In 2024, the U.S. suffered 24 weather and climate disasters. In October alone, two major hurricanes devastated communities in North Carolina and Florida, leaving residents struggling with scarce resources. In these challenging times, hospitals and health care systems are safe havens, providing communities essential health care services, coordinating with emergency response teams, and supporting those affected. Hospitals and health care systems must be prepared to handle the unexpected and ready to meet the health care needs of everyone – young and old – in the community.

Children often receive care in general acute care hospitals rather than at dedicated pediatric facilities. This means every hospital – not just specialized pediatric centers – needs to be equipped and prepared to manage and treat pediatric emergencies. In 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response funded the Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence, an initiative to design and share evidence-based practices and protocols emergency departments can implement to address the needs of children day to day and in disasters.

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and Corewell Health Children’s are among the hospitals on this journey. In a recent AHA webinar, they shared five action steps hospitals can take to establish pediatric disaster readiness, as well as day-to-day readiness.

1. Build awareness and conduct asset mapping. Hospitals recognize that their EDs are required by law to screen, and either stabilize or transfer patients, both adult and pediatric, to a higher level of care. Use the ED Checklist to assess if your hospital’s ED has the critical components to serve pediatric-specific health care needs. Take the National Pediatric Readiness Project assessment and receive a pediatric readiness score for your ED and a gap report to understand where to make improvements in pediatric readiness.
2. Review your current disaster preparedness plan. Children’s unique vulnerabilities are often magnified during disasters. Use the Essential Pediatric Considerations for Every Hospital’s Disaster Policies checklist to examine if your current disaster preparedness plan contains essential tools, resources, policies, partnerships and workforce to address the diverse needs of children that arise in disasters.
3. Connect and coordinate with your state and region. Develop a clear picture of existing resources locally, in the state and across the region, and work to coordinate and streamline response and recovery efforts for pediatric readiness. Partner with nearby states to network, learn and build a collective repository of resources and workforce. These partnerships are crucial for potentially establishing transfer agreements amongst hospitals for high-risk or trauma patients.
4. Build capacity and competencies. Enhance your hospital’s capabilities and capacity by expanding educational competencies and trainings focused on responding to surges and increased patient volumes. Hospitals can offer Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator training to empower pediatric care coordinators and emergency medical services to be properly equipped to manage pediatric emergencies. Use the National Pediatric Readiness Project toolkit to find recommendations and tools hospitals can use to address gaps in their pediatric disaster care, along with services hospitals can implement to build operational readiness to manage pediatric needs daily. Disaster situations can be distressing, and hospitals also should be prepared with trained mental health professionals who understand pediatric trauma.
5. Engage with the community for practical solutions. Work with community stakeholders and families to hear their first-hand experiences to design support that will meet their children’s health care needs.

Hospitals and their health care professionals understand that children are not little adults. These action steps serve as a guide to building pediatric readiness in emergency situations. When effectively implemented, they can help ensure that hospitals and emergency responders are even better prepared to address the unique needs of children. America’s hospitals and health systems are committed to continually improving the care we provide for our communities, and that includes caring for kids.

Aisha Syeda, MPH, serves as senior program manager for AHA’s Strategic Initiatives.