Reflection on Learning

One evidence-based strategy for leading emergency preparedness

Nations are facing an increase in disasters including their severity and frequency. According to Eisenman et al., (2018), emergency preparedness is the best strategy to handle emergencies effectively. The best evidence-based strategy for leading emergency preparedness is involving every member of the community in preparedness. It is the role of each nation to prioritize engaging the communities in their own emergency planning and preparedness. However, this is something that has not been achieved. A study by Eisenman et al., (2018) indicates that governments can involve the communities in emergency planning and preparedness by providing local healthcare centers and departments with enough resources to train members of the community on improving household disaster preparedness in their localities. People in the community have to understand the measures to take in case of an emergency and how to act quickly and efficiently to reduce the complications associated with disasters.

One evidence-based strategy for shaping healthcare system outcomes in disaster

Quarantine is the best evidence-based strategy for shaping the outcomes of a healthcare system during a disaster. Quarantine is the process by which individuals who are infected by a disease are isolated from the public to avoid the spread of the infectious disease. Even those individuals who have been exposed to the disease even if they are not infected yet can be quarantined. A good example of the effectiveness of quarantine was during the outbreak of the Corona Virus Wuhan China. The spread of the disease forced many countries to impose mandatory quarantine. “By reducing the contact rate of latent individuals, interventions such as quarantine and isolation can effectively reduce the potential peak number of COVID-19 infections and delay the time of peak infection” (Hou et al., 2020). This indicates that quarantine is an effective strategy. However, the regulations put in place by the CDC must be followed.

The disaster risks for my local community

I come from Chicago and I have noticed a high rate of Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA) in our locality and the surrounding areas. When watching news every day, it is like one cannot miss news on a motor vehicle accident that caused death, injuries, or other problems. The issues of concern are the causes of these accidents and the number of deaths and injuries that are resulting from the accidents. I have had neighbors and other people that I knew who have succumbed to MVAs. In addition, a lot of people have become disabled due to these accidents. Most reported causes of these accidents are impaired or distracted drivers, bad weather conditions, and pedestrians and cyclists. Statistics by the National Law Review (2020) indicate that “in 2018, there were 118,304 motor vehicle accidents in the city of Chicago. A total of 123 of those crashes involved at least one fatality, while 21,881 involved at least one injury”. This is evidence that MVA is a serious disaster risk for Chicago. Flooding is also a disaster risk in our locality as it is common in some areas of Illinois. A lot of rain and snow is being experienced and disastrous flooding is a potential risk.

One professional organization active in emergency preparedness

One organization that I know is very active and famous when it comes to emergency preparedness is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This organization is very active and effective when it comes to disaster response. “The timeline for FEMA’s aid program appears to be evolving while increasingly frequent extreme weather events test local disaster-management planning” (Brasier and Thompson, 2018). FEMA is an agency of the U.S Department of Homeland Security and its main aim is to ensure preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery from disasters and emergencies. It also helps individuals who are affected by disasters through housing and financial support to those uninsured and underinsured.

References

Brasier, R., & Thompson, J. (2018). FEMA to Play Long-Term Role in Recovery from Harvey. Southwest Economy, (Q2), 15-17.

Eisenman, D. P., Adams, R. M., Lang, C. M., Prelip, M., Dorian, A., Acosta, J., ... & Chinman, M. (2018). A program for local health departments to adapt and implement evidence-based emergency preparedness programs. American journal of public health, 108(S5), S396-S398.

Hou, C., Chen, J., Zhou, Y., Hua, L., Yuan, J., He, S., ... & Jia, E. (2020). The effectiveness of quarantine of Wuhan city against the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19): A well‐mixed SEIR model analysis. Journal of medical virology, 92(7), 841-848.