Response to Hurricane Disasters

The preparation and rebuilding in the wake of a devastating hurricane can be a challenge at all levels. The summer of 2004 proved how frequently these preparations might need to happen, and the hurricanes of 2005 demonstrated how extensive these preparations should be and the cost of inadequate preparation. Medical care is a very large component of the disaster plan for hurricanes and must include not only supplies but also personnel. Personal and professional limitations can impede the response of valuable personnel to distant sites, but one must remember that the local response falls in the hands of those first on site (ie, those who reside in the area). Proper planning and effective drills can mitigate the extent of damage to structures and human life, and when deemed necessary, effective evacuation of at-risk areas is crucial. In the end, nature is much too powerful a force for us to fight-we can only be prepared to respond to and bend with the potentially devastating forces directed our way.