Community Health
Chapter 29
Natural and Manmade Disasters
Objectives
Identify the types of disasters.
Discuss the characteristics of disasters.
Describe the stages of a disaster.
Discuss the stages of disaster management.
Describe the roles of federal, state, local, and volunteer agencies involved in disaster management.
Identify potential bioterrorist chemical and biological agents.
Discuss the impact of disasters on a community.
Describe the role and responsibilities of nurses in relation to disasters.
Natural and Manmade Disasters
Health of a community affected by disasters
Programs created to address disasters:
National
State
Local
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Provides systematic way for government and nongovernmental agencies to work seamlessly to:
Prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from effects of disasters
Disaster Definitions
A disaster is any event that causes a level of destruction, death, or injury that affects the abilities of the community to respond to the incident using available resources.
Mass casualty involves 100+ individuals.
Multiple casualty involves 2 to 99 individuals.
Casualties classified as:
Direct victim
Indirect victim
Displaced person
Refugee
Types of Disasters
Natural disasters
Weather events, earthquakes, volcanoes, diseases
Manmade disasters
Wars, structural collapses, accidents, riots, pollution
Terrorism
May include use of weapons of mass destruction
Combination disasters
NA-TECH (natural/technological) disaster—a natural disaster that creates or results in a widespread technological problem
Characteristics of Disasters (1 of 3)
Frequency—how often a disaster occurs
Predictability—ability to determine when and whether a disaster will occur
Mitigation—actions taken to reduce loss of life and property
Take action before disaster happens
Imminence—speed of onset and anticipated duration of incident
Characteristics of Disasters (2 of 3)
Primary prevention—preventing occurrence of disaster or limiting consequences
Risk map—geographic map of area analyzed for potential disaster
Resource map—geographic map outlines resources available if area affected by disaster
Secondary prevention—strategies are implanted once the disaster occurs
Tertiary prevention—recovery
Characteristics of Disasters (3 of 3)
Scope—the range of the effects of the disaster
Number of casualties—number of individuals affected, injured, or killed
Intensity—level of destruction and devastation
Disaster Management
Requires interdisciplinary, collaborative team effort
Network of agencies and individuals
Planning creates a quicker and more efficient response.
Ensures resources are available
Roles and responsibilities of all personnel and agencies, both official and unofficial, are delineated.
Local, State, and Federal Governmental Responsibilities (1 of 3)
Local government
Prepare citizens for all kinds of emergencies and disasters
Office of Emergency Management
Mock drills
State government
Assist local officials with emergency plans
Workshops and training courses
Advise and support local government
National Response Framework is the core operational plan for domestic incident management.
Local, State, and Federal Governmental Responsibilities (2 of 3)
Federal government:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Prevent terrorism and ensures resilience to disasters
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Supports citizens and first responders to build, sustain, and improve the capacity to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards
Strengthened after Hurricane Katrina (2005)
Local, State, and Federal Governmental Responsibilities (3 of 3)
FEMA published in-depth guide for citizen preparedness, Are you ready?
Prepare
Practice
Maintain emergency plans
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Surveillance to ensure
Clean drinking water, food, shelter, and medical care
Public Health System
All governmental and nongovernmental organizations and agencies that contribute to improvement of the health of populations
American Red Cross
Nongovernmental agency
Chartered by Congress to provide disaster relief
Education, preparedness, and response
Meets needs of affected people and supports workers
Disaster Management Stages
Prevention stage
Preparedness and planning stage
Response stage
Recovery stage
Prevention Stage
Identify potential disaster risks.
Create risk maps
Educate citizens regarding what actions to take to prepare for disasters.
Individual, family, and community level
Develop a plan for meeting the potential disasters identified.
Create resource maps
Preparedness/Planning Stage
Individual and family preparedness
Training in first aid
Assembling a disaster emergency kit
Establishing a predetermined meeting place away from home
Making a family communication plan
Authority
Communication
Logistical
Evacuation and rescue
Response Stage
Response stage begins immediately after the disaster incident occurs.
May include:
Shelter in place
Evacuation
Search and rescue
Staging area
Disaster triage
Greatest good, for the greatest number, in the shortest time
Recovery Stage
Begins when the danger from the disaster has passed.
All local, state, and federal agencies are present in the area.
Help victims rebuild their lives
Restore public services
Cleanup of damage and repair begins
Evaluation and revision of the disaster plans
Understand the financial impact
Community Responses to a Disaster
Four phases:
Heroic phase—helping others
Honeymoon phase—relive event and tell stories; express gratitude
Disillusionment phase—feelings of despair and exhaustion
Reconstruction phase—rebuilding, return to normalcy
Common reactions to a disaster
Posttraumatic stress disorder