Things are talking 'Victim Tracking System'
Utrecht launches central recording of disaster victims
Recent disasters and several disaster exercises in the Netherlands made painfully clear that there is not yet a good system for recording and exchanging information about victims.
Family and friends were left in uncertainty, often for hours, about the condition and whereabouts of their loved ones. Moreover, hospitals were poorly informed about the inward transportation of casualties, and a thorough evaluation of the care provided was found to be impossible.
This initiative to establish the first Dutch victim tracking system (SVS) came from Luc Taal of the Utrecht teaching hospital. He took his idea to the provincial government and Utrecht municipal government. KPN was approached to provide the technical embodiment because of its expertise and reliability.
Benefits of the new Victim Tracking System
- More efficient distribution of injured persons and deployment of ambulances
- More efficient and more responsive use of hospitals
- Faster and more accurate information for family and friends
- Faster and more accurate evaluation of care provided to injured persons
- Provision of complete information to all other aid organisations to allow more efficient and responsive action in the event of disasters.
