Transcript Emergency Preparedness - Stanislaus County Health Services

Emergency
Preparedness
Laura Long
Health Services Agency
Public Health Dept
September
th
11
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?
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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:
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Define Emergency Preparedness
Awareness of Potential Emergencies
and their impacts
Public Health Role in EP
Provide preparedness guidance for
individuals and families
After 9-11, government
responds
January 2002, President approves
$1.1 billion for “Bioterrorism Preparedness”
All fifty states and 3 major
metropolitan areas
receive funding
What Is Emergency Preparedness?
Planning to minimize the effects of an
emergency/disaster on
 General public
 First responders
 Medical Community
 Resources
Potential Emergencies
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Natural Disasters
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Man Made
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Epidemics & Pandemics
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Terrorism
Potential Emergencies/Disasters
Transportation Accidents
Potential Emergencies/Disasters
Dam Failure
Potential Emergencies/Disasters
Floods
Potential Emergencies/Disasters
FIRE
Potential Emergencies/Disasters
Heat Emergency
Utility Disruptions
A HEAT WAVE SIZZLES: THE NEIGHBORHOOD;
Blackout Stops Trains and Electricity for 200,000
Source: The New York Times, 7/7/99
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.
We can be afraid. Or we can be ready”
-Tom Ridge
Potential Terrorist Threats
Kidnappings
 Assassinations
 Hijackings
 Bomb scares & bombings
 Weapons of Mass Destruction
 NBC
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Weapons of Mass Destruction (NBC) A
device or agent capable of causing large
numbers of injuries or deaths
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Nuclear
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Biological
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Chemical
Biological Agents- Organisms or toxins
that can kill or incapacitate people,
livestock, and crops
 Bacteria-
 Viruses-
 Toxins-
anthrax, plague, tularemia
smallpox, VHF
botulinum, ricin
Biological Agent Dissemination
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Aerosol Dispersion- agricultural sprayer
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Ingestion- food, h20
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Dermal exposure- direct contact / injection
SMALLPOX
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Very serious &
contagious ID
Variola Virus
ONLY in lab
Whole body rash
No available TX
Supportive care
Chemical-Poisonous vapors, aerosols,
liquids or solids that have toxic effects on
people, animals, or plants
Nerve
 Blister
 Blood
 Choking
 Irritating
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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?
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Create a Family Disaster Plan
 Disaster supplies kit
 Emergency communications plan
 Emergency meeting place
 School plan?
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Practice it!
Disasters and Children
Look for adult reaction and behavior
 Talk to your child
 Prepare them by teaching them how to
 Recognize danger signals
 How to call for help
 Memorize important family info
 Practicing your Family plan
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Homeland Security
So what does this
have to do with
public health?
The Role of Public Health in an
Emergency
To Promote physical and mental health
and prevent disease, injury, and
disability
Not just Immunizations..
Emergency Preparedness
 Maternal and child health
 Health Promotion (tobacco, nutrition, motor vehicle
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safety)
Teen Pregnancy Prevention
 Domestic Violence
 Disease Surveillance
 Tracking of births and deaths
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The Role of Public Health
Initial Response to a Disease Outbreak
 Early detection through surveillance
 Mobilize laboratory
 Rapid confirmation of agent, site, initial at-risk
population, prophylaxis and/or treatment
 Alert medical community, ERs, labs
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Implement disease specific plans (e.g.
Smallpox)
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Determine resource needs and possible
isolation/quarantine
Coordinate with partner agencies
(local/state/national)
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The Role of Public Health
Continued Response to a disease outbreak
 Closely monitor communication
network for new information
 Provide, accurate, timely information to
public
 Access biological stockpiles as
necessary
The Role of Public Health
Being Prepared
 Education of medical
community
 Education of public
 Training of special response teams
 Participation in exercises for different
scenarios
 Development of communication systems
 Development of interagency protocols
Education and Training
Assessment of staff and general public
 Develop courses and curricula for terrorism
preparedness.
 Develop partnerships with community
stakeholders to disseminate information.
 Test effectiveness of educational programs
and revise.
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Community Role
BEFORE
 Be prepared
 Spread the word
AFTER
 Check on your neighbor
 Listen to radio for instructions (93.1 FM)
In Summary
 Planning
and Preparation
 Interagency
 Awareness
efforts
is KEY!
For More Information
 HSA website
www.hsahealth.org
 Red Cross
www.redcross.org
 ready.gov
 Public Health Emergency
Preparedness 558-4941