Proposed New ASTM Emergency Medical Services Standard Focuses on Equipment for Mass Casualty Events

 

Mass casualty events, including both natural disasters and man-made events, subject caregivers, patients and medical equipment to environmental extremes. A new standard, ASTM WK23835, being developed by ASTM International Committee F30 on Emergency Medical Services provides guidance for how medical equipment is expected to perform under the severe conditions of a mass casualty event.

According to Leslie Sherman, president, Impact Instrumentation Inc., and vice chair of Committee, ASTM WK23835 will be used to educate and assist those involved in the selection of medical equipment for mass casualty care preparedness. "The educational aspect of the proposed standard will focus on how nontraditional environments can have deleterious effects on the operation of traditional medical equipment and the dangers these environments present to patient and caregiver,” says Sherman.

Individuals responsible for selecting medical devices for mass casualty events will be the primary users of the proposed standard.

For technical Information, contact Leslie Sherman, Impact Instrumentation Inc., West Caldwell, N.J. (phone: 973-882-1212; lsherman@impactii.com). For more information on becoming an ASTM member, please contact Scott Orthey, ASTM International (phone: 610-832-9730; sorthey@astm.org).

Release #8256/May2009

 

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