MISSION VIEJO : Disaster Plan Likened to War Aid

A plan to deal with a major disaster in Orange County, touted as the first of its kind in the country, was unveiled Wednesday by a group of Orange County physicians called Medical Disaster Response Inc.

The plan is two-pronged. First, doctors and nurses are recruited to be on call in case of a widespread emergency. Up to 75 doctors will be on call at any time in Orange County.

Second, the group has placed $7,000 first-aid kits in strategic locations. Each kit contains supplies to treat up to 25 critically injured patients.

“It’s like an aid station in a war zone,” said Dr. Robert Bade, founder of the program. “We can save a lot of lives by stabilizing them on the scene. We did this because it’s any emergency physician’s nightmare to be in the middle of a disaster and not be prepared.”

Mission Viejo is the first city to sign up for the Medical Disaster Response program. But Disneyland, the county, and the cities of Irvine and Newport Beach are in line to receive the kits.

Bade said he eventually hopes to have the kits, or “modules,” placed in 150 locations.

The county is buying seven kits for the Fire Department. Gaddi H. Vasquez, supervisor for the county’s 5th District, said the county has a dire need for full-scale emergency management.

“When the big earthquake strikes, we’re not going to be playing by the traditional rules,” he said. “We need a clear response to those kind of circumstances.”

The public has a short attention span when it comes to disaster preparedness, Bade said, and unfortunately state and federal governments don’t seem to have the resources to implement nationwide disaster plans.

“Some call it the John Wayne syndrome,” he said. “Everyone expects John Wayne to ride over the hill and rescue them anytime they need it. The numbers of people affected by a large earthquake in Southern California are so astronomical, the numbers scare everyone off.”

Bade and other members of the Medical Disaster Response team drew on information gathered from earthquakes worldwide.

“We can’t perform major surgery like a MASH unit, but we can hold them stable for long periods of time,” Bade said. “It can make the difference between life and adding another number to a death count.