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Challenges and Clinical Impact of Medical Search and Rescue Efforts Following the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2024

Mustafa Ferudun Celikmen Open the ORCID record for Mustafa Ferudun Celikmen [Opens in a new window] ,
Ali Cankut Tatliparmak Open the ORCID record for Ali Cankut Tatliparmak [Opens in a new window] ,
Verda Tunaligil Open the ORCID record for Verda Tunaligil [Opens in a new window]  and
Sarper Yilmaz Open the ORCID record for Sarper Yilmaz [Opens in a new window]
Mustafa Ferudun Celikmen
Affiliation:
Yeditepe University Medical Faculty, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
Ali Cankut Tatliparmak
Affiliation:
Uskudar University Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
Verda Tunaligil
Affiliation:
SIMMERK Medical Simulation Center, Presidency of Disaster Health and Emergency Medical Services, TR MoH Health Directorate of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
Sarper Yilmaz*
Affiliation:
University of Health Sciences, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; Chair, Disaster Commission of the Turkish Emergency Medicine Association, Ankara, Turkey
*
Correspondence: Sarper Yilmaz, MD Department of Emergency Medicine University of Health Sciences Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar City Hospital Kartal, Istanbul, Turkey Disaster Commission of the Turkish Emergency Medicine Association Ankara, Turkey E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background:

This study assesses the operational challenges and clinical outcomes encountered by a university-based Emergency Medical Team (EMT) during the medical search and rescue (mSAR) response to the February 2023 earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey.

Methods:

In this observational study, data were retrospectively collected from 42 individuals who received mSAR services post-earthquake. The challenges were categorized as environmental, logistical, or medical, with detailed documentation of rescue times, patient demographics, injury types, and medical interventions.

Results:

In this mSAR study, 42 patients from 30 operations were analyzed and divided into environmental (26.2%), logistical (52.4%), and medical (21.4%) challenge groups. Median rescue times were 29 (IQR 28–30), 36.5 (IQR 33.75–77.75), and 30.5 (IQR 29.5–35.5) hours for each group, respectively (P = .002). Age distribution did not significantly differ across groups (P = .067). Hypothermia affected 18.2%, 45.5%, and 66.7% in the respective groups. Extremity injuries were most common in the medical group (88.9%). Intravenous access was highest in the medical group (88.9%), while splinting was more frequent in the medical (55.6%) and logistical (18.2%) groups. Hypothermia was most prevalent in the medical group (66.7%), followed by the logistical group (45.5%). Ambulance transport post-rescue was utilized for a minority in all groups.

Conclusion:

The study concludes that logistical challenges, more than environmental or medical challenges, significantly prolong the duration of mSAR operations and exacerbate clinical outcomes like hypothermia, informing future enhancements in disaster response planning and execution.

Keywords

Disaster MedicineearthquakesEmergency Medical Serviceshypothermiapublic health emergenciessearch and rescue operations
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , First View , pp. 1 - 6
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine

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