EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ARCHIVES
Setting & Maintaining Realistic Recovery Expectations
Stephen Grainer
August 26, 2015
There are many challenges as well as numerous nuances associated with disaster recovery operations that must be addressed by all levels of governmental, nongovernmental, and private sector agencies and organizations in order to ensure ongoing attention to all facets of the recovery effort, effectively building a resilient community.
Planning for Recovery: The Public Health Perspective
Marc Barbiere
August 19, 2015
Public health agencies at all levels have extensive experience recovering from disasters, mostly without the benefit of a pre-disaster recovery plan. Established guidance from a number of federal agencies coupled with an inclusive planning process can help public health agencies ensure that they and the critical services they provide are
Screening Risk Analysis Tools for Resilience of Critical Infrastructure & Regions
Jerry P. Brashear, Paula Scalingi and Ryan Colker
August 19, 2015
Resilience, a central element in any recovery, is established before potentially disastrous events. Twenty-one federally sponsored risk methods and tools were screened for possible use as the core of a defensible, repeatable risk/resilience management process that would capture the greatest benefits for available budgets. None was fully ready for this
Having the Right Tools to Shorten Periods of Chaos
Gordon Hunter
August 12, 2015
Disasters often lead to chaos, but how long the chaos lasts depends largely on the actions of the affected communities and whether all local resources are being used effectively. The longer it takes businesses to become fully operational, the longer it takes for the community as a whole to
New York City’s Commodities Distribution & Recovery Planning
Paula M. Carlson and Thomas F. Healy
August 5, 2015
When planning and training for major disasters, communities often place more emphasis on the response rather than the recovery effort. However, it is critical that the recovery effort begins concurrent to the response in order for communities to be more resilient. New York City recognized this need and exercised one
National Laboratory Support for First Responders’ Biodetection Needs
Richard Ozanich and Cynthia J. Bruckner-Lea
July 29, 2015
In an ever-changing biological environment, laboratory support is necessary to help responders identify, categorize, and manage incidents involving biological threats. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is one source that provides valuable testing data to help today’s first responders collect, screen,identify, and ultimately protect against such threats.
Local Public Health’s Role in Large-Scale Chemical Incidents
Rachel Schulman
July 22, 2015
Public health departments play, or have the ability to play, a key role in large-scale incidents caused by hazardous materials. By clearly defining their roles and collaborating with local partners, health departments have the ability to help emergency planners and responders prevent, mitigate, plan for, and respond to chemical hazards
Response Management: Back to Basics
Stephen Grainer
July 22, 2015
When a seemingly unrealistic incident occurs, emergency managers must be equipped with the base knowledge necessary to respond to the previously unknown scenario. Acronyms are a good way to remember what to do when stress levels are high and time is short. By getting back to the basics, managers are
Superheroes in Waiting: Emergent First Responders
Wayne Bergeron
July 15, 2015
Although they may not want to be called “heroes,” military members and veterans can fill a critical gap in emergency and disaster response. Their unique qualities of training, discipline, leadership, and teamwork make them the perfect emergent responder either as a member of an organized team, or simply by being
Dangerous Suicides
Stuart K. Cameron
July 15, 2015
Although most suicides injure only the suicide victims themselves, others may cause injury to anyone within close proximity. With law enforcement officers typically being the first on the scene of such incidents, they should be aware of the hazards and be able to recognize the signs of potential residual threats.
What It Takes to Be a Public Health Emergency Preparedness Professional
Raphael M. Barishansky
July 15, 2015
In the relatively young subspecialty of public health emergency preparedness, effective public health preparedness managers mustentify the essential elements of their roles and the skills or requirements necessary to be effective in their positions. Although there is no set recipe for success, diverse and field-related skills are a must.
Operation Twister – Exercising Disaster Behavioral Response
Craig DeAtley
July 8, 2015
Functional exercises are invaluable for helping participants understand their roles in disasters. This is particularly true for participants who normally are not included in interagency exercises, such as behavioral health personnel. Triaging following a disaster should not stop at the physical level, but should consider psychological concerns as well.Every disaster
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