Mass Casualties and Fatality Management

Studies show that during the early stages of a disaster 50-80% of acute casualties arrive at hospitals within 90 minutes of an event. Hospitals outside the immediate area receive few or no casualties while closest hospitals will be overwhelmed. The lesser injured will leave the scene under their own power. Arrival of casualties at the ER is expected to be uncoordinated. Bear in mind that it takes 3-6 hours normally to be treated in the ER whether treatment is rendered or not. About 1/3 of acute casualties are expected to be critical with 2/3 treated and released. More accurate casualty counts can be estimated using computer software such as that developed at Johns Hopkins (www.hopkins-cepar.org/EMCAPS/EMCAPS.html).