The devastation wrought by powerful hurricanes within the last two years attests to the need to prepare healthcare professionals to anticipate and respond to disasters. The 2019 International Conference on Disaster Medicine and Hurricane Resiliency was organized to bring together physicians, nurses, educators, and other professionals to explore disaster medicine in the context of the threat posed by hurricanes and other severe weather events.
Hosted by the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) and in cooperation with Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians (HMFP) of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the conference was held March 8-11, 2019 on AUC's medical sciences campus on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten. In addition to sharing research and best practices around disaster management, the conference marked the launch of the new Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine (CCDM), an AUC center of excellence created to foster collaboration among professionals responsible for healthcare delivery, disaster preparedness, emergency response, and medical education. The CCDM aims to play a lead role in advancing the Caribbean region’s capacity to prepare for and respond to major disasters.
More than 280 attendees representing 12 countries including 9 Caribbean islands
Presentations, panel discussions, and workshops led by more than 50 experts
Perspectives on the recent experience of Hurricane Irma from both the Dutch (Sint Maarten) and French (St. Martin) sides of the conference’s host island
A diverse group of speakers and delegates representing many aspects of disaster preparedness and response: disaster medicine and veterinary medicine, nursing, hospital administration, mental health, telehealth, EMS and first responders, disaster recovery and humanitarian assistance, medical education, and more.
Check out photos from our 2019 conference, including select images from our opening ceremony, speaker presentations, and poster exhibit hall.
A combined slideshow featuring a sample of presentations delivered at this year's conference, including by: