Discussion: Preparedness & Disaster
Discussion: Preparedness & Disaster
Mitigation
This phase includes any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce the likelihood of occurrence, or reduce the damaging effects of unavoidable hazards. Mitigation activities should be considered long before an emergency.
For example, to mitigate fire in your home, follow safety standards in selecting building materials, wiring, and appliances. But, an accident involving fire could happen. To protect yourself and your family from the costly burden of rebuilding after a fire, you should buy fire insurance. These actions reduce the danger and damaging effects of fire.
Preparedness
This phase includes developing plans for what to do, where to go, or who to call for help before an event occurs; actions that will improve your chances of successfully dealing with an emergency. For instance, posting emergency telephone numbers, holding disaster drills, and installing smoke detectors are all preparedness measures. Other examples include identifying where you would be able to find shelter in a disaster. You should also consider preparing a disaster kit with essential supplies for you and your family.
Response
Your safety and well-being in an emergency depend on how prepared you are and on how you respond to a crisis. By being able to act responsibly and safely, you will be able to protect yourself, your family, others around you. Taking cover and holding tight in an earthquake, moving to the basement with your family in a tornado, and safely moving away from a wildfire are examples of safe response. These actions can save lives.
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Recovery
After an emergency and once the immediate danger is over, your continued safety and well-being will depend on your ability to cope with rearranging your life and environment. During the recovery period, you must take care of yourself and your family to prevent stress-related illnesses and excessive financial burdens. During recovery, you should also consider things to do that would lessen (mitigate) the effects of future disasters.
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- LIP =
- Life Safety
- Incident Stabilization
- Property
- (then environment)
- With Health & Medical needs = Public Health Issues
- Sheltering, mass care, environmental health, sanitation, food & water, etc.
Emergency Management Priorities
Chapter 1
Introduction to Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management
Discussion: Preparedness & Disaster
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- Healthcare & Emergency Management
- Traditionally separate fields
- Intersect to reduce morbidity & mortality from disasters & public health emergencies
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- Shift from greatest good for individuals to greatest good for the most people
- Must handle patient influx from emergency, worried well, & day-to-day operations
Hospital Role
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- Hospitals have always prepared for calamities.
- 9-11 renewed interest into hospital readiness
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- Must prepare for rare events while taking protective actions to mitigate any likelihood that they will occur at all.
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- How? Adoption of an all–hazards comprehensive emergency management planning process.
Emergence and Growth of Healthcare Emergency Management
Healthcare Emergency Management Activities
Often just expansion of every day operations.
- Communication (Intra & Inter Agency)
- Surge capacity planning
- Volunteer management and credentialing
- Security
- Hazmat/CBRNE preparedness
- Public health emergency readiness
- Education and training of personnel
- Maintenance of equipment and supplies
- Worker health & safety concerns
- Planning and facilitating drills and exercises
- Coordinating hospital disaster operations and incident management
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- A new position in many hospitals/systems
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- Creation often due to the increase in regulatory and accreditation requirements for emergency planning and preparedness
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- Role is coordinate the emergency management functions of the hospital
- Specific duties may vary
The Role of the Hospital/Healthcare Emergency Manager
Hazard and vulnerability analysis
Comprehensive emergency management plan
Training and education of staff
Drills and exercises
Advising senior hospital administrators
Managing the hospital’s EOC or command center
Applying for and administering preparedness grants
Representation of the hospital or health system on emergency planning committees and workgroups
Maintenance of relationships
Assurance of compliance with all regulatory and accreditation requirements
Roles and Responsibilities of the Hospital/Healthcare Emergency Manager
Discussion: Preparedness & Disaster
