A Textbook Response

On Monday, April 15, we were finishing work on this very issue when news broke of the Boston Marathon attacks. As we had been planning an article on prehospital response to burn and blast injuries for several months, it was chilling to see images play out on the streets of Boston that are described in detail in this month’s cover report.

Immediate analysis shows that Boston EMS and the many private ambulance companies serving the city, as well as police and fire, responded with swift precision to the explosions, saving countless lives with the rapid triage and transport of critically injured patients. The response has been seen around the world and clearly illustrates how the extensive preplanning and citywide disaster drills engaged in by Boston agencies and hospitals enabled a textbook response to a worst-case scenario.

EMS World Editorial Advisory Board Member Dr. James Augustine highlights what all-hazards preparedness involves in our In the Field column.

“In Boston, the scene evolved within seconds from marathon medicine to bomb and blast injuries, and EMS responders performed in the midst of hundreds of cameras. They did so with the highest level of professionalism,” he says.

Augustine’s article outlines how the best EMS major incident response program comes from excellent day-to-day delivery of care, combined with established relationships with hospitals, law enforcement and regional public health officials.

As the EMS community readies to celebrate EMS Week, May 19–25, we would like to acknowledge the heroic efforts of all those who responded on April 15. Use EMS Week to inform your community of your level of readiness and how we can all work together to develop systems as effective as those seen in Boston. Visit EMSWorld.com/10921584 for EMS Week coverage.