Role of Academic Institutions in Community Disaster Response Since September 11, 2001

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 218-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne L. Dunlop ◽  
Kristi M. Logue ◽  
Gerald Beltran ◽  
Alexander P. Isakov
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
September 11 ◽  
Community Response ◽  
Disaster Resilience ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
Disaster Preparedness And Response

ABSTRACTObjective: To describe the role of academic institutions in the community response to Federal Emergency Management Agency–declared disasters from September 11, 2001, to February 1, 2009.Methods: We conducted a review of the published literature and Internet reports to identify academic institutions that participated in the community response to disaster events between September 11, 2001, to February 1, 2009, inclusive. From retrieved reports, we abstracted the identity of the academic institutions and the resources and services each provided. We characterized the resources and services in terms of their contribution to established constructs of community disaster resilience and disaster preparedness and response.Results: Between September 11, 2001, and February 1, 2009, there were 98 published or Internet-accessible reports describing 106 instances in which academic institutions participated in the community response to 11 Federal Emergency Management Agency–declared disaster events that occurred between September 11, 2001, and February 1, 2009. Academic institutions included academic health centers and community teaching hospitals; schools of medicine, nursing, and public health; schools with graduate programs such as engineering and psychology; and 4-year programs. The services and resources provided by the academic institutions as part of the community disaster response could be categorized as contributing to community disaster resilience by reducing the consequences or likelihood of an event or to specific dimensions of public health preparedness and response, or both. The most common dimensions addressed by academic institutions (in order of occurrence) were resource management, enabling and sustaining a public health response, information capacity management, and performance evaluation.Conclusions: Since September 11, 2001, the participation of academic institutions in community disaster response has contributed to community resilience and the achievement of specific dimensions of disaster preparedness and response.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:218–226)

Enhancing Community Disaster Resilience Through Mass Sporting Events

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle M. McCarthy ◽  
George T. Chiampas ◽  
Sanjeev Malik ◽  
Kendra Cole ◽  
Patricia Lindeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Federal Emergency Management Agency ◽  
Disaster Resilience ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Complex Action ◽  
Management Agency ◽  
Communication And Coordination

ABSTRACTDisaster response requires rapid, complex action by multiple agencies that may rarely interact during nondisaster periods. Failures in communication and coordination between agencies have been pitfalls in the advancement of disaster preparedness. Recommendations of the Federal Emergency Management Agency address these needs and demonstrate commitment to successful disaster management, but they are challenging for communities to ensure. In this article we describe the application of Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines to the 2008 and 2009 Chicago Marathon and discuss the details of our implementation strategy with a focus on optimizing communication. We believe that it is possible to enhance community disaster preparedness through practical application during mass sporting events.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:310–315)

scholarly journals The Engagement of Academic Institutions in Community Disaster Response: A Comparative Analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 129 (6_suppl4) ◽  
pp. 87-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne L. Dunlop ◽  
Kristi M. Logue ◽  
Alexander P. Isakov
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Space Shuttle ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Mutual Aid ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
Incident Command

Objective. Using comparative analysis, we examined the factors that influence the engagement of academic institutions in community disaster response. Methods. We identified colleges and universities located in counties affected by four Federal Emergency Management Agency-declared disasters (Kentucky ice storms, Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, California wildfires, and the Columbia space shuttle disintegration) and performed key informant interviews with officials from public health, emergency management, and academic institutions in those counties. We used a comparative case study approach to explore particular resources provided by academic institutions, processes for engagement, and reasons for engagement or lack thereof in the community disaster response. Results. Academic institutions contribute a broad range of resources to community disaster response. Their involvement and the extent of their engagement is variable and influenced by ( 1) their resources, ( 2) preexisting relationships with public health and emergency management organizations, ( 3) the structure and organizational placement of the school's disaster planning and response office, and ( 4) perceptions of liability and lines of authority. Facilitators of engagement include ( 1) the availability of faculty expertise or special training programs, ( 2) academic staff presence on public health and emergency management planning boards, ( 3) faculty contracts and student practica, ( 4) incident command system or emergency operations training of academic staff, and ( 5) the existence of mutual aid or memoranda of agreements. Conclusion. While a range of relationships exist between academic institutions that engage with public health and emergency management agencies in community disaster response, recurrent win-win themes include co-appointed faculty and staff; field experience opportunities for students; and shared planning and training for academic, public health, and emergency management personnel.

scholarly journals Simulating Complex Community Disaster Preparedness: Collaboration for Point of Distribution

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Rafferty-Semon ◽  
Jeremy Jarzembak ◽  
Jennifer Shanholtzer
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Public Health Department ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Preparedness Planning ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing

Disasters are increasing at local, national, and global levels, as is the need for all nurses and communities to be prepared. Since 2003, decreased funds for disaster preparedness has meant less opportunity for public health departments and emergency management agencies to test disaster response plans. Today’s graduating nurses need strong skills in disaster nursing to manage a variety of disasters in a local to global context. One aim of this article is to briefly describe preparedness planning using a Point of Distribution/Dispensation (POD) and teaching competencies for disaster nursing. We discuss in detail an exemplar about a simulation developed with collaboration among university faculty, the county public health department, and the local emergency management agency (EMA). The article considers insufficient funds for drills and exercises; strategies to increase disaster knowledge and competency of undergraduate nursing students; and realistic, hands-on active learning approaches to disaster response at all levels, including implications for practice.

The Evacuation of Thai Citizens During Japan’s 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes: An ICT Perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (sp) ◽  
pp. 669-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natt Leelawat ◽  
Anawat Suppasri ◽  
Panon Latcharote ◽  
Fumihiko Imamura ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Public Information ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
The 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Disaster Preparedness And Response ◽  
2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes

In April 2016, the Kumamoto earthquakes in Japan killed 50 people and injured more than 3,000. Because Japan is a primary tourist destination for Thai citizens, due in part to the current visa relaxation policy, many Thai people were visiting Japan when these earthquakes occurred. However, while a variety of public information related to the imminent danger and disaster response was broadcast and published, foreigners sometimes had little access to or understanding of local notices or instructions because of language barriers.This study researches the evacuation process for Thai citizens – including tourists, students, and residents from Thailand – in the disaster-affected areas during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Through prompt collaboration among the relevant organizations, particularly the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo, the evacuation of Thai citizens was successfully completed within a few days. Moreover, some other foreigners were also assisted by the Thai embassy. This paper presents an overview of the evacuation process, including the critical role of information and communication technology (ICT) in disseminating information, transmitting rescue requests, and providing emergency communications. The lessons learned from these efforts can be applied in future natural disasters, especially for foreign organizations working in similar capacities overseas. In addition, this study suggests disaster preparedness and response guidelines for tourists when traveling overseas.

Integrating Simulation-Based Exercises into Public Health Emergency Management Curricula

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 777-781
Author(s):  
Natasha Sanchez Cristal ◽  
Noel Metcalf ◽  
Debra Kreisberg ◽  
Charles M. Little
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Authentic Learning ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
School Of Public Health ◽  
Training Methodologies

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study is to enrich public health emergency management (PHEM) curricula and increase the workforce readiness of graduates through the implementation of an innovative curriculum structure centered around simulation and the creation of authentic learning experiences into a mastery-based Disaster Preparedness graduate certificate program launched in 2016 at the Colorado School of Public Health. Learners progress through a sequence of increasingly complex discussion and operations-based exercises designed to align with training methodologies used by future employers in the disaster response field, covering PHEM fundamentals and domestic and international disaster preparedness and response. Preliminary feedback is overwhelmingly positive, equating the experience to securing an internship. Embedding simulation-based exercises and authentic learning environments into graduate curricula exposes learners to diverse disaster scenarios, provides occasion for practicing critical thinking and dynamic problem solving, increases familiarity with anticipated emergency situations, and builds the confidence necessary for exercising judgment in a real-world situation. This novel curriculum should serve as a model for graduate programs wishing to enrich traditional training tactics using a typical school of public health support and alignment with community resources. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:777–781)

scholarly journals (A105) A Core Curriculum for Nurses in Disaster Preparedness and Response

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s29-s29 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Chang ◽  
S.M. Briggs
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Core Curriculum ◽  
Massachusetts General Hospital ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
Medical Response ◽  
Field Triage ◽  
Disaster Preparedness And Response

BackgroundNurses play an essential role in disaster response. All health care responders, including nurses, must have knowledge of the key principles of disaster medicine. The International Trauma and Disaster Institute (ITDI) at Massachusetts General Hospital has developed a core curriculum for Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) management. The curriculum provides all members of the multidisciplinary disaster team with the fundamentals of the MCI response. The proposed concurrent session will report on understanding of the fundamental knowledge in disaster medicine and preparedness for nurses in local and international disaster responses.Discussion and ObservationsDisasters follow no rules. Traditionally, medical providers have held the erroneous belief that all disasters are different, especially those involving terrorism. In reality, all disasters, regardless of etiology, have similar medical and public health consequences. A consistent medical approach to disasters, based on an understanding of their common features and the response they require, is becoming the accepted practice throughout the world. This strategy, called the MCI response, has the primary objective of reducing the mortality/morbidity caused by the disaster. The Advanced Disaster Medical Response (ADMR) Course, available in eight languages, including Chinese, is designed to train nurses in the ABC's of basic medical and public health disaster care. The delivery of optimal care in a disaster relies on a common understanding of each health professional's role and common mastery of defined essentials of disaster response such as the Incident Command System, field triage, decontamination, care of specific injuries, environmental considerations, psychological response to disasters, and care of the dead and their families. Understanding key principles and training in medical disaster response will guide nurses in disaster preparedness and response to future disasters.

Opioid Crisis Response and Resilience: Results and Perspectives from a Multi-Agency Tabletop Exercise at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Siedschlag ◽  
Tiangeng Lu ◽  
Andrea Jerković ◽  
Weston Kensinger
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Community Response ◽  
First Responder ◽  
Management Agency ◽  
Opioid Crisis ◽  
State And Local

Abstract This article presents and discusses, in the new context of COVID-19, findings from a tabletop exercise on response and resilience in the ongoing opioid crisis in Pennsylvania. The exercise was organized by [identifying information removed] and held at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), in further collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and with the participation of several additional agencies and institutions. It addressed first-responder and whole-community response and resilience to the ongoing opioid crisis. More than 50 experts participated in the one-day program that involved state and local agencies, first-responder organizations, as well as academia in a discussion about effectuating comprehensive response to overdose incidents. Participant experts represented a wide array of backgrounds, including state and local law enforcement agencies; emergency medical technicians; public health and health care professionals; and scholars from the fields of law, security studies, public policy, and public health, among other relevant areas. Participants addressed specific challenges, including resource sharing among responders; capacity-building for long-term recovery; effective integration of non-traditional partners, such as spontaneous volunteers and donors; and public education and outreach to improve prevention. The exercise aimed to strengthen the whole-community approach to emergency response.

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