Citation

Kizer KW, Cushing TS, Nishimi RY. Ann. Emerg. Med. 2000; 36(3): 255-261.

Affiliation

National Quality Forum, Washington, DC, and National Programs, Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group, Department of Veterans Affairs, Martinsburg, WV, USA. kwkizer@qualityforum.org

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, American College of Emergency Physicians, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1067/mem.2000.109890

PMID

10969234

Abstract

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has been increasingly called on to provide disaster relief health care personnel and other emergency assistance since the role of the Department of Veterans Affairs in emergency management was expanded by the Federal Response Plan in 1992. This article briefly reviews the VHA's emergency management functions currently specified by the Federal Response Plan and its present activities in procuring and maintaining antidotes, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical stockpiles to be used in response to terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction. In view of VHA's national scope and extensive assets, its administration by the government, and its critical role in health professional training, there are several additional ways that VHA could economically augment the federal government's efforts to better support and prepare local jurisdictions for disasters or incidents involving weapons of mass destruction, if the required authorization and funding were provided.

Language: en