P0116 - A Comprehensive Coalition Based City-wide Approach to Pediatric Disaster Planning

Children, who comprise 25% of the US population, are frequently victims of disasters and have special needs during these events. The New York City Pediatric Coalition (NYCPDC) funded by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) goal is to prepare NYC for mass casualty incidents that involve large number of pediatric victims. The PDC is comprised of experts in emergency preparedness, pediatric critical care, surgery, and emergency medicine, as well as representatives from local emergency management, first responder, and public health agencies. Since 2008, NYCPDC has worked with an increasing number of providers that initially included only a small number of hospitals and agencies. Stakeholders now include local public health, emergency management, and emergency medical services agencies, 28 hospitals, community-based providers, and the Medical Reserve Corps. The NYCPDC utilized a process inclusive of a wide variety of stakeholders, developing a series of plans and planning tools through iterative review of current literature and practice, group discussion, and consensus-building around evolving documents. NYCPDC used this model to draft a comprehensive NYC pediatric disaster plan beginning with disaster scene triage (adapted for pediatric use) and secondary transport (with prioritization). Additionally, Planning Guidelines and Templates are now available to support facilities to develop and exercise Surge and Evacuation plans for: Pediatric Long-Term Care Facilities, Hospital Pediatric Departments (including Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Services) and Outpatient/Urgent Care facilities. The NYCPDC utilized a course in critical care for non-intensivists to train over 100 providers and thereby expand Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) capabilities. The NYC PDC also led an extensive Pediatric Exercise program to operationalize and then revise plans based on lessons learned. This program included pediatric-focused tabletop, functional and full-scale exercises at individual hospitals, leading to two citywide exercises involving 13 and subsequently all 28 hospitals caring for children in NYC. In addition to exercise, the NYCPDC has responded to real events (H1N1, Haiti Earthquake, Superstorm Sandy, Ebola), and participated in local and nationwide coalitions (including the National Pediatric Disaster Coalition). Participants in this session will engage in scenario-based discussions and problem solving. They will participate in a review of comprehensive planning for the special needs of children during disasters utilizing a coalition-based, jurisdiction-wide approach that matches resources to needs.