Case Study

Disaster response plans describe how various governmental and private sector entities are supposed to function individually and collaboratively during a disaster in order to protect the public and key infrastructure and continue to perform their missions.

Hospitals, public health agencies and other health entities also have response plans specific for their missions.

Planning details

Some plans are appropriate for all types of incidents: "all hazard" plans.

Some plans are hazard-specific e.g., chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, natural disasters

Hazard-specific response plans typically contain the critical elements of "all hazard" plans but also include modifications that address hazard-specific features

Effective plans are

Developed collaboratively by all potential participants

Integrated into plans that will be used by others participating in the response

Communicated to all those who will perform activities specified by the plan

Practiced in formal drills or exercises

Updated regularly to reflect lessons learned in formal exercises

The nature, scope, and location of a mass casualty disaster will significantly affect the implementation of any response plan

The documents featured below provide an overview of some of the current key documents relevant to medical response planning. The list is not exhaustive.

If you are new to the planning process, please refer to pre-existing documents for your jurisdictions and workplace

In 2009, the Institute of Medicine published a detailed document (purchase required) reviewing US medical preparedness to respond to a terrorist nuclear event.

In 2011, the Nuclear Detonation Scarce Resources Working Group published a series of manuscripts about medical and public health planning and response to a nuclear disaster with scarce resources. (DMPHP, March 2011)

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