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Regional Variation in Critical Care Evacuation Needs for Children After a Mass Casualty Incident
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 06/29/2012
Kanter RK et al. – The present study provides a quantitative, evidence–based approach to estimate regional pediatric critical care evacuation needs after an MCI. Large metropolitan areas with many PICU beds would be better able to accommodate patients in a local MCI, and would serve as a crucial resource if an MCI occurred in a smaller community. Regions near a metropolitan area could be rapidly served by critical care transport teams traveling by ground ambulance. Regions distant from a metropolitan area might benefit from helicopter transport. Using local noncritical care transport teams would involve shorter delays and less expert care during evacuation.