Health care approach to burn mass casualty incidents
- Author:
Benedict Edward P Valdez
1
;
Mark Anthony R Paderanga
1
;
James David M David
1
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Mass Casualty Incidents; Burns
- From: Southern Philippines Medical Center Journal of Health Care Services 2024;10(1):1-
- CountryPhilippines
- Language:English
- Abstract: On July 4, 2021, a Philippine C-130 military plane carrying 104 personnel crashed in Patikul, Sulu after attempting to land at Jolo Airport, killing 53 individuals and injuring 50 others, both on board and on the ground. Some of the injured sustained multiple injuries, including fractures and burns. This incident triggered a swift response from various agencies. Mass casualty incidents, including those with multiple burn-injured patients, pose significant challenges to health care systems and can lead to high morbidity and mortality rates.1 2 3 Burn injuries, which account for at least 200,000 deaths annually, are a major global public health issue, particularly in low-resource settings, and can easily overwhelm the limited burn resources available.4 5 6 Efficient management of mass casualty incidents, proper triage decisions, and sound health care planning are crucial for optimizing patient outcomes and matching potential needs with available resources.7 Burn mass casualty incidents (BMCI) are incidents that involve at least three burn victims. These incidents, whether due to natural or human-caused accidents, can occur anywhere and anytime. The injuries are unpredictable and involve a large number of victims, requiring a significant consumption of logistics and medical attention. Medical response tasks in massive burn injuries are much more challenging than those required in separate burn incidents due to the unexpected nature of the events and the simultaneous involvement of a large number of patients. Such situations require the immediate mobilization of a significant number of personnel, resources, and facilities to address upcoming issues. In this article, we describe the management of BMCIs based on our experiences in responding to the Patikul incident. We elucidate the strategies that are put into action and offer insights aimed at improving protocols for handling BMCIs in the future. Our goal is to contribute to the body of knowledge in this field and aid in the development of more effective responses to such critical situations.
