Community medical response to the Fairchild mass casualty event.
BACKGROUND
On June 20, 1994, a discharged serviceman with a psychiatric history opened fire with a MAC-90 assault rifle at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington. The attack killed 5 people and wounded 22. This report reviews the communication, triage, transport, injuries, and the community medical response to this mass casualty.


METHODS
Data for the review were obtained from city-wide debriefing sessions, medical records, and evaluation forms from prehospital agencies.


RESULTS
A total of 19 patients were triaged to four community hospitals, while 3 victims with comparatively minor injuries stayed at the Base hospital. All fatalities except a child in utero died at the scene. All victims surviving to hospital were discharged recovered from their injuries. Two patients were undertriaged, 1 of whom sustained a pelvic and buttock wound.


CONCLUSIONS
Rapid triage was possible due to: (1) initial treatment by military medical personnel; (2) an established and practiced disaster plan; (3) the use of disaster packs and triage tags; (4) the immediate initiation of triage and transport; and (5) coordinated ground and air transport.
Beyersdorf
S R
SR
Department of Surgery, Deaconess Medical Center, Spokane, Washington, USA.
Nania
J N
JN
Luna
G K
GK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D014218:Triage; D014754:Violence; D014861:Washington; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000628:therapy