Innovative Methods for the Benefit of Public Health Using Space Technologies for Disaster Response

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petros C. Dinas ◽  
Christian Mueller ◽  
Nathan Clark ◽  
Tim Elgin ◽  
S. Ali Nasseri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Satellite Communication ◽  
Disaster Relief ◽  
Unmanned Vehicles ◽  
Space Applications ◽  
Innovative Methods ◽  
Team Project ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Relief Efforts

AbstractSpace applications have evolved to play a significant role in disaster relief by providing services including remote sensing imagery for mitigation and disaster damage assessments; satellite communication to provide access to medical services; positioning, navigation, and timing services; and data sharing. Common issues identified in past disaster response and relief efforts include lack of communication, delayed ordering of actions (eg, evacuations), and low levels of preparedness by authorities during and after disasters. We briefly summarize the Space for Health (S4H) Team Project, which was prepared during the Space Studies Program 2014 within the International Space University. The S4H Project aimed to improve the way space assets and experiences are used in support of public health during disaster relief efforts. We recommend an integrated solution based on nano-satellites or a balloon communication system, mobile self-contained relief units, portable medical scanning devices, and micro-unmanned vehicles that could revolutionize disaster relief and disrupt different markets. The recommended new system of coordination and communication using space assets to support public health during disaster relief efforts is feasible. Nevertheless, further actions should be taken by governments and organizations in collaboration with the private sector to design, test, and implement this system. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:319-328)

Civil-Military Engagement: An Empirical Account of Humanitarian Perceptions of Civil-Military Coordination During the Response to Typhoon Haiyan

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Bollettino
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disaster Relief ◽  
Humanitarian Aid ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Organizational Policy ◽  
Military Engagement ◽  
Civil Defence ◽  
The Military ◽  
Relief Efforts

AbstractObjectiveThis study sought to identify how humanitarian actors in natural disasters coordinate (or communicate) with the military to identify the needs of disaster-affected populations, identify how coordination should be undertaken for the delivery of relief goods, perceive the effectiveness of such coordination, perceive the role that training played in preparation for coordinating with the military and the effectiveness of this training, and view the overall civil-military engagement and its implications for the independence of the humanitarian sector.MethodsA survey instrument focused on participant perceptions of the civil-military engagement in response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines was sent to country directors and agency leads who played a role in the response.ResultsAlthough the data supported anecdotal accounts that the coordination between civilian and military actors during the disaster relief efforts in Typhoon Haiyan worked well, they also revealed that fewer than half of the respondents were familiar with the Guidelines on the Use of Foreign Military and Civil Defence Assets in Disaster Relief (the “Oslo Guidelines”) and only 12% of respondents thought that the Oslo Guidelines were used to develop organizational policy on humanitarian aid agency engagement with military actors.ConclusionsHumanitarians felt that international militaries and the Philippines Armed Forces played an important role in ensuring that aid reached people in need, particularly in the early days of the response. However, less than half of the respondents were familiar with the Oslo Guidelines. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:7-10)

Sport and disaster relief: a content analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhei Inoue ◽  
Cody T Havard
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
News Media ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Disaster Relief ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Magazine Articles ◽  
Relief Efforts ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore disaster relief activities implemented by high-profile sport organisations and athletes. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 70 newspaper and magazine articles reporting the disaster relief efforts of sport organisations and athletes in various regions were identified and analysed through a content analysis. Findings – The authors find 11 forms of activities that sport organisations and athletes have implemented to provide social support in post-disaster situations. These forms are classified based on type of post-disaster social support: eight forms are categorised as tangible support, while the other three are categorised as emotional support. Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on the analysis of the news media that predominantly reported North American cases, and the current list of disaster relief activities may exclude some activities ignored by these specific data sources. Using the forms of disaster relief activities identified in this study as an initial framework, future studies should engage in the focused analysis of disaster response among sport organisations and athletes. Practical implications – The comprehensive list of the disaster relief activities identified by this study should aid the decision-making of sport organisations and athletes in facing disasters and enable them to better prepare for their disaster response. Originality/value – This study reveals the extensiveness and uniqueness of disaster relief activities currently implemented by sport organisations and athletes.

scholarly journals Development of a Remote Public Health Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience in Response to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 089719002110048
Author(s):  
Tyler Marie Kiles ◽  
Tracy Hagemann ◽  
Brianna Felts ◽  
Catherine Crill
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Pharmacy Practice ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Science Center ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
University Of Tennessee ◽  
Practice Experience ◽  
Phone Calls

Objectives: In order to meet the needs of the COVID-19 public health crisis and to actively engage students in patient care opportunities, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy in partnership with the Tennessee Health Department, developed a remote Public Health Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) Elective. The objectives of this paper are to describe the development of and students’ experiences and learning outcomes during the elective. Faculty preceptor and experiential administrator’s perspectives are also described. Methods: This month-long APPE was developed in mid-March and delivered in April and May of 2020. The students volunteered in-person with the State of Tennessee COVID-19 Hotline call centers and conducted topic discussions and assignments virtually with a remote preceptor. Results: A total of 16 students completed this rotation experience. Student ratings of the experience were positive, and their knowledge improved in all topic areas. Students collectively completed approximately 700 hours manning the COVID-19 hotline and logged over 1,000 phone calls. Conclusions: In a time of unprecedented disruption to experiential learning, the development of this unique public health APPE directly benefited the college, the students, and the citizens of our state. The APPE described in this paper could be replicated in additional waves of the pandemic or adapted for similar disaster response.

Disaster relief efforts

1992 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Yeskey ◽  
Clifford Cloonan
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Relief ◽  
Relief Efforts

Learning Outcome Measurement in Nurse Participants After Disaster Training

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 728-733
Author(s):  
Sharon L. Farra ◽  
Sherrill Smith ◽  
Marie A Bashaw
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Homeland Security ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Learning Framework ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Disaster Training ◽  
National Disaster

AbstractObjectiveThe National Disaster Health Consortium is an interprofessional disaster training program. Using the Hierarchical Learning Framework of Competency Sets in Disaster Medicine and Public Health, this program educates nurses and other professionals to provide competent care and leadership within the interprofessional team. This study examined outcomes of this training.MethodsTraining consisted of a combination of online and on-site training. Learning outcomes were measured by using the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire (EPIQ) pre/post training and participant performance during live functional exercises with the use of rubrics based on Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation principles.ResultsA total of 64 participants completed the EPIQ before and after training. The mean EPIQ pre-training score of 154 and mean post-training score of 81 (reverse-scored) was found to be statistically significant by paired t-test (P<0.001). Performance was evaluated in the areas of triage, re-triage, surge response, and sheltering. Greater than 90% of the exercise criteria were either met or partially met. Participants successfully achieved overall objectives in all scenarios.ConclusionsDisaster response requires nurses and other providers to function in interprofessional teams. Educational projects, like the National Disaster Health Consortium program, offer the potential to address the need for a standardized, interprofessional disaster training curriculum to promote positive outcomes. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 6)

The 1994 Northridge Earthquake Disaster Response: The Local Emergency Medical Services Agency Experience

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel J. Stratton ◽  
Virginia Price Hastings ◽  
Darlene Isbell ◽  
John Celentano ◽  
Miguel Ascarrunz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Northridge Earthquake ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
1994 Northridge Earthquake

AbstractIntroduction:This paper describes the 1994 Northridge earthquake experience of the local emergency medical services (EMS) agency. Discussed are means that should improve future local agency disaster responses.Methods:Data reported are descriptive and were collected from multiple independent sources, and can be reviewed publicly and confirmed. Validated data collected during the disaster by the Local EMS Agency also are reported.Results:The experience of the Los Angeles County EMS Agency was similar to that of earthquake disasters previously reported. Communication systems, water, food, shelter, sanitation means, power sources, and medical supplies were resources needed early in the disaster. Urban Search and Rescue Teams and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams were important elements in the response to the Northridge earthquake. The acute phase of the disaster ended within 48 to 72 hours and public health then became the predominant health-care issue. Locating community food and water supplies near shelters, providing transportation to medical care, and public-health visits to shelter locations helped prevent the development of long-term park encampments. An incident command system for the field, hospitals, and government responders was necessary for an organized response to the disaster.Conclusion:Disaster preparedness, multiple forms of reliable communication, rapid mobilization of resources, and knowledge of available state and federal resources are necessary for a disaster response by a local EMS agency.

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.

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