Wanted: Disaster-Relief Orthopaedists

Maureen Leahy; Crystal A. Wells

Orthopaedic surgeons are often among the first to respond when a disaster occurs and massive relief efforts are needed. In the wake of the Haiti earthquake in 2010, for example, more than 500 AAOS members volunteered their services and many were on the ground within 48 hours. This unparalleled response led to the creation of an AAOS formal disaster preparedness plan designed to enable an effective and efficient volunteer response when future disasters strike.