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Medical Society's Blueprint for a Successful Community Response to Emergency Preparedness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

John Maese
John Maese*
Affiliation:
Associate Director, Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, New York, USA
*
Associate DirectorGeriatric Medicine Fellowship ProgramStaten Island University Hospital375 Seguine AvenueStaten Island, New York 10309USA E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

It is clear from disaster evaluations that communities must be prepared to act independently before government agencies can cope with the early ramifications of disasters. In response to devastation to the borough of Staten Island, New York in the wake of 11 September 2001, the Richmond County Medical Society established a structure to incorporate community needs and institutions to work together for the common good. A program that brings together two hospital systems, nursing homes, emergency medical services, and the Office of Emergency Management physician leadership in a meaningful way now is in place. This approach has improved the disaster preparedness of Staten Island and demonstrated how the Medical Society can provide leadership in disaster preparedness and serve as a conduit for communication amongst entities that normally do not communicate.

Keywords

communication networkscommunity networkscommunity responsivenessdisaster preparednessemergency preparednessHAM radiosmedical societytabletop drills
Type
Brief Special Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , February 2009 , pp. 73 - 75
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2009

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