Analyze disaster response and emergency preparedness

In this assessment, you will explore the nurse’s role in disaster planning, preparedness, response, and recovery. You will develop a teaching tool to be used in the community that teaches community members how to be prepared for a variety of disasters common to your state.

Part 1: Disaster Response 

Public health officials can play a huge part in disaster planning and emergency preparedness.

Analyze disaster response and emergency preparedness:

• Identify nursing roles and responsibilities during each phase of disaster management. Consider:
• Planning
• Preparedness
• Response
• Recovery

Summarize your findings for submission.

Evaluate your community or state’s plan for preparedness and disaster management. Summarize your findings.

Create a teaching tool for your family or the community. Include the following:

• How to plan an emergency kit, or “go bag”
• How to do regular drills of your evacuation plan
• How you will communicate with each other in the family
• How to respond to natural disasters such as a fire, flood, or earthquake
• How to respond in a mass casualty situation such as a major car accident or active shooter incident

Include at least 1 peer-reviewed and 2 evidence-based references and an APA-formatted reference page.

Format your assignment as a 1-page handout.

Part 2: Disaster Planning, Preparedness, and Response 

Research disaster planning, preparedness, and response in your community.

Develop 10 interview questions for use with first responders about local community disaster planning, preparedness, and response to use in community interviews. Include questions about how responders work with the community.

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Interview workers and leaders at the following community locations in person or online from:

• Local fire station
• Local emergency room
• Local police station
• Local first responders (fire/ambulance)

Write a 500-word summary detailing the results of your survey that describes your community’s disaster preparedness.

Solution

Part 2: Disaster Planning, Preparedness, and Response

The state of California has a disaster emergency plan that outlines how to carry out emergency operations, how to provide mutual aid, how government agencies provide emergency services, how resources are mobilized, how the public is alerted and warned, how continuity of government is maintained during the emergency, and how to mitigate hazards and prepare for them as well as how to recover from them. In order to protect people, property, and the environment, the state has outlined goals, priorities, and tactics in its preparedness and disaster management strategy (Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, 2017). It also includes methods for alerting and warning the general public and establishing direction, control, and coordination. The state collects intelligence for reporting and disseminating emergency information to the general public. It coordinates and offers mutual aid per agreements for emergency management assistance compact, public health/medical, law enforcement, and firefighting. It also has a cooperative information system (EMAC). Mission state organizations in the state offer services and help.

Interview Questions

1. How do you prepare for a catastrophe?
2. What are your duties for planning for, responding to, and recovering from disasters?
3. What tools do you have at your disposal to help you fulfill your duties and responsibilities?
4. Do you work with other teams, groups, or organizations responding to disasters? Yes, but how?
5. How do you manage limited resources in a disaster?
6. Do you involve the neighborhood before, during, and following the disaster?
7. What part does the local community play in assisting you in completing your task during a disaster?
8. How do you engage the neighborhood in catastrophe planning, preparation, and response?
9. What neighborhood resources support your roles and obligations?
10. How can community people be encouraged to participate?

Survey Results

The Local Fire Station

The neighborhood fire station ensures that all its staff members are prepared to handle emergencies. It also ensures that disaster management resources are properly maintained and available when needed. The roles and duties of the neighborhood fire station include putting out fires, safeguarding persons and property, and rescuing and protecting individuals in case of fires, accidents, or other emergencies. It recognizes and evaluates the complete spectrum of probable fires and associated dangers and collaborates with local response teams, businesses, and groups to provide services. It is responsible for the community services offered. The community is informed about the fire station using word-of-mouth, message boards, paper shift logs, emails, print media, and television. The community assists in evacuating impacted people and their pets, providing food, medicine, and water. The fire station chooses volunteers based on their skill set and emergency preparedness. If there is a shortage of resources, the station asks for assistance from volunteers and other rescue teams.

The Local Emergency Room

A clearly defined incident command center maintains internal and external communications for efficient catastrophe response. The room maintains the integrity of the supply chain, disseminates crucial information, safeguards and saves records, offers necessary equipment, organizes evacuations, and handles mass fatalities or injuries. Following a crisis, the emergency room coordinates emergency response structures and starts the public health response. It makes strategies for resources, the well-being of responders, and how to reach communities at risk. It interacts with the neighborhood and enlists volunteers for disaster aid. Televisions and social media sites, particularly Twitter, are used in the room to engage with the neighborhood.

Local Police Station

The police station has an effective communication system and a greater understanding of the attitudes and feelings of the neighborhood residents. The police protect citizens and patrol during emergencies. To find fundamental causes, they look at cases. Emergency traffic planning, thorough communication planning, locating buildings or other affected regions, security planning, resource mapping, and community training are additional roles and duties. They conduct search and rescue operations, gather resources by working with rescue teams, stop crimes like looting, ensure aid delivery, provide emergency transportation, and control traffic. Police handle media attention and crowds, provide casualty information, communicate with families, and cooperate with other agencies. Police also work with the neighborhood to repair vital infrastructure and set up safe exits. They interact with the community face-to-face through open data, social media, and digital channels.

Local First Responders

The community, police, firefighters, and medical personnel are typically the initial responders during a disaster. They work together to create an on-site command, appraise the situation, inform others of the emergency scenario, and instruct those affected on what to do and how to do it. Firefighters help put out flames, rescue individuals from dangerous situations, and provide first aid. Health professionals evaluate injuries, give emergency medical care, stop hemorrhage, bandage wounds, and stabilize people while police secure the scene and control crowds. People from the community are frequently the first to react since they arrive on the scene to report or handle the incident. The main forms of community communication are word of mouth, social media, and television.

References

Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. (2017). 2017 State of California Emergency Plan Executive Summary. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/PlanningPreparednessSite/Documents/2017%20SEP%20Executive%20Summary%20ADA%20Edits.pdf