Disaster Preparedness

During EMS rotation, each resident will become part of the SMART team. Some of the activities of SMART include: providing on-scene triage during prolonged or unusual incidents (e.g., disasters, building collapse, patient entrapment, MCI, etc.) and providing advanced/specialized patient care during unusual incidents such as disaster or MCI.

The mission of SMART includes preparation and response for potential bioterrorism threats, pandemic flu and emerging diseases, and other public health emergencies. 

To accomplish this mission, residents participate in the planning, conduction, and execution of disaster drills in a variety of simulated scenarios. During the EMS rotation, residents also respond to a variety of local SWAT missions with either attending physicians and/or County EMS personnel.

Some examples of recent disaster drills include:

Airport Disaster Drill - Buffalo Niagara International Airport

Mass Casualty Drill - Evangola, NY

Sprague Brook Park SMART Drill, Sprague Brook, NY - coordinated SMART drill to practice on scene disaster patient care.  This was the first large scale practice of SMART with volunteers, patient triage and patient care.  Also provided Mercy Flight Ground School for safe operations around rotor wing aircraft.

EMR Auto Extrication Drill with Buffalo Fire Department, Buffalo, NY - Grand Rounds

NDMS Patient Reception Drill, June 2007 - coordinated effort with SMART, the VA Hospital, Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, Erie County EMS and the Air National Guard. Simulated the receiving of hospitalized and injured patients from another area of the country in which a disaster has taken place.