TEEX Trains Healthcare Professionals in Pediatric Disaster Response
Course addresses pediatric patient needs in the event of a large-scale disaster
Nearly 18 million children under 18 years old live in the six U.S. Gulf Coast States and Puerto Rico, but only 47 percent of hospitals nationwide have a disaster plan that includes pediatric patients. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and the Gulf 7 Pediatric Disaster Network (G7 Network) are working to change that by improving medical care for children who experience natural and human-made disasters.
The G7 Network serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Puerto Rico. The network seeks to develop best practices around disaster preparedness and response for children and their parents and to share these practices at the local, state and regional levels. The G7 Network, led by Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, is one of three Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence created and funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.
TEEX is the training provider for the G7 Network, and offers a two-day, 16-hour pediatric disaster training course, Pediatric Preparedness for the Healthcare Professional, at no charge. The course is specifically designed for healthcare providers, EMS/medical response personnel, medical volunteers, emergency managers and public health workers.
During the course, participants learn what is necessary to develop comprehensive community and facility plans for improving pediatric clinical care and post-disaster resilience. Pediatric-specific planning considerations discussed during the course include emergency management considerations; public health considerations; building pediatric surge capacity; clinical implications of chemical, biological, radiological and explosive events; building resilience; reunification when children are separated from family members; and behavioral health implications, among others.
“This comprehensive course prepares healthcare professionals to take care of children in the event of a disaster such as a flood, hurricane, wildfire, chemical spill, pandemic or other mass injury event or hazard,” said Glenn Miller, TEEX Training Manager in the TEEX Preparedness Program. “We cover all aspects across the disaster cycle spectrum of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery for the pediatric population.”
The G7 Network brings together private and public entities including regional healthcare coalitions, public health and emergency managers, and public safety providers. The course is accredited through the Texas Department of State Health Services, Emergency Nurses Association and American Academy of Family Physicians.
“This free, accredited pediatric disaster course delivers 16 hours of high-impact clinical training—empowering healthcare providers to lead with confidence, resilience, and readiness when it matters most,” said Nichole Davis, Co-Director, Education Domain, Gulf 7 Pediatric Disaster Network. “This is the pediatric disaster course I’ve always wished existed—free and laser-focused on the real clinical challenges we face. It’s engaging, it’s practical, and aims to transform the way we prepare to care for kids when disaster strikes!”
For more information about the course, Pediatric Preparedness for the Healthcare Professional, and the G7 network, visit: https://www.g7pedsdisaster.org/contact.
About TEEX
The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is an internationally recognized leader in emergency response training, workforce training and technical assistance. In 2024, TEEX trained more than 225,000 participants from every U.S. state and territory and 124 countries worldwide.
Major TEEX programs include Fire and Emergency Services, Infrastructure and Safety, Law Enforcement and Protective Services, and Business and Cyber Solutions. Additionally, through its National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (NERRTC), TEEX provides federally funded homeland security training and technical assistance for communities across the nation. The agency also sponsors the Texas A&M Public Works Response Team (TX-PWRT) and the Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1), Texas Task Force 2 (TX-TF2), and Texas A&M Task Force 3 (TX-TF3) Urban Search and Rescue Teams.
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Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
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