disaster risk management and mitigation

7/30/2019 Disaster Risk Management and Mitigation

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DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENTAND MITIGATION:

Disaster

is a natural orman-madehazard resulting in an event of

substantial extent causingsignificant physical damage ordestruction, loss of life, or drasticchange to the environment.

A disaster can be definedas any occurrence that causedamage, ecological disruption,loss of human life, deterioration ofhealth and health services, Vs ascale sufficient to warrant asextraordinary response fromoutside the affected community orarea. (W.H.O.)

An occurrence of aseverity and magnitude thatnormally results in death, injuriesand property damage that cannotbe managed through the routineprocedure and resources ofgovernment.- FEMA (FederalEmergency Management Agency)

A disaster can be definedas an occurrence either nature ormanmade that causes humansuffering and creates humanneeds that victims cannot alleviatewithout assistance.- AmericanRed Cross (ARC)

United Nations definesdisaster is the occurrence of asudden or major misfortune whichdisrupts the basic fabric andnormal functioning of a society orcommunity.

DISASTER alphabeticallymeans:

D - DestructionsI - IncidentsS - Sufferings

A - Administrative, FinancialFailures.

S - SentimentsT - Tragedies

E - Eruption ofCommunicablediseases.

R - Research programme andits implementation

Disasters are the consequence ofinappropriately managed risk anda product of hazards andvulnerability.

Hazard is a phenomenon,an event or occurrencethat has the potential forcausing injury to life ordamage to property or theenvironment (e.g. flood,tornado, volcano eruption,earthquake, landslide orman-made hazards). Themagnitude of thephenomenon, theprobability of itsoccurrence, and theextent and severity of itsimpact may vary. In manycases, these effects canbe anticipated orestimated.

Vulnerability refers to thesusceptibility of acommunity to a hazardand the prevailingcondition, includingphysical, socio-economicand political factors thatadversely affect its abilityto respond to hazards or

disaster events.

Vulnerabilities can bemanifested as physical,social, or attitudinalvulnerability. Thedisruption of a communitycan reduced if it is betterprepared

Disaster Agents / Epidemiology ofDisaster:

Agent: EnvironmentHost:

Primary Agents: It includes falling of

buildings, heat windrising waters andsmoke.

Secondary Agents: It includes bacteria

and viruses thatproducecontamination orinfection after theprimary agent hascaused injury ordestruction.

Factors affecting disaster:Host factors:

host is human-kind.Host factors are thosecharacteristics ofhumans that influencethe severity of thedisaster effect. Hostfactors include:

o Ageo Immunization

statuso Degree of

mobilityo Emotional

stabilityEnvironmental factors:

Physical FactorsWeather conditions,the availability of food,time when thedisaster occurs, theavailability of waterand the functioning ofutilities such as

electricity andtelephone service. Chemical Factors

Influencing disasteroutcome includeleakage of storedchemicals into the air,soil, ground water orfood supplies.

Biological Factors:Are those that occuror increase as resultof contaminatedwater, improper wastedisposal, insect orrodent proliferationsimproper food storageor lack of refrigerationdue to interruptedelectrical services.

Bioterrorism: Releaseof viruses, bacteria orother agents causedillness or death.

Social Factors:contribute to theindividual socialsupport systems.Loss of familymembers, changes inroles and thequestioning ofreligious beliefs aresocial factors to beexamined after adisaster.

Psychological

Factors:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_disasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-made_disasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_(biophysical)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_(biophysical)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-made_disasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_disaster


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are closely related toagents, host andenvironmentalconditions.

Levels of disaster: Level l disaster-

considered a massive

disaster. This involves amassive level of damagewith severe impact

Level ll disaster-considered a moderatedisaster. The local andcommunity resources hasto be mobilized tomanage this situation

Level III disasterconsidered a minordisaster. These involvesminimal level of damage

Disaster Nursing:

The adaptation ofprofessional nursing skills inrecognizing and meeting thenursing physical and emotionalneeds resulting from a disaster.The overall goal of disasternursing is to achieve the bestpossible level of health for thepeople and the communityinvolved in the disaster.

Disaster Nursing isnursing practiced in a situationwhere professional supplies,equipment, physical facilities andutilities are limited or not available.

Nurses Roles in Disasters:

I. Determine magnitude ofthe event

II. Define health needs of the

affected groups

III. Establish priorities andobjectives

IV. Identify actual andpotential public healthproblems

V. Determine resourcesneeded to respond to theneeds identified

VI. Collaborate with otherprofessional disciplinesgovernmental and non-governmental agencies

VII. Maintain a unified chain ofcommand

VIII. Communication

Disaster risk reduction:Disaster risk reduction

(also referred to as just disasterreduction) is defined as theconcept and practice of reducingdisaster risks through systematicefforts to analyse and manage thecausal factors of disasters,including through reducedexposure to hazards, lessenedvulnerability of people andproperty, wise management ofland and the environment, andimproved preparedness foradverse effects.

Disaster reductionstrategies include, primarily,vulnerability and risk assessment,as well as a number of institutionalcapacities and operationalabilities. The assessment of thevulnerability of critical facilities,social and economicinfrastructure, the use of effectiveearly warning systems, and theapplication of many different typesof scientific, technical, and otherskilled abilities are essentialfeatures of disaster risk reduction.

Disaster risk management:

Disaster risk managementis the systematic process of usingadministrative directives,organisations, and operationalskills and capacities to implementstrategies, polices and improved

coping capacities in order tolessen the adverse impacts ofhazards and their possibility ofdisaster.

Disaster risk managementaims to avoid, lessen or transferthe adverse effects of hazardsthrough activities and measuresfor prevention, mitigation andpreparedness.

Disaster risk managementaims to avoid, lessen or transferthe adverse effects of hazardsthrough activities and measuresfor prevention, mitigation andpreparedness.

THE DISASTER MANAGEMENTCYCLE AND NURSING ROLE:

Disaster management includesfour stages:

I. prevention (or mitigation )II. preparedness

III. responseIV. recover

PREVENTION (MITIGATION)Prevention can include:

Structural measures,such as protectingbuildings andinfrastructure from theforces of wind and water

Non-structural measures,such as land

development restrictions.

Human-made hazardsand the ability to deterpotential terrorists, detectterrorists before theystrike, and take decisiveaction to eliminate thethreat.

Prevention activities may include heightened inspections; improved surveillance and

security operations; public health and

agricultural surveillance;and testing,immunizations, isolation,or quarantine and haltingof CBRNE threats:chemical, biological,radiological, nuclear, andexplosive.

NURSING RESPONSIBILITIES: Nurses partner for

environmental health byidentifying environmentalhazards and serving onthe public health team formitigation purposes.

Involved with organizingand participating in massprophylaxis andvaccination campaigns toprevent, treat, or contain adisease.

The nurse should befamiliar with the regionslocal cache ofpharmaceuticals and howwill be distributed.

In terms of human-madedisaster prevention, thenurse should be aware ofhigh-risk targets andcurrent vulnerabilities and

what can be done to


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eliminate or mitigate thevulnerability. Targets mayinclude military andcivilian governmentfacilities, health carefacilities, internationalairports and othertransportation systems,

large cities, and high-profile landmarks. Terroristsmight also target largepublic gatherings, waterand food supplies,banking and finance,information technology,postal and shippingservices, utilities, andcorporate centers

PREPEAREDNESS

Personal Preparedness nurse assisting in

disaster relief effortsmust be as healthy aspossible, bothphysically andmentally

Disaster kits shouldbe made for thehome, workplace, andcar

The Nursing Tip lists emergency supplies

specific to nursingthat should beprepared and storedin a sturdy, easy-to-carry container

Important documentsshould always be inwaterproof containers.

One way a nurse canfeel assured aboutfamily member

protection is by

working with them todevelop the skills andknowledge necessaryfor coping in disaster.

Long term benefitswill occur by involvingchildren andadolescents in

activities such aswriting preparednessplans, exercising theplan, preparingdisaster kits,becoming familiar withtheir schoolemergencyprocedures and familyreunification sites,and learning aboutthe range of potentialhazards in theirvicinity to includeevacuation routes.

Professional Preparedness nurses need to be

dedicated, resourceful,and visionary leaders

nurse must be preparedto advocate for thecommunity in terms of afocus on population-based practice

Disaster producesconditions that demandan aggregate careapproach, increasing theneed nurses involvementin community serviceduring disaster andcatastrophe (Availability).

Disaster response teamsneed nurses with disasterand emergencymanagement training,

especially those who have

served previously indisaster.

It is also expected thatnurses know how to usepersonal protectiveequipment (PPE), operatespecialized equipmentneeded to perform

specific activities, andsafely perform duties indisaster environments.

Also requires that nursesbecome aware of andunderstand the disasterplans at their workplace.Nurses need to review thedisaster history of thecommunity, including howpast disasters haveaffected the communityshealth care deliverysystem

It is important for nursesto understand and gainthe competencies neededto respond in times ofdisasters before disasterstrikes

Community Preparedness The Public Health

Security and BioterrorismPreparedness andResponse Act of 2002addressed the need toenhance public health andhealth care readiness andcommunity health careinfrastructures. Itreaffirmed the publichealth department role onthe front line of disasterprevention, preparedness,response, and recovery,to include a national need

for emergency-ready

public health andhealthcare services inevery community

Mutual aid agreementsestablish relationshipsbetween partners prior tothe incident at the local,regional, state, and

national levels and ensureseamless service Emergency management

is responsible fordeveloping andcoordinating emergencyresponse plans withintheir defined area,whether local, state,federal, or tribal.

Good disasterpreparedness planninginvolves simplicity andrealism with back-upcontingencies because (1)plans never exactly fi t thedisaster as it occurs, and(2) all plans needimplementation viability,no matter which keymembers are present atthe time

The community musthave an adequatewarning system and anevacuation plan thatincludes measures toremove those individualsfrom areas of danger whohesitate to leave. Thenurses visibility in thecommunity helps developthe trust and credibilityneeded to help incontingency planning forevacuation.

Nurses should be

involved in identifying and


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educating thesevulnerable populationsabout what impact thedisaster might have onthem, including helpingthem set up a personalpreparedness plan

In addition to identifying

high-risk individuals inneighborhoods, locationsof concern includeschools, collegecampuses, residentialcenters, prisons, andhigh-rise

Nurses can assist incommunity preparednesswith their knowledge ofthe communitys diversitysuch as non English-speaking groups,immunocompromisedclients, children, and thephysically challenged.

Response The first level of disaster

response occurs at thelocal level with themobilization of responderssuch as the fi redepartment, lawenforcement, publichealth, and emergencyservices. If the disasterstretches local resources,the county or cityemergency managementagency (EMA) willcoordinate activitiesthrough an emergencyoperations center (EOC)

National Response Framework

(NRF)

was written to approach adomestic incident in aunified, well-coordinatedmanner, enabling allemergency respondingentities the ability to worktogether more effectivelyand efficiently

Emergency SupportFunctions (ESFs) whichprovide a mechanism tobundle federalresources/capabilities tosupport the nation

National Incident ManagementSystem (NIMS)

the nations commonplatform for disasterresponse, to includeuniversal protocols andlanguage. provides asystematic, proactiveapproach to guidedepartments andagencies at all levels ofgovernment,nongovernmentalorganizations, and theprivate sector to workseamlessly to reducethe loss of life andproperty and harm to theenvironment

Response to Bioterrorism BioWatch is an early

warning system forbiothreats that uses anenvironmental sensorsystem to test the air forbiological agents inseveral majormetropolitan areas.

BioSense is a data-sharing program tofacilitate surveillance ofunusual patterns orclusters of diseases in theUnited States. It sharesdata with local and statehealth departments and is

a part of the BioWatchsystem. Project BioShield is a

program to develop andproduce new drugs andvaccines ascountermeasures againstpotential bioweapons anddeadly pathogens.

Cities ReadinessInitiative is a program toaid cities in increasingtheir capacity to delivermedicines and medicalsupplies during a large-scale public healthemergency such as abioterrorism attack or anuclear accident.

Strategic NationalStockpile (SNS) is a CDC-managed program withthe capacity to providelarge quantities ofmedicine and medicalsupplies to protect the

American public in apublic health emergencyto include bioterrorism

Role of the Public Health Nurse inDisaster Response

The role of nurse during adisaster depends a greatdeal on the nursesexperience, professional

role in a community

disaster plan, and priordisaster knowledge toinclude personalreadiness

nurses bring leadership,policy, planning, andpractice expertise todisaster preparedness

and response

Nursing Role in First Responder There may be times when

the nurse is the first toarrive on the scene. Inthis situation, it isimportant to rememberthat life-threateningproblems take priority

Highest priority is alwaysgiven to those who havelife-threatening injuriesbut who have a highprobability of survivalonce stabilized

Triage

Nursing Role in Epidemiology andOngoing Surveillance

Health care providers andpublic health officers arethe first line of defense.

A comprehensive publichealth response tooutbreaks of illnessconsists of fivecomponents. They includedetecting the outbreak,determining the cause,identifying factors thatplace people at risk,implementing measuresto control the outbreak,and informing the medicaland public communitiesabout treatments, health


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consequences, andpreventive measures

Nursing Role in Rapid NeedsAssessment

Elements of a rapid needsassessment include:determining themagnitude of the incident,defining the specifichealth needs of theaffected population,establishing priorities andobjectives for action,identifying existing andpotential public healthproblems, evaluating thecapacity of the localresponse includingresources and logistics,and determining theexternal resource needsfor priority actions

Disaster assessmentpriorities relate to the typeof disaster.

Sudden-impact disasterssuch as tornadoes andearthquakes involveongoing hazards, injuriesand deaths, shelterrequirements, and cleanwater.

Gradual-onset disasterssuch as famines produceconcerns with

Mortality rates, nutritionalstatus, immunizationstatus, and environmentalhealth.

Nursing Role in DisasterCommunication

Nurses working asmembers of an

assessment team need to

return accurateinformation to reliefmanagers to facilitaterapid rescue and recovery

A part of thatcommunication is involvedwith the rapid andongoing needsassessment justdescribed. Lack of orinaccurate informationregarding the scope of thedisaster and its initialeffects can contribute to amismatched resourcesupply

Risk communication is thescience ofcommunicating criticalinformation to the public insituations of high concern.The objectives inemergencycommunication are toidentify and respond tothe barriers of fear, panic,distrust, and anger: buildor re-establish trust;resolve conflicts; andcoordinate betweenstakeholders so that thenecessary messages canbe received, understood,accepted and acted on

Recovery

In recovery, theimmediate responseactions to address initialconsequences subside.Recovery is aboutreturning to the newnormal, a communitybalance of infrastructure

and social welfare that is

near the level that it wouldhave had if the event hadnot occurred

The recovery phase isoften the hardest part of adisaster. It involvesongoing work beyond thepreparedness and therush to response

Recovery involves a shiftfrom short-term aid tolong-term support forcommunities: sustainmentof effort. Long-termsupport should include thedisaster affectedpopulation representationin the recovery effort,using local knowledgeand skills to prioritize useof resources, personnel,and surviving systemsand infrastructure.

Role of the Public Health Nurse inDisaster Recovery

Flexibility remainsimportant for a successfulrecovery operation

Nurses need awarenessof the potential publichealth challenges specificto the disaster area andshould monitor thephysical and psychosocialenvironment. Disruption ofthe public healthinfrastructurewater andfood supply, sanitationsystem, vector controlprograms, and access toprimary and mental healthcarecan lead toincreased disease andcommunity dysfunction

ongoing accurate dataabout the population

Nurses should also beaware that post-disastercleanup createsopportunities forunintentional injury andhazards, including thoseoccurring from falls,contact with live wires,accidents with cuttingdevices, heart attacksfrom overexertion andstress, and auto accidentsresulting from roadconditions and missingtraffic controls

Nurses should alsoeducate the public of thehazards related to carbonmonoxide poisoningstemming from usinglanterns, gas ranges, orgenerators or fromburning charcoal for aheat source in enclosedareas.

http://www.fig.net/pub/figpub/pub38/pub38_screen.pdf

http://www.gfdrr.org/sites/gfdrr.org/files/Sendai_Report_051012.pdf

http://www.preventionweb.net/files/26081_kp1concepdisasterrisk1.pdf

Azarcon, Gerald MikeCioco, Hannah Mae
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