EMS World Magazine is the most authoritative source in the world for clinical and educational material designed to improve the delivery of prehospital emergency medical care.
Issue link: https://emsworld.epubxp.com/i/110985
DISASTER RESPONSE | By Jason Busch, Associate Editor EMS crews faced unprecedented challenges responding to Hurricane Sandy I n late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy devastated the Northeastern United States, part of a storm system that caused damage from the Caribbean to Canada. Its nickname—Superstorm—was wellearned, for the storm was largely unprecedented. Yet despite the destruction—still evident more than four months later, and likely for some time to come—the response from EMS agencies throughout the region was, on the whole, wellorganized and efficient. And that was not without precedent. New Jersey was just one state affected by Sandy, but it was particularly hard hit, and the images of a swamped Jersey Shore—and the twisted wreckage of popular amusement rides along the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, in particular—left an indelible impression. "One of the things we do here in New Jersey, as far as EMS is concerned, is prepare," says Henry Cortacans, MAS, CEM, NREMT-P, and state planner for the New Jersey EMS Task Force, which functions alongside the New Jersey Department of Health. "Preparedness is a way of life, because terrorism ➊ Disaster aerial scenes in Ocean County. Photo by Ocean County ➋ Ambulance strike teams ready for deployment from the Northern NJ Regional EMS staging area at MetLife Stadium. Photo by Henry Cortacans ➌ A view of the "mobile hospital" deployed to the shore region. This photo was taken after Sandy's sister—the second nor'easter—dropped up to 10" of snow on parts of the devastation. Photo by Pennsylavania EMS Task Force Region 4 ➍ Disaster scenes throughout the shore region after Superstorm Sandy. Photo by Pennsylvania EMS Task Force Region 4 ➎ People and equipment at the Northern NJ Regional EMS staging area. Photo by Pennsylvania EMS Task Force ➏ NJ EMS Task Force off-road ambulance Gators proved valuable in navigating through challenging terrain after Sandy. Photo by Andy Caruso ➐ Mutual aid out-of-state ambulances check in at the Northern NJ EMS regional staging area at MetLife Stadium. Photo by Bob Krane EMSWORLD.com | MARCH 2013 31