scholarly journals Emergency preparedness: What is the future?

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyn J. Herstein ◽  
Michelle M. Schwedhelm ◽  
Angela Vasa ◽  
Paul D. Biddinger ◽  
Angela L. Hewlett
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
High Probability ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Emergency Plans ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
Infection Preventionists

Abstract Emergency preparedness programs have evolved over the last several decades as communities have responded to natural, intentional, and accidental disasters. This evolution has resulted in a comprehensive all-hazards approach centered around 4 fundamental phases spanning the entire disaster life cycle: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Increasing frequency of outbreaks and epidemics of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases in the last decade has emphasized the significance of healthcare emergency preparedness programs, but the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has tested healthcare facilities’ emergency plans and exposed vulnerabilities in healthcare emergency preparedness on a scale unexperienced in recent history. We review the 4 phases of emergency management and explore the lessons to be learned from recent events in enhancing health systems capabilities and capacities to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from biological threats or events, whether it be a pandemic or a single case of an unknown infectious disease. A recurring cycle of assessing, planning, training, exercising, and revising is vital to maintaining healthcare system preparedness, even in absence of an immediate, high probability threat. Healthcare epidemiologists and infection preventionists must play a pivotal role in incorporating lessons learned from the pandemic into emergency preparedness programs and building more robust preparedness plans.

Research on the Promotion Path of Collaborative Emergency Response Capability of Smoke-Free Cities in the Digital Age

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 5230-5245
Author(s):  
Qian Yuhao ◽  
Chen Junshi ◽  
Wang Chen ◽  
Liu Chen
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Control Mode ◽  
Disaster Prevention ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Emergency Plans ◽  
Information Resource Integration ◽  
Integration Mode

In recent years, major public safety incidents occur frequently in smoke-free cities. Under the complex and severe situation, the emergency preparedness capacity of smoke-free cities in China needs to be improved. In this paper, 50 fire emergency plans in smoke-free City F are taken as samples, and the qualitative comparative analysis method of clear set (csqca) is applied to explore the improvement path of emergency preparedness ability. Three influence paths are obtained to improve the emergency preparedness ability, which are information resource integration mode, business collaboration pre control mode and system route mode. The results provide reference for improving the effectiveness of pre disaster prevention, enhance the emergency preparedness capacity of smoke-free cities and improving the effect of emergency management.

scholarly journals Transparency and stakeholder engagement in nuclear or radiological emergency management

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. S243-S248 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Perko ◽  
M. Martell ◽  
C. Turcanu
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Radiological Emergency ◽  
The Public ◽  
Environmental Decision Making ◽  
Emergency Preparedness And Response

Stakeholder involvement and transparency are strongly interrelated. Stakeholder involvement is key to strengthening transparency, while transparency is necessary for effective stakeholder involvement. International and European legal requirements in environmental decision-making, radiation protection, nuclear safety and emergency preparedness and response call for increasing levels of transparency and stakeholder engagement. However, recent nuclear or radiological events demonstrate that transparency and engagement in practice are perceived differently by authorities, media and the public. Research conducted in this study by means of a questionnaire sent to authorities responsible for nuclear/radiological emergency management shows a range of challenges related to transparency during a nuclear or radiological emergency, e.g. fear of panic or timely and proper information. Few countries use the full potential of tools and methods for stakeholder engagement in emergency preparedness, although these may also contribute to improved transparency. Despite lessons learned to enhance transparency and stakeholder engagement in nuclear or radiological emergency management, there is room for improvement at a practical level and for finding a common understanding among stakeholders.

Infectious Disease Hospital Preparedness: Lessons Learned From the 2019 Measles Outbreak

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Matthew Fifolt ◽  
Rachael A Lee ◽  
Sarah Nafziger ◽  
Lisa C McCormick
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Homeland Security ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Hospital Preparedness

Abstract Objective: This paper: (1) explores the real and perceived threats to Emergency Departments (EDs) in addressing infectious disease cases in the US, like measles, and (2) identifies priorities for protecting employees, patients, and others stakeholders through hospital preparedness while streamlining processes and managing costs. Methods: A case study approach was used to describe the events that triggered an infectious disease emergency response in 1 ED in the southeast. Development of the case study was informed by emergency preparedness literature on Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program processes. Results: Hospital staff and administrators identified a number of factors that either positively contributed to disease containment or exacerbated conditions for disease transmission. Successes included early recognition of the potential threat, development of a multidisciplinary taskforce, and implementation of a pre-incident response plan. Challenges comprised of patient flow in crisis response, lab turnaround time, and employee records. Conclusions: The threat of exposure challenged daily operations and raised situational awareness among administrators and providers to issues that might arise during an infectious disease exposure. Recording emergency preparedness successes, remediating challenges, and sharing information with others may help minimize the threat of communicable diseases within hospital settings in the future.

scholarly journals If Only We Knew What We Know: Factors for Mobilizing Citizen Participation in Community-based Emergency Preparedness

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Wei-Ning Wu ◽  
Kaiju Chang ◽  
Yi-En Tso
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Emergency Communications ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
Southern Taiwan

Emergency management typically consists of four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Citizen participation is recognized as key to these four phases, and local governments are responsible for promoting authentic citizen participation in all phases. Many studies have asserted the importance of citizen participation in improving the capabilities of community-based emergency response and recovery, yet studies on citizen activities and participation in the pre-disaster process are relatively limited. In practice, increasing citizen preparedness for disasters has presented a challenge to local emergency management agencies. In Taiwan, the approaches employed by local emergency management agencies for mobilizing citizens to participate in emergency management activities are often considered in isolation from their other administrative duties. To fill this gap, this study examines factors for mobilizing citizens in disaster exercises from the perspective of local fire branch heads. Using survey data collected from Southern Taiwan in 2013, we found that the capacity of local fire branches to provide emergency communications and information delivery, as well as pre-disaster risk assessment and alert systems, is critical for enhancing citizen participation in the local emergency preparedness process. 应急管理通常包括四个阶段：减灾、准备、响应和恢复。公民参与被认为对这四个阶段都很关键，而地方政府有责任在所有阶段都推动真正的公民参与。许多研究都指出了公民参与在提高社区应急响应和灾后重建能力的重要性，但是有关灾前过程中公民活动和参与的研究却相对较少。在实践中，增强公民应对灾害的就绪度，是地方应急管理部门面临的一大挑战。台湾地方应急管理部门动员公民参与应急管理活动的方式，通常被认为同其他行政职责是相割裂的。为了填补这项空白，本研究从地方消防部门主管的角度，考察了在灾害演练中动员公民的影响因素。使用2013年在台南收集的调查数据，我们发现地方消防部门提供应急沟通与信息传递的能力，以及灾前风险评估和预警系统，是地方应急就绪过程中促进公民参与的关键因素。 재난 관리는 일반적으로 완화, 예방, 대응 그리고 회복의 네 단계로 구성된다. 시민참여는 이러한 네 단계의 핵심으로 인식되며, 지방 정부는 모든 단계에서 진정한 시민 참여 증진에 관한 책임이 있다.  많은 선행 연구가 공동체 기반의 재난 대응과 회복 능력을 개선하기 위하여 시민 참여가 가지는 중요성을 역설하였지만,  재난 이전 단계에서의 시민 활공과 참여에 관한 연구는 제한적이었다. 실무에서의 재난에 관한 시민 예방 증진은 지방 재난 관리 부처에 과제를 제공해 왔다. 대만에서의 지방 재난 관리 부처의 재난 관리 활동에 시민 참여 활성화 방안은 기타의 행정 의무와 별개로 고려되어 왔다. 이러한 선행연구의 공백을 메우기 위하여 본 연구는 지방 소방서장의 관점에서 재난 관리에 시민 참여를 활성화하는 요인을 연구하였다. 본 연구는 2013년 남부 대만에서 수집된 서베이 자료를 이용하여 지방 소방서의 재난 커뮤니케이션, 정보 제공, 재난 이전 리스크 평가 그리고 경보 체제를 제공하는 지방 소방서의 능력이 지방 재난 예방 과정에 시민참여를 고양하는 중요한 요인이라는 것을 확인하였다. 

Emergency planning and people with disabilities: Massachusetts’ lessons learned

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin McGaffigan, MSW, MS, Public Policy ◽  
Chris Oliveira, BS ◽  
Diane Enochs, BA, MA
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Accessibility Barriers ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Hurricanes Katrina And Rita

Continued challenges responding to large-scale emergencies are recognized in the aftermath of events such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Elders and people with disabilities often included under the label of “vulnerable” or “special populations,” are especially hard hit given communication and accessibility barriers often faced even prior to an emergency. Approximately 15 percent of those living within our communities have disabilities, which jumps to 41 percent for those 65 years or older.1 The prevalence of functional limitations due to age or disability indicates the need for these factors to be accounted for in planning, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts at the national, state, and local level to ensure a truly effective emergency response system that meets the needs of all residents. To achieve this effort emergency management, public health, disability and elder stakeholders within Massachusetts joined together to identify the existing planning gaps and to explore potential solutions to support emergency preparedness so that emergency management systems are responsive to all individuals in the community, regardless of age or disability. The Commonwealth’s process and lessons learned are discussed later.

Emergency planning and people with disabilities: Massachusetts’ lessons learned

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
Erin McGaffigan, MSW, MS, Public Policy ◽  
Chris Oliveira, BS ◽  
Diane Enochs, BA, MA
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Accessibility Barriers ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Hurricanes Katrina And Rita

Continued challenges responding to large-scale emergencies are recognized in the aftermath of events such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Elders and people with disabilities often included under the label of “vulnerable” or “special populations,” are especially hard hit given communication and accessibility barriers often faced even prior to an emergency. Approximately 15 percent of those living within our communities have disabilities, which jumps to 41 percent for those 65 years or older.1 The prevalence of functional limitations due to age or disability indicates the need for these factors to be accounted for in planning, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts at the national, state, and local level to ensure a truly effective emergency response system that meets the needs of all residents. To achieve this effort emergency management, public health, disability and elder stakeholders within Massachusetts joined together to identify the existing planning gaps and to explore potential solutions to support emergency preparedness so that emergency management systems are responsive to all individuals in the community, regardless of age or disability. The Commonwealth’s process and lessons learned are discussed later.

scholarly journals The Role of Primary Health Networks and General Practitioners in Disasters: Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network’s Preparedness Guide

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s67-s67
Author(s):  
Lizz Reay ◽  
Penny Burns
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Natural Disaster ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Health Networks ◽  
Blue Mountains ◽  
Response System ◽  
Primary Health

Introduction:Disasters are part of the Australian landscape. Bushfires, floods, cyclones, and drought reoccurring consistently across the continent. Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and general practitioners (GPs) are scattered across Australia and are inevitably involved when disasters strike their local communities. Limited guidance exists to guide their systematic involvement within the broader disaster response system. In October 2013, large bushfires swept through the NSW Blue Mountains. The response was unusual in its inclusion of NSW general practice networks within the response system, most crucially the local (now) Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (NBMPHN).Methods:The lessons learned by GPs and NBMPHN during the fires highlighted the need for GP preparedness to improve recovery outcomes. This led to the development of a living discussion document “Emergency management: the role of the GP,” created with input from the various GP groups. More recently, a PHN emergency preparedness guide aimed at strengthening communication and formalizing the role of the PHNs and GPs before, during, and after a natural disaster.Results:Clarity and implementation of a process for disaster preparedness have enabled a more proactive and coordinated approach to local emergency management with a distinct role for both the PHN and local GPs when responding to a natural disaster.Discussion:This presentation discusses lessons learned and the preparedness strategy now in place in the Nepean Blue Mountains PHN region, and launches the emergency preparedness guide that can be used and adapted by GPs and other PHNs across Australia.

scholarly journals Cultural factors in livestock emergency management

2021 ◽  
Vol 10.47389/36 (36.3) ◽  
pp. 69-77
Author(s):  
Marjan Leneman ◽  
Eva Jordans ◽  
Katinka de Balogh de Balogh
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Emergency Plans ◽  
Scientific Disciplines ◽  
People Orientation ◽  
Response Systems ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
And Control

Despite the institutionalisation of volcanic eruption early warning and response systems, casualties are still seen among local farmers who are reluctant to evacuate. Farmers may also prematurely return to their farms to save livelihoods and take care of animals. Case studies and media reports show the importance of understanding the cultural beliefs of residents when developing emergency plans. By reviewing literature from different scientific disciplines in relation to volcanic eruptions and livestock emergency preparedness, differences can be identified in the underlying risk and control paradigms, including the meaning given to volcanoes and livestock. Concurrently, livestock emergency preparedness approaches fall short of people-orientation. Using selected studies that consider these aspects, a people-centred and culture-sensitive framework to improve local learning and participation in emergency preparedness is offered. With disaster events becoming more frequent, participatory learning is useful to strengthen emergency management and preparedness programs.

scholarly journals Social, ethical and communication aspects of uncertainty management

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. S145-S149 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Turcanu ◽  
T. Perko ◽  
S. Baudé ◽  
G. Hériard-Dubreuil ◽  
N. Zeleznik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Emergency Plans ◽  
Sound Communication ◽  
Reality Check ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
National Emergency

The European project CONFIDENCE identified, conceptualised and addressed social uncertainties through a multi-method research approach. The research highlighted the uncertainties faced by publics, emergency management actors and decision-makers in nuclear emergencies and during the recovery phase. It showed that nuclear emergency management is dominated by decisions under uncertainties, that non-experts face also different uncertainties than experts, that emergency plans need a (continuous) reality check and that sound communication, openness and transparency about uncertainties may contribute to better decisions. It also suggests that national emergency response and recovery policies should consider and support the capacity of local actors to deal with an emergency or post-accident situation, for instance by carrying out their own measurements. This way, social uncertainties can be addressed and in some situations reduced, and the communication improved.

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