Preparing for a Mass Casualty Event: Information for the Public (see also Information for Clinicians)
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What can I do now?
CDC and the American Red Cross encourage every organization, family and individual to take time to prepare for an emergency or disaster. These steps can help you get started:
- Know your work, school and community emergency and disaster plans. If you are not familiar with the plans, contact your supervisor, school administrators, or your local fire department for information.
- Identify an alternative hospital. Hospitals closest to the event are always the busiest.
- Visit http://www.redcross.org/preparedness/cdc_english/CDC.asp. The site provides guidance on creating a disaster plan and steps you can take now to protect yourself and your loved ones.
What should I do in a mass casualty event?
At Home | At Work | At School | In Public |
Leave the area immediately. | Follow existing evacuation guidelines. | Follow existing evacuation guidelines. | Leave the area immediately. |
Call 9-1-1. Tell the operator what you saw or know (suspicious persons, packages, or vehicles). | Call 9-1-1. Tell the operator what you saw or know (suspicious persons, packages, or vehicles). | ||
Follow directions from people in authority (police, fire, EMS, or military personnel, or from neighborhood leaders). | Follow directions from people in authority (police, fire, EMS, or military personnel, or from workplace supervisors). | Follow directions from people in authority (police, fire, EMS, or military personnel, or from school administrators). | Follow directions from people in authority (police, fire, EMS, or military personnel, or from community leaders). |
What should I do during a mass casualty event?
If you are in a mass casualty event:
- Leave the area as quickly as possible. In some cases, temporary shelter may be needed to avoid immediate danger.
- Follow directions from people in authority (police, fire, EMS, or military personnel, or from school or workplace supervisors).
- Call 9-1-1 once you are in a safe area , but only if police, fire, or EMS has not arrived.
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Help others who are hurt or need assistance to leave the area if you are able. For minor wounds:
- Apply first aid to treat cuts and scrapes and to prevent infection.
- To care for a bleeding cut, apply pressure on it until the bleeding stops.
- Clean the wound by gently pouring clean tap water or bottled water over it.
- Apply a clean, dry bandage. If you see someone who is seriously injured, seek help.
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Do not try to manage the situation alone.
What should I do after the event?
When the event is over:
- Follow your family, job, or school emergency disaster plan for leaving and staying away from the scene of the event. Returning to the scene might increase the risk of danger for rescue workers and you.
- Follow directions from people in authority (police, fire, EMS, or military personnel, or from school or workplace supervisors).
- Call 9-1-1 once you are in a safe area, but only if police, fire, or EMS has not arrived to help injured people.
- Help others who are hurt or need assistance to leave the area if you are able.
- Seek help if you see someone who is seriously injured. Do not try to manage the situation alone.
What if rescue workers are not available to transport me or other injured persons?
9-1-1 services (police, fire, EMS and ambulance) might be delayed indefinitely following a terrorist event, therefore:
- Always have a back-up plan
Where should I go for care?
Go to a hospital or clinic away from the event if you can. Most victims
will go to the nearest hospital, which will be more crowded. Hospitals away
from the event will be less busy.
What can I expect at the hospital?
- Long waits.
For more information about how to prepare for a mass casualty event and other disasters, click on the related links:
- American Red Cross, “Terrorism—Preparing for the Unexpected.
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
- Mass casualties and injuries from terrorism, CDC’s Emergency Preparedness and Response
- United States Department of Homeland Security
- Mass Casualties homepage
- Brain Injuries and Mass Casualty Events: Information for Clinicians
Additional Resources
Content Source: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Injury
Response
Page last modified:
July 31, 2007