Teamwork During Mass Casualty Incidents and Disasters

Abstract

Teamwork is an essential and integral part of the successful management of sudden mass casualty incidents (SMCIs) and disasters. Teams are groups of people with similar objectives but differing levels of expertise and skills. Therefore, team leadership skills are also essential. Teams are made up of many people, but teamwork itself is an individual skill. During a SMCI, the formation of an effective team unit is complicated by the emergency nature of the incident and confounded by the confusion and chaos that these incidents generate. For these reasons, educating teams regarding their expected knowledge and skills are critical elements of planning for SMCIs. Developing and practicing team skills are a mandatory part of every mass casualty drill.