Regional Variation in Critical Care Evacuation Needs for Children after a Mass Casualty Incident

The author modeled the ability of five New York state regions to accept 30 children after a mass casualty incident (MCI), and calculated the time to evacuate patients to PICU beds in other regions when surge exceeded capacity. He found that large metropolitan areas could best accommodate patients following a local MCI and serve as a critical resource to other regions if they need surge support. Ground transportation was found to be quickest for evacuations in large metropolitan areas, while helicopters may be best for areas distant from metropolitan areas.