Jessica Hickingbotham
Originally from country Victoria and always a country girl at heart, I have over 10 years of experience as a Critical Care Registered Nurse, working in various Emergency Departments and ICUs in both rural and metropolitan areas. I have worked in Emergency Department telehealth for several years and am currently the Clinical Solution Manager of Belgravia eHealth, providing technical and clinical solutions to Ambulance Secondary Triage and other health providers.
Passionate about helping and showing love and hope to those in their time of need I volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse as a member of their Disaster Assistance Response Team.
Presentation Title and Overview: Lessons from the Frontlines: Medical Response in Post-Earthquake Turkey
Join me on an exploration into the heart of disaster response as I share my firsthand experiences from the frontlines in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and Syria on February 6th, 2023. Extract critical lessons from this event, as we navigate through the immense challenges faced, the inspiring resilience, and what we can do to better prepare for and respond to future disasters.
Discover the harrowing realities faced by the collapse of a healthcare system due to the loss of major infrastructure, facilities, and personnel. Learn how paramedics became the lifelines of the community, transforming a hospital carpark into a vital hub of emergency operations supported by airforce assistance.
In a critical rush to save lives, we will explore the initial response to the disaster and the evolving medical needs post-disaster. Uncover the crucial role that health literacy plays in empowering individuals and communities and how a lack of it left many exceptionally vulnerable. We will also touch on the mental health impact on emergency responders who faced unimaginable trauma.
This presentation is not just a recounting of events but a prompt to start thinking about what we, as emergency responders, can start putting in place so that our teams and communities can be better prepared in times of high demand and future disasters.