Emergency responders and other healthcare providers are gathering Friday and Saturday for the 23rd annual Trauma and Emergency Symposium in downtown Wilmington.
WHQR’s Jessica Ferrer reports that the event includes national speakers who were faced with handling two of the most high profile American tragedies last year.
Dr. Peter Rhee was former U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ surgeon. He will speak about the challenges of managing media attention and keeping the public informed about the condition of Giffords and the other survivors of last year’s Tucson shooting.
Jeff Hamilton will speak about the tornadoes that raged through Joplin, Missouri and destroyed a local hospital. As the emergency management coordinator for that disaster, he will talk about the responsiveness of the medical community.
In North Carolina last year, dozens of tornadoes killed 24 people. Along with the human toll, thousands of homes were either damaged or destroyed.
The event will be hosted by New Hanover Regional Medical Center and the South East Area Health Education Center.
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