Ann. Medit. Burns Club - vol. VII - n. 3 - September 1994

THE MEDITERRANEAN BURNS CLUB AND THE WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Burns are one of the most traumatic emergencies and fire disasters constitute one of the most destructive events in society. It is therefore natural that the Mediterranean Bums Club should have strong ties with the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine. Following the 8th World Congress of WADEM that was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in June 1993, the MBC became affiliated with WADEM as a Federated Member. This not only mutually strengthens the work of the two organizations but also provides definite advantages to MBC members on a worldwide scale. A brief description of WADEM is given below. Those wishing to have more information or to become members will find an application form elsewhere in this issue of Annals.

The Club of Mainz was founded on October 2, 1976 with the goal of improving the worldwide delivery of pre hospital and emergency care during everyday and mass emergency disasters. The founding members were renowned researchers, Practitioners, and teachers of acute care medicine who joined together to focus their energies on the scientific, educational and clinical aspects of immediate care. Following the constant development of its scope and extension worldwide, and to better reflect its nature, the organization's name was changed to the World
Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine.
While the Association has grown over the years, the founding principles have remained the same. Our members continue to actively work to solve technical, scientific and political problems surrounding the management of emergency incidents. Through their dedication, and with your help, we can better provide pioneering solutions and mean ingful change in our disaster-ridden world. Plans are already afoot to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Association with an important World Congress to be held in Mainz in 1997. Burns and fire disasters will of course receive serious attention.

Currently, members receive information and participate in an international link with their peers through five major avenues: The biennial World Congresses, where members and interested participants present scientific reports on emergency and resuscitation research, individual responses to major disasters, and changes in systems of providing prehospital care. The next World Congresseg will be held in Jerusalem, 1995 and Mainz, 1997.
The only peer-reviewed research and scientific journal in its field, Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, published quarterly, which provides practitioners with a readable, usable source of current research and thoughtful analysis of response activities, worldwide.
A biannual newsletter which includes news of interest to the membership.
Task forces covering Chemical and Hazardous Materials Accidents, Fire Incidents and Aeromedicine, International Disaster Medical Responses, and Pediatric Disaster Medical Care, all of which strive to identify problems in their selected areas and work toward constructive solutions.
Federated Society memberships are made available to other organizations that study the various aspects of prehospital or disaster responses. This affiliation encourages collaboration on an international scale and paves the way for increased scientific openness through out the emergency and medical response community.