Emergency Preparedness

Laura LongHealth Services Agency

Public Health Dept

September 11th impacted us all

Our Sense of Safety

Our Self-Confidence

Our Awareness of Public Infrastructure

Our Perspectives of First Responders

Are We Ready????

Will the first response to an emergency be this……

…. or this?

It’s likely to look like this….

We need to prepare, prepare, prepare!!!

Who is going to respond? Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Fire Dept Public Safety (police, sheriff) Medical personnel (Physicians, nurses) Specially trained response teams Public Health (local, state, national) The citizens Mental health

Domestic Preparedness Task Force

Today’s goals:

Define Emergency Preparedness Define Emergency Preparedness Awareness of Potential Emergencies Awareness of Potential Emergencies

and their impactsand their impacts Public Health Role in EPPublic Health Role in EP Provide preparedness guidance for Provide preparedness guidance for

individuals and familiesindividuals and families

After 9-11, government responds

January 2002, President approves January 2002, President approves

$1.1 billion for “Bioterrorism Preparedness”$1.1 billion for “Bioterrorism Preparedness”

All fifty states and 3 major All fifty states and 3 major

metropolitan areasmetropolitan areas

receive funding receive funding

What Is Emergency Preparedness?

Planning to minimize the effects of an Planning to minimize the effects of an emergency/disaster onemergency/disaster on General publicGeneral public First respondersFirst responders Medical CommunityMedical Community ResourcesResources

Potential Emergencies

Natural DisastersNatural Disasters

Man MadeMan Made

Epidemics & PandemicsEpidemics & Pandemics

TerrorismTerrorism

Potential Emergencies/Disasters

Transportation Accidents

Potential Emergencies/Disasters

Dam Failure

Potential Emergencies/Disasters

Floods

Potential Emergencies/DisastersFIRE

Potential Emergencies/Disasters

A HEAT WAVE SIZZLES: THE NEIGHBORHOOD; Blackout Stops Trains and Electricity for 200,000

Source: The New York Times, 7/7/99

Utility DisruptionsHeat Emergency

Columbia University Center for Public Health Preparedness

Potential Emergencies/Disasters Outbreak

Columbia University Center for Public Health Preparedness

Potential Emergencies/Disasters

Biological and Chemical Terrorism

Terrorism

Terrorism forces us to make a choice.Terrorism forces us to make a choice.

We can be afraid. Or we can be ready”We can be afraid. Or we can be ready”-Tom Ridge-Tom Ridge

Potential Terrorist Threats

KidnappingsKidnappings AssassinationsAssassinations HijackingsHijackings Bomb scares & bombingsBomb scares & bombings Weapons of Mass Destruction Weapons of Mass Destruction

NBCNBC

Weapons of Mass Destruction (NBC) A device or agent capable of causing large numbers of injuries or deaths

NuclearNuclear

BiologicalBiological

ChemicalChemical

Biological Agents- Organisms or toxins that can kill or incapacitate people, livestock, and crops

Bacteria- Bacteria- anthrax, plague, tularemiaanthrax, plague, tularemia

Viruses- Viruses- smallpox, VHFsmallpox, VHF

Toxins- Toxins- botulinum, ricinbotulinum, ricin

Biological Agent Dissemination

Aerosol DispersionAerosol Dispersion- - agricultural sprayeragricultural sprayer

IngestionIngestion- - food, h20food, h20

Dermal exposureDermal exposure-- direct contact / injectiondirect contact / injection

SMALLPOX

Very serious & Very serious & contagious IDcontagious ID

Variola VirusVariola Virus ONLY in labONLY in lab Whole body rashWhole body rash No available TXNo available TX Supportive careSupportive care

Chemical-Poisonous vapors, aerosols, liquids or solids that have toxic effects on people, animals, or plants

NerveNerve BlisterBlister BloodBlood ChokingChoking IrritatingIrritating

Chemical Dissemination

Aerosol-- hand help spray bottles to spraying equipment

Area Contamination – inhalation or skin absorption by spraying an area with

persistent liquid

Nuclear- An event in which a device spreads radioactive material

“Dirty Bomb”- the use of an explosive to disseminate radioactive material in a wide area

What can you do to prepare?

Create a Family Disaster PlanCreate a Family Disaster Plan Disaster supplies kitDisaster supplies kit Emergency communications planEmergency communications plan Emergency meeting placeEmergency meeting place School plan?School plan?

Practice it!Practice it!

Disasters and Children

Look for adult reaction and behaviorLook for adult reaction and behavior Talk to your childTalk to your child Prepare them by teaching them how toPrepare them by teaching them how to

Recognize danger signalsRecognize danger signals How to call for helpHow to call for help Memorize important family infoMemorize important family info Practicing your Family planPracticing your Family plan

Homeland Security

So what does this So what does this have to do with have to do with public health?public health?

The Role of Public Health in an Emergency

To Promote physical and mental health To Promote physical and mental health and prevent disease, injury, and and prevent disease, injury, and disabilitydisability

Not just Immunizations..

Emergency PreparednessEmergency Preparedness Maternal and child healthMaternal and child health Health Promotion (Health Promotion (tobacco, nutrition, motor vehicle tobacco, nutrition, motor vehicle

safety)safety)

Teen Pregnancy PreventionTeen Pregnancy Prevention Domestic Violence Domestic Violence Disease SurveillanceDisease Surveillance Tracking of births and deathsTracking of births and deaths

                   

Initial Response to a Disease OutbreakInitial Response to a Disease Outbreak Early detection through surveillanceEarly detection through surveillance Mobilize laboratoryMobilize laboratory Rapid confirmation of agent, site, initial at-risk Rapid confirmation of agent, site, initial at-risk

population, prophylaxis and/or treatmentpopulation, prophylaxis and/or treatment Alert medical community, ERs, labsAlert medical community, ERs, labs Implement disease specific plans (e.g. Implement disease specific plans (e.g.

Smallpox)Smallpox) Determine resource needs and possible Determine resource needs and possible

isolation/quarantineisolation/quarantine Coordinate with partner agencies Coordinate with partner agencies

(local/state/national)(local/state/national)

The Role of Public Health

Continued Response to a disease outbreakContinued Response to a disease outbreak Closely monitor communication Closely monitor communication

network for new informationnetwork for new information Provide, accurate, timely information to Provide, accurate, timely information to

publicpublic Access biological stockpiles as Access biological stockpiles as

necessarynecessary

The Role of Public Health

Being PreparedBeing Prepared Education of medicalEducation of medical

communitycommunity Education of publicEducation of public Training of special response teamsTraining of special response teams Participation in exercises for different Participation in exercises for different

scenariosscenarios Development of communication systemsDevelopment of communication systems Development of interagency protocolsDevelopment of interagency protocols

The Role of Public Health

Education and Training

Assessment of staff and general publicAssessment of staff and general public Develop courses and curricula for terrorism Develop courses and curricula for terrorism

preparedness.preparedness. Develop partnerships with community Develop partnerships with community

stakeholders to disseminate information.stakeholders to disseminate information. Test effectiveness of educational programs Test effectiveness of educational programs

and revise.and revise.

Community Role

BEFOREBEFORE Be preparedBe prepared Spread the wordSpread the word

AFTERAFTER Check on your neighborCheck on your neighbor Listen to radio for instructions (93.1 FM)Listen to radio for instructions (93.1 FM)

In Summary

Planning and Preparation Planning and Preparation

Interagency effortsInteragency efforts

Awareness is KEY!Awareness is KEY!

For More Information

HSA website

www.hsahealth.org Red Cross

www.redcross.org ready.gov Public Health Emergency

Preparedness 558-4941