public Health Surveillance Tool: A Retrospective Validation Study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(4):1–5.

The undertreatment of pediatric pain is a significant concern among families, clinicians, and researchers. Although some have examined prehospital pain management, the deterrents to pediatric analgesia administration by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) have not yet been examined in Canada.

This study describes EMS pain-management practices and prehospital provider comfort treating pediatric pain. It highlights differences in pain management between adults and children and assesses the potential barriers, misconceptions, difficulties, and needs related to provision of pediatric analgesia.

A study-specific survey tool was created and distributed to all Primary Care Paramedics (PCPs) and Advanced Care Paramedics (ACPs) over four mandatory educational seminars in the city of Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) from September through December 2008.

Ninety-four percent (191/202) of EMS personnel for the city of Edmonton completed the survey. The majority of respondents were male (73%, 139/191), aged 26-35 (42%, 80/191), and had been in practice less than 10 years (53%, 101/191). Seventy-four percent (141/191) of those surveyed were ACPs, while 26% (50/191) were PCPs. Although the majority of respondents reported using both pain scales and clinical judgement to assess pain for adults (85%, 162/191) and adolescents (86%, 165/191), children were six times more likely than adults (31%, 59/191 vs 5%, 10/191) to be assessed by clinical judgement alone. Emergency Medical Services personnel felt more comfortable treating adults than children (P < .001), and they were less likely to treat children even if they were experiencing identical types and intensities of pain as adults (all P values <.05) and adolescents (all P values < .05). Twenty-five percent of providers (37/147) assumed pediatric patients required less analgesia due to immature nervous systems. Three major barriers to treating children's pain included limited clinical experience (34%, 37/110), difficulty in communication (24%, 26/110) and inability to assess children's pain accurately (21%, 23/110).

Emergency Medical Services personnel self-report that children's pain is less rigorously measured and treated than adults’ pain. Educational initiatives aimed at increasing clinical exposure to children, as well as further education regarding simple pain measurement tools for use in the field, may help to address identified barriers and discomfort with assessing and treating children.

RahmanA, CurtisS, DeBruyneB, SookramS, ThomsonD, LutzS, AliS. Emergency Medical Services Provider Comfort with Prehospital Analgesia Administration to Children. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(1):1-6.

Mass-gathering music events, such as outdoor music festivals (OMFs), increase the risk of injuries and illnesses among attendees. This increased risk is associated with access to alcohol and other drugs by young people and an environment that places many people in close contact with each other.

The purpose of this report was to demonstrate how Haddon’s matrix was used to examine the factors that contributed to injuries and illnesses that occurred at 26 OMFs using data from the Ranse and Hutton’s minimum data set.

To help understand the kinds of injuries and illnesses experienced, Hutton et al identified previous patterns of patient presentations at 26 OMFs in Australia. To develop effective prevention strategies, the next logical step was to examine the risk factors associated with each illness/injury event. The Haddon matrix allows event practitioners to formulate anticipatory planning for celebratory-type events.

What was evident from this work was that the host, the agent, and the physical and social environments contributed to the development of injuries and illness at an event. The physical environment could be controlled, to a certain extent, through event design, safety guidelines, and legislation. However, balancing cultural norms, such as the importance placed on celebratory events, with the social environment is more difficult.

The use of the Haddon matrix demonstrates that interventions need to be targeted at all stages of the event, particularly both pre-event and during the event. The opportunity to promote health is lost by the time of post event. The matrix provided vital information on what factors may contribute to injury at OMFs; form this information, event planners can strategize possible interventions.

HuttonA, SavageC, RanseJ, FinnellD, KubJ. The Use of Haddon’s Matrix to Plan for Injury and Illness Prevention at Outdoor Music Festivals. Prehosp Disaster Med2015; 30(2):1-9

Older adults are disproportionately affected by disaster. Frail elders, individuals with chronic diseases, conditions, or disabilities, and those who live in long-term care facilities are especially vulnerable.

The purpose of this integrative review of the literature was to describe the system-wide knowledge and skills that multi-disciplinary health care providers need to provide appropriate care for the elderly during domestic-humanitarian and disaster-relief efforts.

A systematic search protocol was developed in conjunction with a research librarian. Searches of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were conducted using terms such as Disaster, Geological Processes, Aged, Disaster Planning, and Vulnerable Populations. Forty-six articles met criteria for inclusion in the review.

Policies and guidance regarding evacuating versus sheltering in place are lacking. Tenets of elderly-focused disaster planning/preparation and clarification of legal and ethical standards of care and liability issues are needed. Functional capacity, capabilities, or impairments, rather than age, should be considered in disaster preparation. Older adults should be included in disaster planning as population-specific experts.

A multifaceted approach to population-specific disaster planning and curriculum development should include consideration of the biophysical and psychosocial aspects of care, ethical and legal issues, logistics, and resources.

JohnsonHL, LingCG, McBeeEC. Multi-disciplinary Care for the Elderly in Disasters: An Integrative Review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(1):1-8.

Violent patients in the prehospital environment pose a threat to health care workers tasked with managing their medical conditions. While research has focused on methods to control the agitated patient in the emergency department (ED), there is a paucity of data looking at the optimal approach to subdue these patients safely in the prehospital setting.

This study evaluated the efficacy of two different intramuscular medications, midazolam and haloperidol, to determine their efficacy in sedating agitated patients in the prehospital setting.

This was a prospective, randomized, observational trial wherein agitated patients were administered intramuscular haloperidol or intramuscular midazolam to control agitation. Agitation was quantified by the Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale (RASS). Paramedics recorded the RASS and vital signs every five minutes during transport and again upon arrival to the ED. The primary outcome was mean time to achieve a RASS less than +1. Secondary outcomes included mean time for patients to return to baseline mental status and adverse events.

Five patients were enrolled in each study group. In the haloperidol group, the mean time to achieve a RASS score of less than +1 was 24.8 minutes (95% CI, 8-49 minutes), and the mean time for the return of a normal mental status was 84 minutes (95% CI, 0-202 minutes). Two patients required additional prehospital doses for adequate sedation. There were no adverse events recorded in the patients administered haloperidol.

In the midazolam group, the mean time to achieve a RASS score of less than +1 was 13.5 minutes (95% CI, 8-19 minutes) and the mean time for the return of normal mental status was 105 minutes (95% CI, 0-178 minutes). One patient required additional sedation in the ED. There were no adverse events recorded among the patients administered midazolam.

Midazolam and haloperidol administered intramuscularly appear equally effective for sedating an agitated patient in the prehospital setting. Midazolam appears to have a faster onset of action, as evidenced by the shorter time required to achieve a RASS score of less than +1 in the patients who received midazolam. Haloperidol offers an alternative option for the sedation of an agitated patient. Further studies should focus on continued investigation into appropriate sedation of agitated patients in the prehospital setting.

IsenbergDL, JacobsD. Prehospital Agitation and Sedation Trial (PhAST): A Randomized Control Trial of Intramuscular Haloperidol versus Intramuscular Midazolam for the Sedation of the Agitated or Violent Patient in the Prehospital Environment. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(5):491–495.

Prehospital anaesthesia in the United Kingdom (UK) is provided by Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS), a road-based service. Muscle relaxation in rapid sequence induction (RSI) has been traditionally undertaken with the use of suxamethonium; however, rocuronium at higher doses has comparable intubating conditions with fewer side effects.

The aim of this survey was to establish how many prehospital services in the UK are now using rocuronium as first line in RSI.

An online survey was constructed identifying choice of first-line muscle relaxant for RSI and emailed to lead clinicians for BASICS and HEMS services across the UK. If rocuronium was used, further questions regarding optimal dose, sugammadex, contraindications, and difference in intubating conditions were asked.

A total of 29 full responses (93.5%) were obtained from 31 services contacted. Suxamethonium was used first line by 17 prehospital services (58.6%) and rocuronium by 12 (41.4%). In 11 services (91.7%), a dose of 1 mg/kg of rocuronium was used, and in one service, 1.2 mg/kg (8.3%) was used. No services using rocuronium carried sugammadex. In five services, slower relaxation time was found using rocuronium (41.7%), and in seven services, no difference in intubation conditions were noted (58.3%). Contraindications to rocuronium use included high probability of difficult airway and anaphylaxis.

Use of rocuronium as first-line muscle relaxant in prehospital RSI is increasing. Continued auditing of practice will ascertain which services have adopted change and identify if complications of failed intubation increase as a result.

HartleyEL, AlcockR. Rocuronium Versus Suxamethonium: A Survey of First-line Muscle Relaxant Use in UK Prehospital Rapid Sequence Induction. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(2):1-3.

Prehospital airway management (AM) is the first priority in the care of emergency and trauma victims as it has shown to improve survival in these patients.

The aim of this study was to assess training and knowledge of ambulance staff and availability of AM equipment in ambulances of Karachi, Pakistan.

This cross-sectional study was conducted from June through September 2014. Interviews were conducted with management of six ambulance service providers and 165 ambulance staff. Data from the management included availability of AM equipment in the ambulances, number and designation of staff sent for emergency calls, and AM training of staff. Ambulance staff were assessed for their awareness, knowledge, and training pertaining to AM.

All the ambulance services (A through F) had basic equipment for AM but lacked qualified and trained staff. All services had solo drivers (98.3%) for emergency calls; however, Ambulance Service A also had doctors and paramedics. Only 35.7% (59/165) of ambulance staff had awareness regarding AM, out of which 77.9% (46/59) belonged to Ambulance Service A. Of these 59 staff, 81.4% received some form of AM training. Staff with AM awareness, when assessed for knowledge pertaining to AM steps and AM equipment, had a mean score of 4.7/5 and 8.4/12, respectively.

Even though ambulances are equipped with basic equipment, due to lack of trained staff, these ambulances only serve the mere purpose of transportation. There is a need to train ambulance staff and increase ambulance to staff ratio to improve prehospital AM and patient survival.

IsmailS, ZiaN, SamadK, NaeemR, AhmadH, RazaA, BaqirM, KhanUR. Prehospital Airway Management in Emergency and Trauma Patients: A Cross-sectional Study of Ambulance Service Providers and Staff in a Low- and Middle-income Country. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(6):606–612.

A high influx of patients during a mass-casualty incident (MCI) may disrupt patient flow in an already overcrowded emergency department (ED) that is functioning beyond its operating capacity. This pilot study examined the impact of a two-step ED triage model using Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) for pre-triage, followed by triage with the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS), on patient flow during a MCI simulation exercise.

It was hypothesized that there would be no difference in time intervals nor patient volumes at each patient-flow milestone.

Physicians and nurses participated in a computer-based tabletop disaster simulation exercise. Physicians were randomized into the intervention group using START, then CTAS, or the control group using START alone. Patient-flow milestones including time intervals and patient volumes from ED arrival to triage, ED arrival to bed assignment, ED arrival to physician assessment, and ED arrival to disposition decision were compared. Triage accuracy was compared for secondary purposes.

There were no significant differences in the time interval from ED arrival to triage (mean difference 108 seconds; 95% CI, -353 to 596 seconds; P=1.0), ED arrival to bed assignment (mean difference 362 seconds; 95% CI, -1,269 to 545 seconds; P=1.0), ED arrival to physician assessment (mean difference 31 seconds; 95% CI, -1,104 to 348 seconds; P=0.92), and ED arrival to disposition decision (mean difference 175 seconds; 95% CI, -1,650 to 1,300 seconds; P=1.0) between the two groups. There were no significant differences in the volume of patients to be triaged (32% vs 34%; 95% CI for the difference -16% to 21%; P=1.0), assigned a bed (16% vs 21%; 95% CI for the difference -11% to 20%; P=1.0), assessed by a physician (20% vs 22%; 95% CI for the difference -14% to 19%; P=1.0), and with a disposition decision (20% vs 9%; 95% CI for the difference -25% to 4%; P=.34) between the two groups. The accuracy of triage was similar in both groups (57% vs 70%; 95% CI for the difference -15% to 41%; P=.46).

Experienced triage nurses were able to apply CTAS effectively during a MCI simulation exercise. A two-step ED triage model using START, then CTAS, had similar patient flow and triage accuracy when compared to START alone.

LeeJS, FrancJM. Impact of a Two-step Emergency Department Triage Model with START, then CTAS, on Patient Flow During a Simulated Mass-casualty Incident. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(4):1–7.

Risk assessment is a vital step in the disaster-preparedness continuum as it is the foundation of subsequent phases, including mitigation, response, and recovery.

To develop a risk assessment tool geared specifically towards the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Euro 2012.

In partnership with the Donetsk National Medical University, Donetsk Research and Development Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Donetsk Regional Public Health Administration, and the Ministry of Emergency of Ukraine, a table-based tool was created, which, based on historical evidence, identifies relevant potential threats, evaluates their impacts and likelihoods on graded scales based on previous available data, identifies potential mitigating shortcomings, and recommends further mitigation measures.

This risk assessment tool has been applied in the vulnerability-assessment-phase of the UEFA Euro 2012. Twenty-three sub-types of potential hazards were identified and analyzed. Ten specific hazards were recognized as likely to very likely to occur, including natural disasters, bombing and blast events, road traffic collisions, and disorderly conduct. Preventative measures, such as increased stadium security and zero tolerance for impaired driving, were recommended. Mitigating factors were suggested, including clear, incident-specific preparedness plans and enhanced inter-agency communication.

This hazard risk assessment tool is a simple aid in vulnerability assessment, essential for disaster preparedness and response, and may be applied broadly to future international events.

WongEG, RazekT, LuhovyA, MogilevkinaI, PrudnikovY, KlimovitskiyF, YutovetsY, KhwajaKA, DeckelbaumDL. Preparing for Euro 2012: Developing a Hazard Risk Assessment. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(2):1-6.

The use of prehospital needle thoracostomy (NT) is controversial. Some studies support its use; however, concerns exist regarding misplacement, inappropriate patient selection, and iatrogenic injury. Even less is known about its efficacy in situations where there is a delay to definitive care.

To determine any differences in survival of patients who underwent NT in the setting of prolonged versus short transport times, and to describe differences in mechanisms and complications between the two groups.

This was a retrospective, matched, case-control study of trauma patients in a four county Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system from April 1, 2007 through April 1, 2013. This system serves an urban, rural, and wilderness catchment area. A prehospital database was queried for all patients in whom NT was performed, identifying 182 patients. When these calls were limited to those with prolonged transport times, the search was narrowed to 32 cases. A matched control group, based on age and gender, with short transport times was then created as a comparison. Data collected from prehospital and hospital records included: demographics; mechanism of injury; call status; response to NT; and final outcome. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted, as appropriate, to assess the primary outcome of survival and to further elucidate the descriptive data.

There was no difference in survival between the case and control groups, either when evaluated with univariate (34% vs 25%; P=.41) or multivariate (odds ratio=0.99; 95% CI, 0.96-1.02; P=.57) analyses. Blunt trauma was the most common mechanism in both groups, but penetrating trauma was more common in the control group (30% vs 9%; P=.003). Patients in the control group were also more likely to have no vital signs on initial assessment (62% vs 31%; P=.003). More patients in the case group were described as having clinical improvement after NT (34% vs 19%; P=.03). No complications of NT were reported in either group.

There was no significant difference in survival between patients with prolonged versus short transport times who underwent NT. Patients with prolonged transport times were more likely to have sustained blunt trauma, have vital signs on EMS arrival, and to have clinical improvement after NT.

WeichenthalL, CraneDH, RondL, RocheC. Needle Thoracostomy for Patients with Prolonged Transport Times: A Case-control Study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(4):1–5.

To describe the process adopted to identify, classify, and evaluate legacy of health care planning in the host city of Porto Alegre for the Football World Cup 2014.

There is an emerging interest in the need to demonstrate a sustainable health legacy from mass gatherings investments. Leaving a public health legacy for future host cities and countries is now an important part of planning for these events.

The Ministry of Sports initiated and coordinated the development of projects in the host cities to identify actions, projects, and constructions to be developed to prepare for the World Cup. In Porto Alegre, a common structure was developed by the coordinating team to instruct legacy identification, classification, and evaluation. This structure was based on international documentary analysis (including official reports, policy documents, and web-based resources) and direct communication with recognized experts in the field.

Sixteen total legacies were identified for health surveillance (5) and health services (11). They were classified according to the strategic area, organizations involved, dimension, typology, planned or unplanned, tangible or intangible, territorial coverage, and situation prior to the World Cup. Possible impacts were then assessed as positive, negative, and potentiating, and mitigating actions were indicated.

The project allowed the identification, classification, and development of health legacy, including risk analysis, surveillance, mitigation measures, and provision of emergency medical care. Although the project intended the development of indicators to measure the identified legacies, evaluation was not possible at the time of publication due to time.

WittRR, KotlharMK, MesquitaMO, LimaMADS, MarinSM, DayCB, BandeiraAG, HuttonA. Developing Legacy: Health Planning in the Host City of Porto Alegre for the 2014 Football World Cup. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(6):613–617.

On October 29th, 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused a storm surge interrupting electricity with disruption to Manhattan’s (New York, USA) health care infrastructure. Beth Israel Medical Center (BIMC) was the only fully functioning major hospital in lower Manhattan during and after Hurricane Sandy. The impact on emergency department (ED) and hospital use by geriatric patients in lower Manhattan was studied.

The trends of ED visits and hospitalizations in the immediate post-Sandy phase (IPS) during the actual blackout (October 29 through November 4, 2012), and the extended post-Sandy phase (EPS), when neighboring hospitals were still incapacitated (November 5, 2012 through February 10, 2013), were analyzed with baseline. The analysis was broken down by age groups (18-64, 65-79, and 80+ years old) and included the reasons for ED visits and admissions.

During the IPS, there was a significant increase in geriatric visits (from 11% to 16.5% in the 65-79 age group, and from 6.5% to 13% in the 80+ age group) as well as in hospitalizations (from 22.7% to 25.2% in the 65-79 age group, and from 17.6% to 33.8% in the 80+ age group). However, these proportions returned to baseline during the EPS. The proportions of the categories “dialysis,” “respiratory device,” “social,” and “syncope” in geriatric patients in ED visits were significantly higher than younger patients. The increases of the categories “medication,” “dialysis,” “respiratory device,” and “social” represented two-thirds of absolute increase in both ED visits and admissions for the 65-79 age group, and half of the absolute increase in ED visits for the 80+ age group. The categories “social” and “respiratory device” peaked one day after the disaster, “dialysis” peaked two days after, and “medication” peaked three days after in ED visit analysis.

There was a disproportionate increase in ED visits and hospitalizations in the geriatric population compared with the younger population during the IPS. The primary factor of the disproportionate impact on the geriatric population appears to be from indirect effects of the hurricane, mainly due to the subsequent power outages, such as “dialysis,” “respiratory device,” and “social.” Further investigation by chart review may provide more insights to better aid with future disaster preparedness.

GotandaH, FogelJ, HuskG, LevineJM, PetersonM, BaumlinK, HabbousheJ. Hurricane Sandy: Impact on Emergency Department and Hospital Utilization by Older Adults in Lower Manhattan, New York (USA). Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(5):496–502.