An advanced disaster medicine conference was held recently at the Haraseeket Inn in Freeport. More than 75 people from around New England attended.

New England medical workers look at disaster medicine

FREEPORT – Sponsored by the Central Maine Regional Resource Center for Emergency Preparedness, more than 75 people from around New England attended an advanced disaster medicine conference held recently at the Haraseeket Inn.

Presented by members of Central Maine Medical Center’s trauma team, the topics included trauma triaging, blast injuries and burn injuries in patients, medical planning for mass gatherings and pediatric considerations for mass casualty incidents.

Among the medical workers attending were members of the Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont Metropolitan Medical Response Systems. Better known as strike teams, they are specially trained crews that respond to and provide medical support to multiple mass casualty incidents and gatherings.

Numerous first responders, hospital employees and other emergency medicine providers from the central Maine region also took part in the all-day training.

The one-day program was designed to serve as an awareness course and to provide information regarding the scope of components of medical disaster activities, their implications and methods of incorporation into decision-making in emergency medicine systems such as emergency rooms.

At the conclusion of the course, the participants better understood the principles involved in medical disaster care, which including dealing with mass casualty incidents, and were better able to address many of the complex tasks facing today’s healthcare professionals.

The Central Maine Regional Resource Center for Emergency Preparedness is a collaborative venture involving key partners in the central Maine territory, including hospitals, health clinics and health centers, emergency medical service providers and home health agencies.

As part of its mission, the resource center sponsors activities for the improvement of emergency healthcare preparedness and coordinates and offers educational programs to area partners.