Southeastern Regional Pediatric Disaster Surge Network: A Public Health Partnership

• Published in: Public health reports (1974) 2010-11, Vol.125 (5_suppl), p.117-126
• Main Authors: Ginter, Peter M., Rucks, Andrew C., Duncan, W. Jack, Wingate, Martha S., Beeman, S. Kenn, Reeves, Jane, West, Maury A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child; Children; Collective action; Community Networks - organization & administration; Disaster management; Disaster Planning - organization & administration; Disasters; Emergency management; Emergency medical services; Emergency Medical Services - manpower; Emergency plans; Emergency preparedness; Emergency response; Geographic regions; Goal setting; Handbooks; Health care policy; Humans; Information dissemination; Linkages; Memoranda of understanding; Models, Organizational; Mutual aid; Networks; Organizations; Pediatrics; Pediatrics - manpower; Phases; Planning; Practice; Practice Articles; Public health; Public health departments; Public Health Practice; Regional Health Planning - organization & administration; Regional planning; Southeastern United States; Surge Capacity - organization & administration; Volunteers
• ISSN: 0033-3549; 1468-2877
• DOI: 10.1177/00333549101250S516

In the event of a natural or man-made disaster involving large numbers of children, resources in the Southeastern U.S. are extremely limited. This article chronicles the efforts of the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Mississippi State Department of Health, and the South Central Center for Public Health Preparedness in conjunction with more than 40 organizations to develop a voluntary network of health-care providers, public health departments, volunteers, and emergency responders from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The purpose of the Southeastern Regional Pediatric Disaster Surge Network (the Network) is to improve the pediatric preparedness response strategies of public health, emergency response, and pediatric providers in the event of large-scale emergencies or disasters that overwhelm local or state pediatric resources. The planning and development of the Network is proceeding through three general phases—information sharing, mutual goal setting and collective action, and long-term formal linkages. In Phase 1, critical planning tasks to be undertaken in the development of the Network were identified. In Phase 2, the agencies developed a draft operational handbook that served as the basis for a formal memorandum of understanding. In Phase 3, participants will engage in exercises and evaluations that will further identify and work out logistical and operational details.