Hong Kong: The Hospital Authority has set up a special emergency rescue team tohelp accident and natural disaster victims who are trapped in wreckage.The team will operate out of Tuen Mun Hospital and will be sent to any accident scene where an on-site amputation is necessary to free someone.
Dr Chow Yuk-yin, head of the orthopaedics and traumatology department for New Territories West, said the team had been set up to cope with natural disasters such as landslides or accidents such as building collapses. Chow said although firefighters had state-of-the-art rescue equipment, it was difficult to free people trapped under concrete.
The team will have one doctor, one nurse and one paramedic from the accident and emergency department and one doctor and one nurse from the orthopaedics and traumatology section, who will bring the equipment and drugs necessary to perform an on-site amputation. |
