Medical students as disaster volunteers: A strategy for improving emergency department surge response in times of crisis

Figure 1 Disaster first aider course. A: Application of pressure dressing to stop bleeding; B: Arm sling for fractures.

Figure 2 Disaster field responder course. A: Teaching Disaster Volunteer Corps students how to apply principles of disaster triage in the field; B: Bioterrorism and pandemic preparedness course: Donning of the powered air purifying respirator; C: Radiation responder course: Use of Radiation Survey Meters to detect radiation contamination; D: Psychological first aider course: Coaching students on how to counsel psychological casualties.

Figure 3 Hospital Decontamination Station first responder course. A: Disaster Volunteer Corps (DVC) students decontaminate ‘casualties’ from a chemical incident; B: DVC students with staff and hazmat instructors.