French white plan
Encyclopedia
The French white plan is, in France
, the emergency plan to face a sudden increase of activity in an hospital
, such as a massive arrival of casualties due to an accident
or a disaster
(who may come by their own means to the emergency department
or are evacuated by a red plan
), an epidemic
or a lasting climatic event that becomes deadly for fragile people such as a heatwave.
The scheme of the White plans for the département is made by the Director of public health (directeur départemental des affaires sanitaires et sociales), with the technical collaboration of the SAMU
(French emergency medical service) and the Regional Public Health Authority. Public Heath White Plans are integrated with (Red) Comprehensive Disaster Plans.
Once it is started, by the Medical Regulator Doctor decision of the SAMU
who alerts Public Heath Authority for extension. Samu sends on the first line of the site a Samu Command Post and an Advanced Medical Post for prehospital Medical triaging. The Samu implements a specific Extension of its daily Medical Regulation task. Neighbouring Samu and even national Samu network and Public Health Ministry are connected with the local organisation and bring assistance to the local organization.
White plans can be started in local Prehospital, Hospital site or Air Evacuation site or in Regional or Higher levels.
The actions performed by the White Plans include:
In case of a contaminating event (nuclear
, radiological
, biological
or chemical
— NBC), the flow of incoming patients must be strictly controlled to avoid the contamination of the rest of the institution.
The terrorist acts are likely to happen at the end of the afternoon, to "benefit" from the mass media coverage of the evening news (at 8 PM, "le 20h"). In this case, keeping the day shift allows to have two shifts at the same time when the evening shift arrives.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the emergency plan to face a sudden increase of activity in an hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, such as a massive arrival of casualties due to an accident
Accident
An accident or mishap is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity. It implies a generally negative outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its...
or a disaster
Disaster
A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment...
(who may come by their own means to the emergency department
Emergency department
An emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
or are evacuated by a red plan
French red plan
The French red plan is a French emergency plan used if an emergency has a significant number of casualties in a limited area. Its aim is to organize the rescue resources to cope with the concentrated casualties....
), an epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
or a lasting climatic event that becomes deadly for fragile people such as a heatwave.
Description
The French Disaster "White plans" are the new trend for the Samu national network and Integrated EMS (IEMS) towards a modern Medico Sanitary Civil Defense. These Sanitary Disaster plans are mandatory and implememented by each Public Health Agency, public or private, by a person chosen by the institution. The plan is submitted to the consultative and deliberative authorities of the institution (board of directors, medical committee, technical committee, hygiene, security and working conditions committee) and by Regional Public Health Authorities.The scheme of the White plans for the département is made by the Director of public health (directeur départemental des affaires sanitaires et sociales), with the technical collaboration of the SAMU
Samu
Samu may refer to:* Samu, nickname for a Homo erectus man found in Vértesszőlős, Hungary* SAMU - Service d'Aide Médicale d'Urgence, an emergency medical service in France.* Servicio de Atencion Medica Urgente, also an emergency medical service...
(French emergency medical service) and the Regional Public Health Authority. Public Heath White Plans are integrated with (Red) Comprehensive Disaster Plans.
Once it is started, by the Medical Regulator Doctor decision of the SAMU
Samu
Samu may refer to:* Samu, nickname for a Homo erectus man found in Vértesszőlős, Hungary* SAMU - Service d'Aide Médicale d'Urgence, an emergency medical service in France.* Servicio de Atencion Medica Urgente, also an emergency medical service...
who alerts Public Heath Authority for extension. Samu sends on the first line of the site a Samu Command Post and an Advanced Medical Post for prehospital Medical triaging. The Samu implements a specific Extension of its daily Medical Regulation task. Neighbouring Samu and even national Samu network and Public Health Ministry are connected with the local organisation and bring assistance to the local organization.
White plans can be started in local Prehospital, Hospital site or Air Evacuation site or in Regional or Higher levels.
The actions performed by the White Plans include:
- a crisis management cell at each level (cellule de crise) is set up
- the Care professional teams are maintained on duty (especially when the crisis happens at the shift change)
- the off-duty personnel are gradually called back, in order to have sufficient means, but keeping a reserve to take over if the crisis lasts;
- the transfer of patients from the strongly involved services to less involved services, and possibly to other less involved health institutions or even to home under Samu regulation aid.
- the non-emergency operations are cancelled from the schedule;
- the available means are listed by the medical-technical services (pharmacyPharmacyPharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
, laboratoriesLaboratoryA laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
, medical imagingMedical imagingMedical imaging is the technique and process used to create images of the human body for clinical purposes or medical science...
) and the logisticsLogisticsLogistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
services (laundryLaundryLaundry is a noun that refers to the act of washing clothing and linens, the place where that washing is done, and/or that which needs to be, is being, or has been laundered...
, cateringCateringCatering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
) ; - the switchboard is strengthened, the communications are exclusively reserved for the white plan;
- if necessary, the hospital is strengthened by a mobile sanitary kitField hospitalA field hospital is a large mobile medical unit that temporarily takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent hospital facilities...
(poste sanitaire mobile, PSM) ; - in case of massive arrival at the emergency department, a strict triageTriageTriage or ) is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition. This rations patient treatment efficiently when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately. The term comes from the French verb trier, meaning to separate,...
is organized at the entrance of the hospital under the charge of a sorting physician; it is performed in a big room that is different from the usual emergency entrance and from the reception for the relatives and the pressJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
; - a reception for the relatives and for the press is organized; the priests of the different religionReligionReligion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
s are requested to help the relatives (morale); - the traffic on the site is organized, to allow the emergency transfers and the norias ("scoop noria" (noria de ramassage) or "small noria");
- additional signs and boards are placed to allow an easy foot traffic inside the building; the watch and security are increased;
- when necessary, volunteers from associationsVoluntary associationA voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
can be requested (first aidFirst aidFirst aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
or social aid associations), to deal with the small cares and support actions.
In case of a contaminating event (nuclear
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
, radiological
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
, biological
Biological warfare
Biological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war...
or chemical
Chemical warfare
Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
— NBC), the flow of incoming patients must be strictly controlled to avoid the contamination of the rest of the institution.
The terrorist acts are likely to happen at the end of the afternoon, to "benefit" from the mass media coverage of the evening news (at 8 PM, "le 20h"). In this case, keeping the day shift allows to have two shifts at the same time when the evening shift arrives.