Health care system adaptation and resilience during the wildfire crisis

Health care system adaptation and resilience during the wildfire crisis
JAMA Network; by Attila J. Hertelendy, PhD, Jeremy Maggin, MD, MS, and Gregory Ciottone, MD; 3/19/25 
... Within a span of hours, the Palisades and Eaton fires, propelled by record-breaking Santa Ana winds reaching 150 miles per hour, consumed more than 37,000 acres, destroyed more than 16,000 structures, and claimed 29 lives. All told, greater than 186,000 residents were placed under evacuation orders. ... The experience in Los Angeles County demonstrates the value of maintaining dual-purpose resources: facilities and personnel who can transition between routine operations and emergency response functions. This approach is exemplified by Kaiser Permanente’s successful deployment of mobile health vehicles and the use of clinically trained administrative leaders in direct patient care roles during crisis events. Key elements of successful resource mobilization include:

• Maintenance of readily convertible clinical resources;
• Integration of clinical professionals in leadership positions;
• Development of preestablished staff redistribution protocols; and
• Implementation of comprehensive employee support programs.

Editor's note: Click here for the full article. Examine and share this all-important guidance with your leadership teams. To evaluate your own Emergency Disaster Plan, click here for the CMS.gov Emergency Preparedness Rule. Click here for Wisconsin's CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule Toolkit: Hospices.