Solid plan, 'gut instinct' are disaster response keys.
Even with the most intricate disaster response plan, not all contingencies will be accounted for. In the case of the Minnesota bridge collapse, one ED manager had to rely on his experience and judgment to determine exactly when to implement the plan. Don't wait until you are sure your ED will be overwhelmed with new patients to begin preparing for that eventuality. Assess your resources, and have additional help lined up. If you do not have insufficient data to definitively state there is a disaster, err on the side of caution and initiate disaster response. Make sure your plan has a well thought-out strategy for making additional beds available.
D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D014481:United States