ED Manag. 2007 Sep;19(9):99-101.
Even with the most intricate disaster response plan, not all contingencies will be accounted for. In the case of the Minnesota bridge collapse, one ED manager had to rely on his experience and judgment to determine exactly when to implement the plan. Don't wait until you are sure your ED will be overwhelmed with new patients to begin preparing for that eventuality. Assess your resources, and have additional help lined up. If you do not have insufficient data to definitively state there is a disaster, err on the side of caution and initiate disaster response. Make sure your plan has a well thought-out strategy for making additional beds available.
即使拥有最复杂的灾难应对计划，也不可能考虑到所有可能发生的情况。以明尼苏达州桥梁坍塌事件为例，一名急诊科经理不得不依靠自己的经验和判断来确定究竟何时实施该计划。不要等到确定急诊科会被大量新患者挤满时才开始为这种可能性做准备。评估你的资源，并安排好额外的援助。如果你没有足够的数据来明确表明发生了灾难，宁可谨慎行事，启动灾难应对措施。确保你的计划有一个深思熟虑的策略来提供更多床位。
