RNRN monitors LA wildfires, assesses need for nurse volunteers

California Wildfires Prompt Preparedness Efforts by Nurse Volunteers

The Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN), a disaster relief initiative under National Nurses United (NNU) and the California Nurses Foundation, is closely monitoring the severe wildfires impacting the greater Los Angeles region. These wildfires have wreaked havoc, claiming five lives and destroying numerous structures. RNRN is evaluating the need to deploy nurse volunteers to assist in the crisis.

UCLA Santa Monica Pediatric RN Kristan Delmarty shared her experience during the crisis. “The windows were rattling in the hospital. It was feeling apocalyptic,” she said, as flames consumed the Pacific Palisades hillside visible from her workplace. The California Nurses Association (CNA), affiliated with NNU, represents registered nurses at various hospitals in the LA area, including UCLA Santa Monica and Providence St John’s. Although these facilities are near the fire zones, they are outside the evacuation areas and remain operational. For specific clinic closures, refer to individual hospital websites.

Delmarty described the rapid escalation of the fire by the end of her shift. Although her home, located 40 miles from Los Angeles, is safe, she expressed concern for her coworkers who may face uncertainty regarding their homes' fates.

“Some of them don’t even know yet about the status of their homes,” Delmarty explained, highlighting the restricted access to certain areas to prioritize emergency vehicles and mitigate the dangers posed by toxic smoke. She emphasized the significance of being cautious about wildfire smoke, especially during a busy respiratory illness season that affects urban populations prone to conditions like asthma.

“Just a little smoke inhalation with these conditions can send you into the hospital. Even for healthy people, it’s not good to be out there in the toxic air. It’s not just trees burning, it’s houses and toxic things. We all need to take precautions,” Delmarty advised, urging residents to monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) and wear masks if necessary.

As RNRN continues to monitor the fires and evaluate volunteer needs, they invite nurses to join the California fire standby list. Delmarty emphasized the ongoing nature of climate-related disasters, suggesting that future volunteer opportunities are likely.

“Climate change is really a health crisis. It impacts people and communities not just in terms of physical health, but the health of our environment,” Delmarty noted, citing the impact on water supplies, with boil warnings issued in various areas. She urged nurses to prepare personal emergency plans to ensure their readiness when patients require their services.

“We have to make sure we have our own stuff in order so we can step forward when our patients need us,” she added.

RNRN, a national network of direct-care RNs, mobilizes volunteers to disaster-hit zones as needed. The California Nurses Association represents over 100,000 RNs in California, while National Nurses United is the largest RN union and professional association in the U.S., with more than 250,000 members.