Escaping With VLBW Neonates: Caring For and Transporting Very Low Birth Weight Infants During a Disaster

• 2006

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• Juan Gershanik
PMID: 16735266DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-0099e

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About

This article recounts the harrowing experience of a neonatologist and a team of medical professionals during Hurricane Katrina at Memorial Medical Center (MMC) in New Orleans. With 16 infants in the NICU, the hospital faced challenges as floodwaters rose rapidly, leading to a critical evacuation. The narrative details the difficulties in evacuating the infants, including the makeshift landing pad on the hospital's rooftop and the chaotic helicopter transport. Despite the suboptimal conditions and challenges faced during the evacuation, all 16 infants survived and were eventually reunited with their families. The article underscores the importance of disaster preparedness and the dedication of healthcare professionals in crisis situations.

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Tags

Focus Areas: Everyday Emergency; Natural Disasters

Audiences: Emergency Managers; EMS Clinicians; Nurses; Physicians

Emergency Management Stage: Response

Bundles: Disaster Research Literature Review

Keywords: Disaster Planning; Disasters; Infant, Newborn; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Louisiana; Patient Care Management; Transportation of Patients; Triage; Air Ambulances; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight

Institutions: Neonatal Medical Group

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