Activity of a Medical Relief Team from Shizuoka Hospital that was Dispatched to the Atami Debris Flow in 2021

Abstract

Objective The present study aimed to report on the activity of a medical relief team from Juntendo Shizuoka Hospital that was dispatched to the Atami debris flow in 2021.

Design Narrative report.

Results A debris flow in Atami city resulted in the destruction of 131 houses and 26 deaths, with 1 people remaining missing. Twenty-seven of the 28 victims rescued after the collapse of their houses were asymptomatic or had minor injuries. The lifeline in Atami city and the faculty of a level II acute critical care hospital were preserved; thus, the demand for emergency medical intervention did not dramatically increase. The medical relief team from Juntendo Shizuoka Hospital contributed to the management of the headquarters of the Disaster Medical Assistance Teams in the public health center in Atami city, in coordination with members of various medical occupations or organizations to provide appropriate life support to refugees rather than urgent medical intervention.

Conclusions The main activity of the medical relief team from Juntendo Shizuoka Hospital was to provide appropriate life support for evacuated refugees in order to prevent disaster-related death among the refugees.