Faculty Collaboration Database

Pediatric Mass Casualty Incident and a Critical Care Response. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2025 Feb 10;19:e27

Date

02/10/2025

Pubmed ID

39925028

DOI

10.1017/dmp.2025.25

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85218437686 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

The authors offer reflections and lessons learned in a single pediatric tertiary center's experience during a pediatric mass casualty incident (MCI). The MCI occurred at a holiday parade and the patients were brought to multiple community emergency departments for initial resuscitation prior to transfer to the Pediatric level 1 trauma center. In total, 18 children presented with severe blunt force trauma after a motor vehicle entered the parade route. Following initial triage in emergency departments, 10 of 18 children injured during the incident were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, collectively representing a system-wide stressor of emergency medicine, critical care, and surgical services. Institutional characteristics, activation of personnel and supplies, and psychosocial support for families during an MCI are important to consider in children's hospitals' disaster preparedness planning.

Author List

Snooks KC, Wehrenberg K, Rajzer-Wakeham K, Nelson H, Rothschild C, Rajapreyar P, Luetje M, Scanlon MC, Petersen TL, Meyer MT

Authors

Michael T. Meyer BS, MS, MD Chief, Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Tara L. Petersen MS, MD Vice-Chair, Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Kari L. Rajzer-Wakeham APP Mgr Inpatient 2 in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Charles Baron Rothschild MD Associate Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Matthew C. Scanlon ME, MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Kellie C. Snooks DO, MPH Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Child
Child, Preschool
Critical Care
Disaster Planning
Emergency Service, Hospital
Female
Humans
Infant
Intensive Care Units, Pediatric
Male
Mass Casualty Incidents
Pediatrics
Triage