International Society of Disaster Medicine (ISDM)

Abstract

At the Seventh World Conference of the International Civil Defence Organisation held in February 1974 in Venezuela, delegations from 61 countries participated. One of the main topics was 'Mass casualty care in disaster situations'. Three professors attending the meeting - Prof. J. A. Baumann (University of Geneva, Switzerland), Prof. R. Frey (University of Mainz, Germany) and Prof. E. Musso (Geneva Civil Defence Office, Switzerland) - decided to found an international society in the field of disaster medicine. The founding meeting of the International Society of Disaster Medicine (ISDM) was held in Geneva on 22 October 1975, with the participation of the three founding members and Dr Milan Bodi, Secretary General of the International Civil Defence Organisation. It was decided that the headquarters of the society would be located in Geneva.