Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: role of individuals and collaborative networks in mobilizing/coordinating societal and professional resources for major disasters
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Correspondence: Kenneth L Mattox redstart@aol.com
Professor and Vice Chair, Michael E DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Chief of Staff/Chief of Surgery, Ben Taub General Hospital, Co-Director of the Medical Branch, Harris County Joint Area Incident Command, Hurricane Katrine, Houston, Texas, USA
Critical Care 2006, 10:205 doi:10.1186/cc3942
Published: 14 December 2005Abstract
The medical support for the coordinated effort for Harris County Texas (Houston) to rescue evacuees from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina was part of an integrated collaborative network. Both public health and operational health care was structured to custom meet the needs of the evacuees and to create an exit strategy for the clinic and shelter. Integrating local hospital and physician resources into the Joint Incident Command was essential. Outside assistance, including federal and national resources must be coordinated through the local incident command.