Principles and system of disaster medicine

Abstract

For adequate disaster preparation and response, the capacity of various sectors should be integrated harmoniously into a single system. Investment must be made in disaster medical care for emergencies and safety issues that address the most important priority - conservation of life. Specifically, support for disaster base hospital is necessary for a hospital to perform an adequate role in disaster, and it is also necessary to assign the role of disaster base hospital to hospitals in areas that contain local risk factor. Because of the problems for nuclear, chemical or biological disaster preparedness in Korea, important things to consider are the preparation and establishment of an infrastructure based on equipment and facilities, including personal protective equipment, decontamination equipment and facilities. Governments should support the operation of disaster medical assistance teams in order to improve the disaster medical system.