Just-in-Time Training for Disaster Response in the Austere Environment

Healthcare providers are critical to disaster response throughout the world. Increasingly, there are government and nongovernment sponsored opportunities for providers to participate in disaster response as members of disaster response teams. Training regarding principles and practices of disaster response should begin long before ever deploying for a disaster. Training opportunities on-line and in-person are readily available, but not usually for a specific disaster at the time it occurs. Just-in-time disaster specific training prepares providers for imminent deployment for a real-time disaster. Particularly for disaster response in an austere environment, just-in-time disaster specific training optimizes preparation and response. This manuscript offers topics, strategies, and modalities for just-in-time pediatric-focused disaster training regarding situational awareness, personal preparation and resiliency, and delivery of patient care for austere environments.