Life & Death Difference:
Children are smaller than adults but one would think that aside from their size, they are essentially the same as adults in physical makeup and, consequently, treating their health needs must be the same. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Click Here to see the Life & Death Difference in Children
Is Your Family Ready for a Disaster?
In a time of crisis, it is essential to ensure the needs of children are being met in planning and preparing for disasters and terrorist events. The current adult models and guidelines cannot be applied to the care of children. The goals of TN EMSC regarding disaster planning are to:
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Build collaboration among individuals with expertise in pediatrics, pediatric emergency medicine, pediatric critical care, pediatric surgery, and emergency management: including disaster planning, management, and response.
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Review and summarize the existing data on the needs of children in disasters, including planning, preparation, and response.
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Develop consensus on the needs of children in disasters.
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Encourage the inclusion of children into the state's overall disaster plan.
Online Courses for Families:
Family Preparedness
For what are you prepared? Most families’ lists would be very short! This course will assist you in understanding why a family preparedness plan is vital by walking you through the items needed for your family disaster supply kit. The course will help you recognize the significance of a pre-plan evacuation route and will even identify disaster preparedness concerns for your family pets.
Family Preparedness Supplement: Children with Special Needs
This course will assist you in understanding what necessities are beyond your family’s disaster preparedness plan. It will aid you in pre planning for both evacuation and staying at home during a disaster event.
This course will give you practical ways to develop a circle of support and will stress the importance of an Emergency Information Form (EIF) that will provide for the children of your family with special needs. A resource to obtain an EIF is included along with other very useful links.
Emergency Information Form for Children with Special Needs:
The American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics are proud to present the Emergency Form for Children with Special Needs.
This important document will assure prompt and appropriate care for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN). Now, when these patients present to emergency departments or health care professionals with an acute illness or injury, physicians, parents, EMS professionals, and nurses will be able to use this form as a tool to transfer critical information.
This form will ensure that a child’s medical history is concisely summarized and available when it is needed most—when the child presents with an acute health problem at a time when neither parent nor pediatrician is immediately available.
Click here for more information on the American College of Emergency Physicians website.
