The Police Emergency Unit concept for our Community has proven to be unique and highly practical. Highly skilled teams of college trained, physician- supervised Police Offi cers render emergency care for trauma and illness with remarkable expertise. The roving, constantly on duty concept has distinct merits. It does provide a low cost system to en sure the delivery of emergency medical care to a community with a minimum of confu sion and a maximum of efficiency. Special acknowledgement is noted herewith for Mrs. Candace Otte, R. N. , Dr. Frede rick A. Doornbos, Dr. Ramon B. Lang, Dr. Lee R. Pool, Dr. John R. Wilson, and P. Rode rick Smithson, the E. M. T. County Coordinator. Emergency Unit Calls for Metropolitan Grand Rapids and Kent County Grand Rapids (2 Units E-1 and E-2) January 1973 thru December 1973 P. 1. Accidents 1237 Cardiac 410 Disregarded 76 Others 805 D. O. A. 's 114 Code K's 30 Total: 2672 Average Per Day 7. 3 Kent County (3 Units E-66, E-67, E-68) August 1973 thru April 1974 P. I. Accidents 553 Cardiac 202 Disregarded Others 241 Not Applicable D. O. A. 's l3 Code K's 3 Total: 1017 Average Per Day 4. 1 Wyoming (1 Unit E-50) February 18, 1974 thru May 8, 1974 P. I. Accidents 57 Cardiac 50 Disregarded Others 135 Not Applicable D. O. A. 's Code K's Total: 242 Average Per Day 3. 0 Kentwood (1 Unit E-35) P. I.

This fascinating book demonstrates how hypnotic communication has the potential to improve patient outcomes in emergency care, integrating insights on the connection between mind and body for paramedics and other first responders. Providing a step-by-step guide to using these skills around a range of contexts, from managing pain to cardiovascular emergencies to burns to respiratory distress, the book asks paramedics and first responders to become aware of what they say to patients, as well as how they say it. It offers ways to allow targeted communication to complement standard medical procedures, creating a symbiotic rapport that will provide the basis for an improved outcome for the patient. Fully referenced and based on a robust range of evidence, the book is written by an active paramedic with over 20 years’ experience with a Ph.D. in Human Development with a focus on paramedic decision-making; and a professor with doctorates in Health Psychology and Education who field tested the skills as a professional EMT. This book will interest any professional working in emergency care, including paramedics, EMTs, trauma nurses, and psychiatric nurses.

F.A. Bauhofer, Geneva In disaster situations, the particular concern of WHO is not so much to offer immediate relief and assistance for affected communities, but to have ready prepared plans for the provision of primary medical care as well as for resuscitation and casualty services. Disast ers are characterized by a need for rapid assistance and by the inability of affected communities to cope with the large scale mortality, morbidity, and damage to essential installations and homes. In some highly elaborate and centralized societies even small scale events may assume the proportion of a disaster, if they result in the serious break down of vital services. The Executive Board of the World Health Organization has defmed disasters or "emergencies", as situations where there are unforeseen, serious, and immediate threats to public health. Particularly severe disasters may be classified as catastrophes; such -occurrences, whether natural or man-made, disturb or overthrow the existing order. For planning purposes, it is important to distinguish between different types of catastrophes since they require special relief measures. In the past, medical assistance was primarily needed in epidemics of, for example, plague, cholera, and smallpox. Today, health authorities face emergency problems brought about by major accidents and outbreaks of chemical pollution and poisoning, which may have long-term effects. The role of health services may differ quite extenSively in different types of cata strophes, and an attempt must be made to draw up specific plans to deal with them.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.

C. Manni The focusing of general interest and of many disciplines on disaster medicine is an interesting and recent phenomenon in our society. Disasters have by now left the his torical and philosophical sphere and finally entered the operational arena. Modern man, in other words, no longer accepts disasters in a passive and fatalistic manner, but claims to be able to control them like so many other forces of nature. The new approach is aimed at preventing, containing, and remedying the invariably tragic consequences of these events. The role of medicine in this context is of fundamental importance and is charac terized by two main aspects: application of techniques of intervention appropriately and effectively, and collaboration with the general organization, assuming responsi bility for the protection of health and the treatment of injuries. Following a period of more or less chaotic growth, during which sectionalism and empirical interests prevailed, and localized aspects of this new discipline underwent considerable development, a need is now felt to propose and realize a more com prehensive scientific approach. It has become necessary to identify and to rationally analyze the individual components of this branch of medicine. As in any analysis, the recognition of the "object" of the research is of fundamental importance: hence the title of this first round table: "Types and Events of Disaster.