Christopher Ryan, MD, medical director for Broome County's Health Department and a clinical associate professor of family medicine at Upstate, speaks March 20 about his experience during the massive floods that occurred in the Binghamton area in 2011.

His talk will provide an overview of lessons learned during that disaster and information that other communities can apply to other disaster situations. It is designed for those who work in disaster preparedness, including public health professionals, physicians, nurses and students.

He will explain the magnitude and nature of medical issues to expect among people displaced by a flood or other disaster and provide several new people and organizations that could help improve a response to disaster and mass evacuation. Ryan will also talk about how communities have to rely on their own resources for the first three to five days of a disaster and must plan accordingly.

"Medical Sheltering During a Flood Evacuation" is free and open to the public. It will be held from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Thursday, March 20 in room 2231 of Weiskotten Hall, 766 Irving Ave. on the campus of Upstate Medical University. If you cannot make it in person, register for the webinar.