Preparing for Mass Casualty Events

While mass casualty events are distressing to think about, it is essential to be prepared for them. By establishing an emergency response plan, conducting regular training and drills, and enhancing interagency collaboration, a more effective and coordinated response is possible, ultimately saving more lives and minimizing the impact of such tragic events. Who would be better prepared to advise on this topic than the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the hospital directors in Israel? It would be hard to find better advice.

That's why I'm attending a training course in May which is being led by Israeli hospital directors, emergency management directors, and the Deputy Surgeon General of the IDF. Their experience is invaluable and model practices will be taught and reviewed. I'm hoping this will enable me to be better prepared for helping people when these events occur whether in our own country or while serving others in Israel.

The bodies of people, some of them elderly, lie on a street after they were killed during a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot, southern Israel, Oct. 7, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad, Algemeiner.com