Anderson, AARC Member, Talks Trauma Planning in Wake of Sandy Hook

December 17, 2012

Dr. Michael Anderson, an AARC member and physician from Cleveland, OH, was called upon by news media on the day of the Sandy Hook tragedy to help describe what likely would be happening at local hospitals to accommodate a surge of patients.

While early in the television coverage of the horrific incident, MSNBC called upon Dr. Anderson because of his disaster background. Dr. Anderson previously served as vice chair of the National Commission on Children and Disasters, a federal government agency. He is interim vice president and chief medical officer of University Hospitals of Cleveland and is an attending physician in the pediatric intensive care unit at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital.

Anderson described how caregivers might be reacting to the situation and said that health care professionals revert to their training to give the best care possible, even when emotions might have a tendency to surface. He talked about the need for emergency drills in our nation’s hospitals and effective surge plans.

“We are proud of Dr. Anderson’s affiliation with the AARC,” said Tom Kallstrom, MBA, RRT, FAARC, AARC Executive Director. “His insight is helpful at a time of such unimaginable tragedy. No one can help but be heartbroken. Dr. Anderson’s call to all of us for planning and emergency drills should be heeded.”