Author:
Ripoll-Gallardo Alba,D’Ambrosio Annapaola,Manzoni Paola,Grifone Vincenzo,Pedrazzi Catia,De Luca Giovanni,Arghetti Davide,Stellini Armando,Zambelan Alessandro,Ruggiero Ilaria,Cusmà-Piccione Riccardo,Bacullo Gianluca,Lorito Franco,Perbellini Paolo,Giacovelli Matteo,De Donno Massimo,Pelà Simone,Colzani Giacomo,Brioschi Elena,Chiodini Gianliuca,Sechi Giuseppe,Zoli Alberto,Fumagalli Roberto,Stucchi Riccardo
Abstract
Abstract
On July 7, 2023, at 1:21 am, a fire was declared in a retirement home in Milan, Italy. The number of casualties (n = 87) according to the Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) triage system was categorized as 65 green, 14 yellow, 2 red, and 6 black; 75% were women, and the mean age was 85.1 years (± 9). Most patients were unable to walk. A total of 30 basic life support (BLS) ambulances, 3 advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) teams on fast cars, 2 buses, and 1 coordination team were deployed. A scoop and run approach was adopted with patients being transported to 15 health care facilities. The event was terminated at 5:43 am. Though the local mass casualty incident (MCI) response plan was correctly applied, the evacuation of the building was difficult due to the age and comorbidities of the patients. START failed to correctly identify patients categorized as minor. Communication problems arose on site that led to the late evacuation of critical patients.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
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