Hurricane Gustav Reconnaissance: Lessons Learned by New Orleans Hospitals from Katrina to Gustav

Keywords: Hurricane Gustav.  Reconnaissance reports.  New Orleans.  Hurricane Katrina.  Hospitals.  Acute care facilities.  Disaster resiliency.  Damage.  Emergency preparedness.

Abstract: This reconnaissance trip, undertaken following Hurricane Gustav, provided the team with a unique opportunity to return to New Orleans to collect and compare information on the operations of the city’s acute care hospital system following Hurricane Gustav.  Both authors had previously participated in an extensive reconnaissance effort following Hurricane Katrina, and this trip enabled them to determine if the hospital system had become more resilient.