The Process of Disaster Mitigation - Essay Example

Disaster Management and Emergency Planning Introduction: Disaster Management forms an integral part of any efforts that work in dealing with hazards and risks which may have impact on environment, human lives, health and safety and business interests. It is the means by which an industry manages itself in order to mitigate these risks. The second term that one would need to be familiar with is risk. This is a function of probability of occurrence of any hazardous event, and of the magnitude of its consequences during installation/ operation of the unit. It is on the basis of perceived risk that risk assessment is made. This is a formalized approach to identify potential hazards arising due to hazardous operations and to quantify and evaluate same besides suggesting remedial measures to eliminate or reduce such hazards. The steps involved in risk assessment, which form Disaster Management are hazard identification, quantification and consequence analysis. Executive summary: The following is a report on the outline of a command structure and emergency management scheme in case of an incident that involves a chemical war like attack in England after a raid on a house that seems to have been the planning point of the attack. Given the nature of the problem, the report focuses mostly on a setting up of the emergency command structure and an outline of communication and press related initiaves when the incident catches public eye. The focus of the report a method that would ensure in the long run a structure and a management system that would lessen panic and foster efficient work in the process of disaster mitigation. A command system would have to be the first priority in the management and the mitigation of the emergency. One would need to remember that an Incident Command System does not exist in isolation, but needs to be seen as part of the brigades overall organisational system for managing risk. The command system would consist of the emergency services including the medical services, the fire departments, local authorities, and environmental agencies would be involved. The Incident Command System is based on five functions-Command, Planning, Operations, Logistics, and Finance/Administration (Bice and Brown, 2007). Figure 1: Command Structure Source: Journal of CBR and Med Defense Specific measures to handle the incidents involving the chemical WMD would automatically have be integrated into existing hospital emergency preparedness plans. Medical monitoring is the on-the-scene evaluation of response personnel who maybe experiencing adverse effects because of exposure to the chemical. Responders, every individual that goes on the scene of the event would need to have undergone pre-entry health screening before they could be allowed to don a level of chemical protective equipment (Schnepp, 2009). The planning function would be responsible for the collection, evaluation and dissemination of situational information and for the documentation of the Action Plan, consisting of stipulations of inclusion of the things the team learns as part of the Incident Safety Officer’s activities progress. The Operations function would in turn be responsible for the management of tactical aspects of the emergency operations, like evacuations, risk assessment, taking care of the injured. This is the department that would therefore feature the emergency services and would include functions such as the reduction of immediate threat, saving lives, protecting property, establishment of situational control, and the restoration of pre-incident conditions. The Logistics function is responsible for the management of possessions and requirements related to the emergency operation, transportation requirements, taking care of the evacuated people and their supplies, bringing and taking back forces, movement to and fro medical premises and things like facilities, equipment, food services, medical services, and information technology. The Finance and Administration function monitors all financial aspects of the emergency response, tracks actual costs, and forecasts needed funding. These are just the part so the local incident set up command structure, there would be aid needed from national government and the international community in terms of food, supplies and fiscal support. All of this would be under the aegis of a separate department. The fiscal impact cannot be determined at this time, although long-term savings should be realized from more effective disaster mitigation through rapid-response teams and pre-positioning of supplies and resources. Operating costs should be reduced by more efficient use of field resources through regional restructuring and centers of excellence. Hazard identification: Detection and identification are necessary for the determination of the nature of the chemical hazard being confronted (Robinson, 2004). The strategies may include the use of a variety of devices that could provide an indication of the agents involved. This could include devices such as color changing paper to electronic contamination monitors. Definitive identification of the chemicals used would involve forensic based analytical processes requiring the use of sophisticated laboratory facilities. This being a case of overt chemical release, an important component of exposure assessment is the prediction of the spread of the agent cloud, this be useful in making decisions about where to focus protective and incident management procedures (Haber, 1986). A variety of computerized prediction models could be made use of in making an assessment of the incident-management procedures. Individual protective equipment must be available to the responders and must allow them to carry out a wide range of activities in the contaminated area without them becoming casualties themselves. Contamination control would require: 1. The rapid establishment of a well demarcates ‘hot zone’ (with clearly visbible clean and dirty areas’) 2. The limitation of contamination spread by means of strictky controlled entry and exit procedures 3. On-site decontamination procedures, ensuring that all persons or items leaving the dirty areas are cleaned and monitored before entering the clean environment. Patients would need to be decontaminated as soon as possible, and before transport to specialized facilities, (so that contamination of vehicles can be avoided and one could prevent and overburdened accident and emergency department). However, the nature of the human response to mass casualty incidents like this one is threatening to be, it is likely that many patients arrive at the medical centre on vehicles other than those of the emergency services. For this reason, triage casualty reception centers also need to incorporate decontamination. It would thus be necessary to ensure that potentially limited resources are used to help those that are most likely to benefit from them. Expected responsibilities for Category I responders The Civil Contingencies Act clearly defines roles and responsibilities for all agencies involved in preparing for and responding to emergencies.  Category One responders are the main agencies involved in the response to the majority of emergency situations. These agencies include, local authorities, Police authorities, Fire and rescue authorities, British Transport Police, Ambulance service, NHS bodies, Health Protection Agency, Port Health Authority, Environment Agency, and Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Plans must contain a procedure for determining whether an emergency has occurred; provision for training key staff; and provision for exercising the plan to ensure it is effective. Given this background the responsibility of the category I responders would be the basis of the failure of the success of the rescue mission and the management of the emergency. First and foremost, the requirement would have to be for the set up of a medical decontamination area, where the wounded could be brought and taken care of. Second, the fire department and the police would be responsible for the evacuation process so that ones unaffected could be taken so safety. The environmental agency along with the NHS bodies and the health organization would be required to make an assessment of the kind of threat that is being dealt with and the range to which the threat would affect the population and the environment. The fire department would be responsible for evacuation purposes and for ensuring that the arson-related elements in the attack were dealt with correctly. The Civil Contingencies Act, defines the responsibilities of the Category I responders as follows: Assess the risk of emergencies occurring and use this to inform contingency planning; Put in place emergency plans; Put in place Business Continuity Management arrangements; Put in place arrangements to make information available to the public about civil protection matters and maintain arrangements to warn, inform and advise the public in the event of an emergency; Share information with other local responders to enhance co-ordination; Co-operate with other local responders to enhance co-ordination and efficiency; and Provide advice and assistance to businesses and voluntary organizations about business continuity management (Local Authorities only). These therefore would form the crux of the responsibilities that the Categories I responders would be expected to fulfill. The only point of consideration is the fact that most of these responders would have to work in line with specialists who know how to deal with chemicals and the related hazards. The training process would also therefore part of the schedule of the work for Category I responders on priority basis. Public Information: The first issue of priority in this case is to ensure that the incident does not perpetrate panic in the ranks of the public (Brennan, Waeckerle, Sharp, Lillibridge, 2004). For this purpose, the information that is transmitted to the public needs to be carefully monitored and even censored if required so that a mass exodus backed by panic and fear is prevented. The mediums of mass communication therefore would need to have a copy of the information that the government wants transmitted. The idea in essence is to prevent conjecture, given the fact that conjecture would inevitably lead to some levels of incorrect information being relayed to the public causing panic. For this purpose, the selection of an effective method of communication is a necessity. This is one of the most important issues that need to be paid attention to in this regard. Mobile telephone systems may be overpowered and become unproductive or even useless as the first responders. This would therefore mean that the members of the ICS and health care system, and citizens would have difficulties in attempting to keep in control of the things that happen around them. Handheld radios within the hospital are effective and frequently are the communication method of choice (Khan, Lewiit and Sage, 2009). The radios' short range is effective within the medical facility but does not interfere with similar devices a short distance away. Care must be taken with portable communication equipment to avoid interference with patient monitoring devices and other electronic equipment within the hospital. The use of a public information system would also be critical in the effective management of the situation. The Federal Emergency management Agency Rapid Response Information system could be used a reference guide for the incident information management (Robinson, 2004). Issues surrounding incident communications: Controlling sensitive information may be a priority among law enforcement officials. Police and the ICS supervisor are more willing to communicate with health care facilities if outsiders cannot access the communication system (Young and Roberts, 1997). The ICS and Unified Command System (UCS) are methods for command, control, and coordination of a response and provide a means to coordinate the efforts of individual agencies as they work toward the common goal of stabilizing the incident and protecting life, property, and the environment. Both HEICS and MaHIM address essential command, control, and organizational functions specific to health care institutions. An emergency communication plan that ensures rapid dissemination of health information to the public during actual, threatened, or suspected acts of chemical terrorism will be a valuable asset. Announcements to the news media must be coordinated, open, reliable, and current. During a terrorist event, all public communication should be through the designated community or regional spokesperson, even though large medical centers may have communication procedures and a media spokesperson. Gaining public cooperation requires that consistent information from all sources is related by one spokesperson. Effective communication with the public through the news media is essential to limit the terrorist's ability to induce public panic and disrupt daily life. Gaining and retaining public confidence and cooperation is extremely important during the incident. Attending Media Reps Dealing with media representatives would mean two basic things: First, it would be essential that the media reps be given information about the gravity of the situation so that they are aware of the situation that needs to be dealt with. The information to be released and the method of release needs to be carefully decided. A press release is the easiest way to get through to the idea and a press centre needs to be set up manned and operated by a governing agency. Member of the cabinets, including minister of information and broadcasting need to be involved in this, and a prime minister’s address can be arranged so that the people feel reassured. The second most important issues is to keep the members of the press away from contamination given the fact that the urge on their part to get some stories on human interest would be paramount. Many would be stationed at the hospitals and the emergency centers. For this reason, therefore, the hazards to health need to be clearly explained to the press reps and a media round of the health center could be arranged under proper supervision once the situation with causalities is brought under control. Prepare sample public health advisories and develop repositories of information on anticipated chemical warfare agents and industrial chemicals for use in a crisis. Specific information is available on traditional chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals at one or more of the web sites identified in this article (Gum and Hoyle, 2009). Provide the community spokesperson with a fact sheet prepared specifically for the public. In some instances, the hospital spokesperson may be called upon to comment on the situation. Reliable information from a known and respected community resource can dismiss rumors and inaccurate predictions from self-proclaimed experts. To achieve a more rapid response to warnings, provide the public with enough information to allow everyone to understand the instructions from local officials. Press Release: Suspected Chemical war attempt in Promenade, BlackPool, England Promenade, 12 November 2009: A raid on a house in Birch Green area of Skelmersdale took place at midday today in connection with an ongoing counter terrorism enquiry. At the time of the raid all suspects of the gang were at the location. The house contained computers being used to obtain money from internet bank accounts; it also contained a significant number of stolen credit cards, cheque books and money orders. However of greater concern at this point is that the raid has unexpectedly yielded some evidence that could potentially form plans for a Chemical or Biological attack. Other suspect material has also been discovered. Since then there have been unqualified reports of aircrafts spraying unknown liquids on residents and of people having fainted on the road. There have been other evidences to show that we might be facing a chemical war like situation. The perpetrators of the attack are heretofore unknown. Efforts are being made not limit the scope of the attack and decontaminate the area as soon as possible. Category I responders and related operations are already underway, under the ministry of defense and the home affairs. There is no need to panic at present given the fact that the situation is mostly under control and that resue operations have already met a degree of success. The nature of the chemical cannot be disclosed for strategic reasons. For further queries, the following numbers are available for assistance or, you can forward your questions to emergency@blackpool.com. Reference: Schnepp R, 2009, Hazardous Materials: Awareness and Operations, pub, Jones and Bartlett Publications, p120 Bice S D and Brown S, 2007, Public Health and Medical Crisis Management, pub, Journal of Medical and CBR Defense, Vol.6 Civil Contingencies Act, 2004, accessed November 12, 2009, R. Brennan, J. Waeckerle, T. Sharp, S. Lillibridge, Chemical Warfare Agents: Emergency Medical and Emergency Public Health Issues, pub, Annals of Emergency Medicine, Volume 34, Issue 2, Pages 191-204 Robinson J P, 2004, Public health response to biological and chemical weapons: WHO guidance, pub, WHO, p333 FEMA, Office of the Inspector General, FEMA's Disaster Management Program, p. 69 Haber L F, 1986, The poisonous cloud: chemical warfare in the First World War, pub, Oxford University Press, pp56-72 Gum R M and Hoyle J D, 2009, CBRNE - Chemical Warfare Mass Casualty Management, pub, Medscape Khan A, Levitt A, Sage M, 2009, Biological and chemical terrorism: strategic plan for preparedness and response. Recommendations of the CDC Strategic Planning Workgroup, pub, MMWR Recomm Rep, Vol.49, pp1-14. Young F, Roberts B. 1997, Terrorism With Chemical and Biological Weapons: Calibrating Risks and Responses, pub Free Hand Press; , pp113-120 Read More