in a large-scale medical emergency, critically ill or injured children may present to hospitals that are the closest, most convenient or most familiar.

Transfer by emergency responders to specialized pediatric hospitals may be impossible due to a shortage of vehicles, impassable roads and bridges or the instability of the patient. In addition, specialized hospitals may be unable to receive patients due to overwhelmed capacity or structural damage.

In order to increase regional access to appropriate pediatric services, the task force decided to create a “pediatric toolkit” with basic information and guidelines for both short-term acute care and more definitive management of pediatric patients, depending upon the emergency, at every hospital with emergency services in the county.

• Download the guidelines