Disaster preparedness and response as primary health care.

Received: 22 February 1995 Accepted: 25 July 1995 The need for search and rescue and medical care following a sudden impact disaster is immediate and often overwhelming. In the past, governments and international organizations have relied on external assistance for these efforts. Because the life expectancy of severely injured and trapped victims is limited, the response must come first from the impact area itself. The preponderance of disaster research demonstrates that the local populace overwhelmingly is responsible for search-and-rescue efforts." Emergency medical care, e.g., that delivered in the first 24 hours to 48 hours after a disaster, also is overwhelmingly from local or regional resources." Outside and, perhaps, even international assistance is required for mediumand long-term response, but is of limited benefit for the "emergency phase."