Hospital Evacuation Criteria

Types

• Evacuations due to natural disasters or health hazards may be unavoidable, and should be done quickly and initiated at a moment's notice, whereas planned evacuations, such as a hospital move, will be planned for by hospital personnel months in advance.

Techniques

• Patients may be evacuated in a variety of methods, according to a document put out by the New York Centers for Terrorism Preparedness and Planning. Ideally patients would be moved on stretchers, however, if the need arises, patients may even be dragged to a safe location on a blanket.

Training

• Hospital management must be able to evaluate which patients should be moved, and if there are any special considerations. Staff should also be familiar with the quickest and safest evacuation routes prior to moving any patient. Many hospitals will perform simulated evacuations with healthy staff members posing as patients to allow other staff the opportunity for practice.