Emergency Preparedness—Planning and Management

ABSTRACT Objective: Emergency departments (EDs) are critical sources of care after natural disasters such as hurricanes. Understanding the impact on ED utilization by subpopulation and proximity to the hurricane’s path can inform emergency preparedness planning. This study examines changes in ED utilization for residents of 344 counties after the occurrence of 7 US hurricanes between 2005 and 2016. Methods: This retrospective observational study used ED data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases and State Emergency Department Databases. ED utilization rates for weeks during and after hurricanes were compared with pre-hurricane rates, stratified by the proximity of the patient county to the hurricane path, age, and disease category. Results: The overall population rate of weekly ED visits changed little post-hurricane, but rates by disease categories and age demonstrated varying results. Utilization rates for respiratory disorders exhibited the largest post-hurricane increase, particularly 2–3 weeks following the hurricane. The change in population rates by disease categories and age tended to be larger for people residing in counties closer to the hurricane path. Conclusions: Changes in ED utilization following hurricanes depend on disease categories, age, and proximity to the hurricane path. Emergency managers could incorporate these factors into their planning processes.

Download Full-text

(P1-103) Utilization of a Pediatric Disaster Coalition as a Model for Regional Pediatric Disaster Planning

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x11004365 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S1) ◽

pp. s132-s132

Author(s):

G. Foltin ◽

A. Flamm ◽

A. Cooper ◽

M. Sagy ◽

B.M. Greenwald ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Critical Care ◽

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Large Scale ◽

Pediatric Emergency ◽

Mass Casualty ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

Pediatric Care ◽

Preparedness Planning ◽

Field Triage ◽

Care Surgery

PurposeThere remains a lack of comprehensive pediatric emergency preparedness planning worldwide. A disaster or mass-casualty incident (MCI) involving pediatric patients could overwhelm existing pediatric resources within the New York City (NYC) metropolitan region. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) recognizing the importance to plan for a MCI with a large number of pediatric victims, implemented a project (the Pediatric Disaster Coalition; PDC), to address gaps in the healthcare system to provide effective and timely pediatric care during a MCI.MethodsThe PDC includes experts in emergency preparedness, critical care, surgery, and emergency medicine from the NYC pediatric/children's hospitals, DOHMH, Office of Emergency Management, and Fire Department (FDNY). Two committees addressed pediatric prehospital triage, transport, and pediatric critical care (PCC) surge capacities. They developed guidelines and recommendations for pediatric field triage and transport, matching patients' needs to resources, and increasing PCC Surge Capacities.ResultsSurge recommendations were formulated. The algorithm developed provides specific pediatric triage criteria that identify severity of illness using the traditional Red, Yellow, and Green categories plus an Orange designation for continual reassessments that has been adopted by FDNY that has trained > 3,000 FDNY EMS personnel in its use. Triaged patients can be transported to appropriate resources based on a tiered system that defines pediatric hospital capabilities. The Surge Committee has created PCC Surge Capacity Guideline that can be used by hospitals to create their individual PCC surge plans. 15 of 25 NYC hospitals with PCC capabilities are participating with PDC planning; 5 have completed surge plans, 3 are nea completion, and 7 are in development. The completed plans add 92 surge beds to 244 regularly available PICU beds. The goal is to increase the PCC surge bed capacity by 200 + beds.ConclusionsThe project is an effective, multidisciplinary group approach to planning for a regional, large-scale pediatric MCI. Regional lead agencies must emphasize pediatric emergency preparedness in their disaster plans.

Download Full-text

Building a National Model of Public Mental Health Preparedness and Community Resilience: Validation of a Dual-Intervention, Systems-Based Approach

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2014.119 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 511-526 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

O. Lee McCabe ◽

Natalie L. Semon ◽

Carol B. Thompson ◽

Jeffrey M. Lating ◽

George S. Everly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Health Planning ◽

Public Mental Health ◽

Community Resilience ◽

The United States ◽

Local Health ◽

Health Departments ◽

Preparedness Planning

AbstractObjectiveWorking within a series of partnerships among an academic health center, local health departments (LHDs), and faith-based organizations (FBOs), we validated companion interventions to address community mental health planning and response challenges in public health emergency preparedness.MethodsWe implemented the project within the framework of an enhanced logic model and employed a multi-cohort, pre-test/post-test design to assess the outcomes of 1-day workshops in psychological first aid (PFA) and guided preparedness planning (GPP). The workshops were delivered to urban and rural communities in eastern and midwestern regions of the United States. Intervention effectiveness was based on changes in relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) and on several behavioral indexes.ResultsSignificant improvements were observed in self-reported and objectively measured KSAs across all cohorts. Additionally, GPP teams proved capable of producing quality drafts of basic community disaster plans in 1 day, and PFA trainees confirmed upon follow-up that their training proved useful in real-world trauma contexts. We documented examples of policy and practice changes at the levels of local and state health departments.ConclusionsGiven appropriate guidance, LHDs and FBOs can implement an effective and potentially scalable model for promoting disaster mental health preparedness and community resilience, with implications for positive translational impact.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;8:511-526)

Download Full-text

Emergency preparedness planning in developed countries: the Swedish case

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management ◽

10.1108/jhlscm-10-2015-0039 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 145-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Elvira Kaneberg ◽

Susanne Hertz ◽

Leif-Magnus Jensen

Keyword(s):

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Research Study ◽

Critical Infrastructure ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Civil Defense ◽

Content Type ◽

Preparedness Planning ◽

Theoretical Perspectives ◽

The Military ◽

Empirical Field

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the needs of the supply-chain (SC) network when coping with permanent and temporary demands, this paper analyzes the Swedish emergency preparedness SC network. This network comprises planning procedures and resources, as well as numerous organizations and other participants in civil society that take part in the system to cope with threats and ongoing crises. Planning constitutes a critical infrastructure because the system must develop the ability to shift SC functions from permanent to temporary networks in ongoing crises and war. Design/methodology/approach – A research study is performed based on data gathered by three qualitative methods concerning the SC network of emergency preparedness planning. Findings – This study demonstrates the relevance of a wide empirical field challenging several theoretical perspectives of the SC network in preparedness planning and the shift to ongoing crises. Further research targeting key capabilities is needed to further improve understanding of the challenges for developed countries in managing potential threats and crises. Originality/value – Actors taking part in the preparedness system have found it challenging to coordinate. Due, in part, to the lack of a common threat profile, key capabilities remain outside preparedness planning, e.g., military, commercial and voluntary actors as well as unclear and inconsistent regulations. Thus, building the SC network demonstrates the need to target the military, the voluntary and commercial sectors and their ability to develop the networks in preparedness planning. In a reformed system, all actors must strengthen civil defense in an all-hazard approach, which in planning encompasses the entire threat scale, demonstrating key functions and the ability to shift to temporary networks responding to ongoing crises, including war.

Download Full-text

Assessment of communication needs and planning communication actions during health crises

Medical Science and Discovery ◽

10.36472/msd.v7i12.447 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. 712-716

Author(s):

Athanasios Zafeirakis ◽

Panagiotis Efstathiou

Keyword(s):

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Psychological Needs ◽

Health Crisis ◽

The Public ◽

Preparedness Planning ◽

Response Recovery ◽

Profound Knowledge ◽

Urgent Task ◽

Communication Needs ◽

Warning Response

Health crisis communication (HCC) is a challenging and urgent task of the emergency preparedness planning of any welfare state. In this paper, some particular reasons for that will be more specifically analyzed. The action flow of HCC includes the phases of preparedness, warning, response, recovery, and evaluation. For a successful HCC detailed guidelines are also needed, along with profound knowledge of how the crisis stakeholders should deal with the psychological needs of the citizens and the mass media, as well as with some specific technical items. The ultimate implication of HCC is that the public is aware of its right to make informed choices after having been actively involved in the procedure of risk decisions making.

Download Full-text

Batten Down the Hatches—Assessing the Status of Emergency Preparedness Planning in the German Water Supply Sector with Statistical and Expert-Based Weighting

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12177177 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (17) ◽

pp. 7177 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lisa Bross ◽

Ina Wienand ◽

Steffen Krause

Keyword(s):

Water Supply ◽

Crisis Management ◽

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Indicator System ◽

Data Set ◽

Analysis And Evaluation ◽

Preparedness Planning ◽

The Status ◽

Weighting Methods

Emergency preparedness planning in the water supply sector includes preventive measures to minimize risks as well as aspects of crisis management. Various scenarios such as floods, power failures or even a pandemic should be considered. This article presents a newly developed composite indicator system to assess the status of emergency preparedness planning in the German water supply. Two weighting methods of the indicators are compared: the indicator system was applied to a case study and a Germany-representative data set. The results show that there is a need for action in emergency preparedness planning in the German water supply. This is in particular due to a lack of risk analyses and insufficient crisis management. Numerous water supply companies and municipalities are already well-prepared, however, there is a need for action at several levels, especially in the area of risk analysis and evaluation of measures. In Germany, responsibility for this lies primarily with the municipalities.

Download Full-text