Caring for Evacuated Children Housed in the Astrodome: Creation and Implementation of a Mobile Pediatric Emergency Response Team: Regionalized Caring for Displaced Children After a Disaster

• 2006

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• Paul Sirbaugh; Karen Gurwitch; Charles Macias; Lee Ligon; Thomas Gavagan; Ralph Feigin
PMID: 16735278DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-0099q

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About

The article discusses the preparedness and response efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, focusing on the Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) and the establishment of the Mobile Pediatric Emergency Response Team (MPERT). The MPERT was set up at the Reliant Park complex in Houston to provide medical care to thousands of pediatric evacuees. The article highlights the challenges faced, lessons learned, and the success factors that contributed to the effective operation of the MPERT. Key points include the importance of pediatric expertise in disaster planning, the need for proper identification and credentialing of staff, and the critical role of experienced leadership in emergency response.

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Tags

Focus Area: Natural Disasters

Audiences: Emergency Managers; EMS Clinicians

Emergency Management Stage: Response

Collection: Disaster Research Literature Review

Keywords: Child; Disaster Planning; Disasters; Emergency Medical Services; Emergency Medicine; Hospital Administration; Infant, Newborn; Louisiana; Mobile Health Units; Patient Care Management; Pediatrics; Relief Work; Texas; Transportation of Patients; Triage; Adolescent; Rescue Work

Institutions: Baylor College of Medicine

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