Developing a regional and national burn disaster response.
The supplement on burns by the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) requires an evaluation of burn centers' and burn hospitals' capabilities for treating seriously burned victims. The American Burn Association (ABA) and its members, as experts in burn care, should take the lead in working with local, state, and federal disaster planners. Proposals based on standards adopted by the ABA support classification of facilities (levels I, II, III), identify minimum and maximum bed availability, require minimum training for personnel (e.g., ABLS), and encourage enrollment of all burn centers and burn hospitals as contract hospitals in the National Disaster Medical System. Periodically, the ABA should verify that the burn care facilities identified in the disaster plan meet its standards. Once the burn disaster system is developed, drills should be held locally on a regular basis and nationally on an annual basis.
Wachtel
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Burn and Trauma Service, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona.
Cowan
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Reardon
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JD
D002053:Burn Units / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D002056:Burns; D004189:Disaster Planning; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009938:Organizations; D012040:Regional Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States