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PUBLIC HEALTH ARCHIVES

How I Became an Accidental Disaster Mental Health Specialist

Dr. Adrienne Heinz and her young family have lived through multiple historic wildfires in Northern California. She decided to turn pain into purpose and mobilize community health leaders to build a mental health safety net for healing and recovery. The lessons from those experiences now serve as a guide and

Physical and Mental Injuries in First Responders: Why Wait?

First responders undergo intense physical training to ensure they are physically prepared for emergencies. Yet despite the high-stress nature of their work, mental fitness is not given the same priority. To truly support first responders, mental wellness must be fully integrated into recruit training programs and proactively addressed throughout their

Not Lost in Translation: A Multilingual Corps Approach

Disaster survivors and responders often face psychological hazards like acute stress disorder, depression, and post-traumatic stress. These issues are worsened in multilingual communities, where language barriers hinder communication and delay aid. Effectively addressing these challenges goes beyond basic translation or ad hoc interpreting to address the whole community.

Disaster Stress Management in an Emergency Operations Center

Disasters affect responders and community members, but they also bring trauma to those working inside emergency operations centers. Distance from the scene does not create a shield from stress. Secondary traumatic stress can impair leadership, so managing this stress is vital for effective emergency response.

A Holistic Strategy for Responders’ Well-Being

First responders and emergency managers face constant, high-pressure stress from trauma, long hours, and critical decisions. This often leads to chronic stress, increasing risks of heart disease, mental health issues, and substance abuse. Their ability to help others depends on prioritizing their own well-being through proactive self-care.

Agroterrorism: A Persistent but Overlooked Threat

Agroterrorism is not new. Considered a subset of bioterrorism, it has become an increasing concern to the U.S. With so much of the agriculture sector in private hands, preparedness leaders must take extra steps to engage stakeholders and incorporate them into planning efforts.

Beyond the Showcase: Strengthening Biosecurity at Livestock Exhibitions

Hazards and risks associated with state and local fairs mirror those of other high-attendance events—medical emergencies, mass casualty incidents, and other public safety risks. However, within the food and agriculture sector lies an additional risk: the spread of animal diseases, which can have catastrophic consequences.

Elevating Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Exercises with Realistic Patient Simulation

Overlooked until disaster strikes, many emergency management departments struggle with personnel and budgetary constraints, yet the demand placed on these departments continues to increase. Nevertheless, hospitals and health systems need to be prepared, and full-scale exercises are a comprehensive method for achieving this preparedness.

Imagining the U.S. Without Power: A Dual-World EMP Exercise

A dual-world tabletop exercise simulating an electromagnetic pulse event in Chicopee, Massachusetts, revealed startling discrepancies in outcomes between the city’s current preparedness and a moderate-preparedness simulation.

Nonmedical Concerns for Hospitals in a Mass-Casualty Incident

Nonmedical concerns such as security and safety, unaccompanied minors, and governmental relations can adversely impact a hospital when responding to a mass-casualty incident. Failure to plan for these issues, including consequence management, could risk life and safety.

The Current State of the Opioid Crisis & Other Emerging Threats

Opioid deaths have surged dramatically since the pandemic. Manufacturers exploit legal loopholes and use precursor chemicals that often evade detection and regulation. These new and growing threats present challenges to public safety that demand innovative solutions and a proactive approach.

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