A good large scale MCI case study with photos

[Guest guest]

From the IAEM Discussion Group: [Thanks to Dvir Pelang - IAEM Europa Nat Rep

Isreal for this information]

Immediately after receiving the call about the bus overturning, MDA

proclaimed a mass casualty incident, and the complicated logistic operation

began *

34 ambulances, 5 Mobile Intensive Care Units and a mass casualty vehicle were

rushed to the scene* and at the same time seven helicopters took off, laden

with medical equipment and reinforced with 17 flying paramedics* MDA also sent

hundreds of blood units to the scene* in addition to treating the tens of

victims, MDA teams were sent to phtal hospital to help with treatment and

categorizing of the victims* MDA also opened a special calling centre with

Russian speaking personnel in order to give a telephone response to worried

families both in Israel and abroad.

At 15:00 a call was received in the MDA National Dispatch Centre: “A bus

full of passengers has overturned and fallen into the valleyâ€. On receiving

the call, the protocol for a mass casualty incident was immediately activated

and in a logistic operation, the like of which has never been seen before, 34

ambulances, 5 Mobile Intensive Care Units, one mass casualty vehicle and 17

paramedics accompanied by MDA Director, Eli Bin, and equipped with medical

equipment and 250 units and blood units, were sent to the scene of the accident

in seven army helicopters.

MDA personnel and volunteers, who were on holiday in Eilat, were also rushed

to the scene, and arrived very quickly using private cars and MDA service

vehicles. In co-operation with Egged, a bus with police escort was also rushed

to the scene, to transport lightly injured victims needing treatment to

hospital.

At the scene of the accident, MDA teams treated 23 severely injured victims,

7 moderately and 3 lightly injured victims. In addition 24 of the bus

passengers were declared dead at the scene.

At the same time as the victims were being treated in the field and were

taken as quickly as possible to phtal hospital in Eilat, MDA was also busy

organizing the secondary stage of transfer, meaning the transportation of

victims, as necessary, from phtal hospital to Soroka hospital and other

hospitals in the centre of the country.

MDA teams were ready on high alert in ambulances and at the landing pads of

the hospitals in the centre of the country, in case victims from the south

were transferred by helicopter.

A special communications centre, with Russian speaking personnel, was

immediately set up on learning of the enormity of the accident, in order to

give a

telephone answer to worried relatives in Israel and abroad.

MDA Director General, Eli Bin: “This is one of the most complicated

incidents from a logistic point of view that we have had to deal with. The

geographical distance from the centre of the country and the type of accident

require

a swift response and left no room for mistakes. The mental strength and the

swift response of MDA personnel and volunteers was clearly shown today. MDA,

as the National Emergency Organisation, is committed to helping the victims

of the tragedy, the wounded and their families abroad and to help any of them

that may need our help in the coming daysâ€.

Photo gallery:

_http://picasaweb.google.com/AssiDvilanski/16120802?authkey=8eXl7LuBMKw_

(http://picasaweb.google.com/AssiDvilanski/16120802?authkey=8eXl7LuBMKw) #

Louis N. Molino, Sr., CET

FF/NREMT-B/FSI/EMSI

Freelance Consultant/Trainer/Author/Journalist/Fire Protection Consultant

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