Attacks set workplace physicians on a new track

The specialty is tackling a different set of occupational concerns following Sept. 11.

By Damon Adams, AMNews staff. Feb. 25, 2002.

Linda Holifield-Kennedy, MD, MPH, saw firsthand on Sept. 11, 2001, that a disaster plan can make a difference. She was at her job as medical officer at the Pentagon Occupational Health Clinic when terrorists slammed American Airlines Flight 77 into the building.

"I had no idea until I ran outside and saw the plume of black smoke and the flames coming out of the Pentagon," said Dr. Holifield-Kennedy, who was evacuated with others from the clinic by the military. "It was very strange, like being in a bad movie."

After briefly returning to treat the injured, Dr. Holifield-Kennedy and others were again evacuated. The medical staff set up a triage and sent the injured to neighboring hospitals.

"This is what we were trained to do," Dr. Holifield-Kennedy said. "It was comforting to me to be in a position to offer some comfort and treatment to the victims."

Through planning and education, occupational doctors say they will be prepared if disaster strikes the workplace again.

"What [Sept. 11] did for us was to say this is possible," said Edward Bernacki, MD, MPH, president-elect of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and director of the division of occupational medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "We're the medical advisers for industry. They're going to look to us for answers."

And the ACOEM is going to be ready. By Sept. 12, 2001, the college had put together an emergency preparedness/disaster response Web site to aid doctors with issues such as infectious diseases and trauma. Guidelines were provided for doctors treating workers reacting to stress. [...]