Disaster Preparedness and Toxic Exposures in Children

With existing threats of man-made as well as natural disasters, pediatricians, emergency physicians, emergency medical systems personnel, and other health care professionals should have a working knowledge of disaster management and preparedness for all hazards. As large-scale man-made disasters have occurred, growing concerns exist that terrorist groups may attempt to use either chemical or biologic warfare. In addition, natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, floods, and widespread fires pose threats to the welfare of large segments of the population worldwide. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends an “all hazards” approach to emergency planning. This requires creating a simultaneous plan for terrorist events as well as the more likely public health emergencies such as earthquakes, floods, unintentional hazardous incidents, and infectious disease outbreaks. We present an overview of disaster preparedness with a particular focus on potential toxicological exposures.

Keywords: disaster preparedness, disaster triage, decontamination, personal protective equipment, chemical hazards, biological hazards