Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c47g7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T08:15:10.359Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Medical Response to the Tianjin Explosions: Lessons Learned

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 December 2017

Jin-Jun Zhang ,
Tian-Bing Wang ,
Da Fan ,
Jun Zhang  and
Bao-Guo Jiang
Jin-Jun Zhang
Affiliation:
Beijing Emergency Medical Center, Beijing, China
Tian-Bing Wang
Affiliation:
Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
Da Fan
Affiliation:
Beijing Emergency Medical Center, Beijing, China
Jun Zhang
Affiliation:
Peking University Binhai Hospital, Tianjin, China
Bao-Guo Jiang*
Affiliation:
Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Baoguo Jiang, MD, PhD, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing 100044, China (email: jiangbaoguo@vip.sina.com).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

On August 12, 2015, a hazardous chemical explosion occurred in the Tianjin Port of China. The explosions resulted in 165 deaths, 8 missing people, injuries to thousands of people. We present the responses of emergency medical services and hospitals to the explosions and summarize the lessons that can be learned.

Methods

This study was a retrospective analysis of the responses of emergency medical services and hospitals to the Tianjin explosions. Data on injuries, outcomes, and patient flow were obtained from the government and the hospitals.

Results

A total of 46 ambulances and 143 prehospital care professionals were dispatched to the scene, and 198 wounded were transferred to hospitals by ambulance. More than 4000 wounded casualties surged into hospitals, and 798 wounded were admitted. Both emergency medical services and hospitals were quick and successful in the early stage of the explosions. The strategy of 4 centralizations (4Cs) for medical services management in a mass casualty event was successfully applied.

Conclusions

The risk of accidental events has increased in recent years. We should take advantage of the lessons learned from the explosions and apply these in future disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018; 12: 411–414)

Keywords

Tianjin explosiondisasterEMSmedical responsesurge hospital
Type
Report from the Field
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , June 2018 , pp. 411 - 414
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. State Council of the People’s Republic of China. Investigation report on Tianjin port explosion accidents [in Chinese]. http://xuan.news.cn/cloudnews/wyxh/20160205/2691823_f.html. Accessed April 28, 2016.Google Scholar
2. Richardson, BK. The phases of disaster as a relationship between structure and meaning: a narrative analysis of the 1947 Texas City explosion. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 2005;23(3):27-54.Google Scholar
3. Arturson, G. The tragedy of San Juanico--the most severe LPG disaster in history. Burns Incl Therm Inj. 1987;13(2):87-102.10.1016/0305-4179(87)90096-9Google Scholar
4. Government of the People’s Republic of China. President Xi Jinping instructions Tianjin explosion: the “extremely profound” lessons paid for with blood [in Chinese]. http://cpc.people.com.cn/xuexi/n/2015/0817/c385474-27472651.html. Accessed April 28, 2016.Google Scholar
5. Koenig, KL. Strip and shower: the duck and cover for the 21st century. Ann Emerg Med. 2003;42(3):391-394.10.1016/S0196-0644(03)00632-2Google Scholar
6. Koenig, KL. Preparedness for terrorism: managing nuclear, biological and chemical threats. Ann Acad Med. 2009;38(12):1026-1030.Google Scholar
7. Aylwin, CJ, Konig, TC, Brennan, NW, et al. Reduction in critical mortality in urban mass casualty incidents: analysis of triage, surge, and resource use after the London bombings on July 7, 2005. Lancet. 2006;368(9554):2219-2225.Google Scholar
8. Guo-Qiang, Li, Shi-Ke, Hou, Xin, Yu, et al. A descriptive analysis of injury triage, surge of medical demand, and resource use in an university hospital after 8.12 Tianjin Port Explosion, China. Chin J Trauma. 2015;18(6):314-319.Google Scholar
9. Wang, T, Yin, X, Zhang, P, et al. Road traffic injury and rescue system in China. Lancet. 2015;385(9978):1622.10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60794-2Google Scholar
10. Kellermann, AL, Peleg, K. Lessons from Boston. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(21):1956-1957.Google Scholar
11. Ishii, M. Overview of Japan Medical Association Team (JMAT) for disaster relief. JMAJ. 2013;56(1):1-9.Google Scholar