PLEASE NOTE: THE THURSDAY COURSES WILL BE HELD AT THE SHERATON GRAND SYDNEY

DMEP COURSE

Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness Course 

27th March 2025 – 7.30am to 5.00pm

Faculty: TBA 

The Disaster Management & Emergency Preparedness course (DMEP) emphasizes an all-hazards approach, demonstrating that many principles apply to disasters of all kinds, regardless of specific mechanism. Surgical problems and the role of surgeons in disasters are emphasized, even with nonsurgical forms of injury.

Course Description 

The American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) DMEP course is a one-day course that is both didactic and interactive. It addresses core competencies as outlined by the ACS Committee on Trauma’s Disaster and Mass Casualty Management Committee. Major topics addressed include planning, triage, incident command, injury patterns and pathophysiology, and consideration for special populations. Group discussions are based on illustrative scenarios. DMEP requires pre- and post-course tests, which are reviewed on site. A comprehensive syllabus and supportive resource material are provided.  The course is taught by prominent Trauma Surgeons in San Diego with experience in Disaster Management & Emergency Preparedness.

Target Audience 

The intended audience includes acute care providers (surgeons, anaesthetists, emergency medicine physicians, ER, OR, ICU, and trauma nurses, and prehospital professionals) who will most likely be the first receivers of casualties following major disasters. Other health care providers, administrators, public health personnel, and emergency managers are also encouraged to attend.

Objectives 

• Understand the surgical problems, injury patterns, and issues that may result from disasters.
• Discuss the role that surgeons can play in planning for and responding to mass casualty incidents and disasters, especially at a hospital level.
• Become familiar with the terms and concepts of incident command.
• Understand the principles and challenges of disaster triage
• Become familiar with treatment principles, related to blast injury, chemical attacks and radiological dispersal devices.
• Know the civilian and military assets available for support.

Core Competencies 

• Epidemiology and History of Disasters
• Disaster Planning
• Disaster Response Organization and Execution
• Medical Management of Mass Casualties
• Pathophysiology and Patterns of Injury
• Post-disaster Assessment and Recovery
• Pitfalls and Barriers in Disaster Planning and Response
• Understanding the needs of special populations (pediatric, geriatric, disabled)