ABPS Disaster Medicine key terms

A standardized national framework that provides common terminology, command structures, and processes so that agencies at all levels can work together efficiently during incidents.

A modular management structure using defined roles, span of control, and common terminology to direct resources at an incident regardless of the agencies involved.

An ICS arrangement in which representatives of multiple agencies with shared authority jointly set objectives and coordinate operations from a single command post.

The number of subordinates or resources one supervisor can effectively direct, commonly kept between three and seven in incident management.

A written or oral plan stating the incident objectives, strategies, tactics, and resource assignments for a defined operational period.

The time frame for which a set of incident objectives and tactical assignments is established, often 12 or 24 hours, after which the plan is reassessed.

A hospital adaptation of ICS that organizes facility staff into command and general staff roles to manage disaster response, patient care, and resource allocation.

A jurisdiction's or facility's written document describing how it will respond to and recover from emergencies, including roles, authorities, and resource commitments.

A facility-specific plan detailing how a healthcare organization will maintain or expand services, protect patients and staff, and coordinate with outside agencies during emergencies.

A preparedness approach that builds capabilities applicable to many types of emergencies rather than planning separately for each specific hazard.

A structured process that identifies plausible hazards, estimates their likelihood and impact, and ranks them to guide preparedness priorities and resource investment.

The systematic evaluation of the probability and consequences of adverse events to determine which risks require mitigation or response planning.

The analysis of credible hazards or adversaries, including their capability, intent, and potential targets, to inform protective and response measures.

An event producing more injured or ill patients than the available local resources can manage without outside assistance or altered standards of care.

The process of rapidly sorting patients by injury severity and treatment urgency so that limited resources are directed where they will save the most lives.

A rapid mass-casualty sorting method that uses respiration, perfusion, and mental status to assign patients to immediate, delayed, minor, or deceased categories.

A pediatric adaptation of START triage that adjusts respiratory and mental-status criteria for children, including use of a modified assessment for nonambulatory children.

The ability of a healthcare system to expand its resources, staff, and space to manage a sudden increase in patient volume beyond normal operating levels.

The ability to manage patients requiring specialized or unusual care, such as burn, trauma, or contaminated patients, during a surge event.

A formal, publicly declared shift to altered care expectations during a severe resource shortage, aimed at allocating scarce resources fairly to maximize population benefit.

An ethically grounded framework for deciding who receives limited resources such as ventilators or beds when demand exceeds supply, using consistent, transparent criteria.

Specialized clothing and equipment, such as gloves, gowns, respirators, and eye protection, worn to shield responders and caregivers from hazardous exposures.

The correct procedures for putting on and carefully removing protective equipment to prevent self-contamination, especially during removal of contaminated gear.

The process of removing or neutralizing hazardous substances from people, equipment, or surfaces, often by clothing removal, washing, and containment of runoff.

The area of a hazardous materials incident with the highest contamination risk, where only personnel in appropriate protective equipment may operate.

An incident involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive agents that may cause mass casualties and requires specialized detection, protection, and response.

A community site where medications or vaccines are rapidly distributed to large numbers of people during a public health emergency.

The rapid distribution of vaccines or medications to an entire exposed or at-risk population to prevent or limit the spread of disease.

A national reserve of medicines, medical supplies, and equipment that can be deployed to states and localities during a public health emergency.

The ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data used to detect outbreaks and guide public health action.

The proportion of a defined population that develops illness during a specified period, commonly used to characterize outbreaks and compare exposure groups.

The process of identifying people who may have been exposed to an infected person and monitoring or treating them to interrupt further transmission.

The separation and restriction of movement of people who were exposed to a communicable disease but are not yet known to be ill, to prevent transmission.

The separation of people known to be infected with a communicable disease from others to prevent spread during the infectious period.

Psychological support services that address acute stress, grief, and trauma reactions in survivors and responders during and after a disaster.

A structured, nonclinical approach that provides safety, comfort, information, and connection to support to people affected by a traumatic event.

Groups at greater risk of harm during disasters, such as older adults, children, people with disabilities, and those with limited resources or language access.

The requirements of people who need assistance with communication, transportation, medical care, or independence during emergencies because of disability, age, or health status.

A structured debriefing after an exercise or incident that identifies what worked, what failed, and what improvements should be implemented.

A written schedule of specific steps, responsible parties, and deadlines for fixing deficiencies identified in an after-action review.

A document that translates after-action findings and corrective actions into prioritized, tracked improvements for an organization's preparedness program.