DISASTER MANAGEMENT

By
ANANDA.S
MEANING

Disaster means that any occurrence that causes

damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life
or deterioration of health and health services on
a scale sufficient to warrant and extraordinary
response from outside the affected
community or area (WHO 1995)
 Disaster
management
• Disaster management (or emergency
management) is the creation of plans through
which communities reduce vulnerability to
hazards and cope with disasters.
TYPES

• NATURAL DISASTERS

• MAN-MADE DISASTER
 TYPES

• Disasters can be natural or man-made.

• Natural disasters
▫ include droughts, earthquakes,
tsunamis, forest fires, landslides and
mudslides, blizzards, hurricanes,
tornadoes, floods and volcanic disruptions.
• Man-made disasters
▫ includes hazardous substance accidents (e.g.,
chemicals, toxic gases), radiologic accidents, dam
failures, resource shortage (e.g., food, electricity
and water), structural fire and explosions and
domestic disturbances (e.g., terrorism, bombing
and riots), Bioterrorism. Explosions
▫ Fires, Toxic materials, Pollution, Civil unrest (e.g.,
riots, demonstrations), Terrorists’ attacks
▫ Throughout history natural and man-made
disasters have disrupted food and water supplies
and. salutation causing communicable diseases,
injury, illness and death.
 PRINCIPLES OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT (Grab
and Eng 1995)
1. Prevent the occurrence of the disaster whenever possible.
2. Minimize the number of casualties if the disaster cannot
be prevented.
3. Prevent further casualties from occurring after the initial
impact of the disaster.
4. Rescue the victims.
5. Provide first aid to the injured.
6. Evacuate the injured to medical facilities.
7. Provide definitive medical care.
8. Promote reconstruction of lives.
 Minor natural disasters:
Major natural disasters:
 Cold wave
 Flood
 Thunderstorms
 Cyclone
 Heat waves
 Drought
 Mud slides
 Earthquake
 Storm
Minor manmade disaster:
Major manmade disaster:
 Road / train accidents, riots
 Setting of fires
 Food poisoning
 Epidemic
 Industrial disaster/ crisis
 Deforestation
 Environmental pollution
 Pollution due to prawn
cultivation
 Chemical pollution.
Epidemiological frame work

Disaster
agent

Host Enviro

nment
 DISASTER AGENT
Primary agents include falling buildings, heat, wind, rising
water and smoke.
Secondary agents include bacteria and viruses that produce
contamination or infection after the primary agent has
caused injury or destruction.

HOST
Human kind.

 Age, sex, immunization status, pre-existing health, degree of

mobility, emotional stability,
 ENVIRONMENT
 PHYSICAL FACTORS include the weather conditions, availability of
food and water and the functioning of utilities such as electricity and
telephone service.
 CHEMICAL FACTOR include leakage of stored chemicals into the air,
soil, ground water or food supplies.
 BIOLOGICAL FACTORS include contaminated water, improper waste
disposal, insect or rodent proliferation, improper food storage, or lack
of refrigeration owing to interrupted electrical services.
 SOCIAL FACTORS are those that contribute to the individual's social
support systems, loss of family members, changes in roles, religious
beliefs, social factors to be examine after disaster.
 PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS distress of victim to the disaster site.
 PHASES OF A DISASTER
• Pre-Impact Phase
It is the initial phase of the disaster, warning is given
prior to the actual occurrence, Emergency centers are
opened , Communication , radio and television,
community must be educated.
 Impact Phase
This occurs at the time of disaster, The impact phase
continues until the threat of further destructions has
passed and the emergency plan is in effect. Emergency
Operation Center (EOC) has been established. physical
and psychological support
• Post impact Phase:
Recovery beings during the emergency phase and end with the return
of normal community order and functioning. For persons in then
impact area this phase may last a lifetime (e.g., victims of the atomic
bombing of Hiroshima).
PHASES OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT
 TRIAGE (categorizing)
•Red - most urgent, first priority
•Yellow - urgent, second priority
•Green - third
priority
•Black - dying
dead
RED - MOST URGENT, FIRST PRIORITY
• Life-threatening injuries
• Shock, chest wounds, internal hemorrhage, head
injuries producing increased loss of consciousness,
partial-or full-thickness burns over 20% to 60%
of the body surface, and chest pain
• Poor chance of survival
 YELLOW - URGENT, SECOND
PRIORITY
• Injuries with systemic effects and
complications but yet not in shock ,
withstand 30 to 60-minute
• Category include multiple fractures, open
fractures, spinal injuries, large lacerations;
partial- or full- thickness burns over 10% to
20% of the body surface, and medical
 GREEN- THIRD-PRIORITY
• Minimal injuries unaccompanied by systemic
complications.
• Wait several hours for treatment.
• Closed fractures, minor burns, minor lacerations,
sprains, contusions, and abrasions.
BLACK -DYING OR DEAD
 Hopelessly injured patients or dead victims
 Crushing injuries to the head or chest
 Would not survive under the best of
circumstances.
 She provides………….
• Psychological care,
• Emotional support services,
• Treatment for victims and their families
 ASSESS THE COMMUNITY
 Is there a current community disaster plan in place?
 What previous disaster experiences has the community been
involved with locally, statewide, nationally?
 How is the local climate conducive to disaster formation
 How is the local terrain conducive to disaster formation
 What are the local industries?
 Are there any community hazards
 What personnel are available for disaster interventions

 What are the locally available disaster resources.

 What are the local agencies and organizations.

What is immediately available for infant care and care

of the elderly and disabled?
What are the most salient chronic illnesses in the
community that will need immediate attention
 Diagnose Community Disaster Threats

 Determine actual and potential disaster threats

  Community Disaster Planning
• Develop a disaster plan to prevent or deal with identified
disaster threats.
• Identify a local community communication system.
• Identify disaster personnel, including private and professional
volunteers, local emergency personnel, agencies, and
resources.
• Identify regional backup agencies, personnel.
• Identify specific responsibilities for various personnel
involved in disaster coping and establish a disaster chain of
command.
 Implement Disaster Plan
 Focus on primary prevention activities to prevent occurrence of
man-made disasters.
 Practice community disaster plans with all personnel carrying
out
their previously identified responsibilities.
 Practice using equipment, obtaining and distributing supplies.

 Evaluate Effectiveness of Disaster Plan

 Critically evaluate all aspects of disaster plans and practice drills

for speed, effectiveness, gaps, and revisions.
 Evaluate the disaster impact on community and surrounding
regions.
 Evaluate response of personnel involved in disaster relief efforts.
PHASES OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT
• MITIGATION:
 Working with local, state and federal agencies in identifying
disaster risks and developing disaster prevention strategies through
extensive public education in disaster prevention and readiness.

 To plan effectively for disaster prevention the nurse needs to have

community assessment information, including knowledge of
community resources (e.g., emergency services, hospitals, and
clinics), community health personnel (e.g., nurses, doctors,
pharmacists, emergency medical teams, dentists, and volunteers),
community government officials, and local industry.
 PREPAREDNESS
• PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS: stress and conflict among
disaster workers.
• PROFESSIONAL PREPAREDNESS: license, equipment,
personal equipment, such as a stethoscope, a flashlight and
extra batteries, Cash, Warm clothing and a heavy jacket (or
weather-appropriate clothing), Record-keeping materials,
Pocket-sized reference books
• COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS: participation.
 Role in preparedness
1. Within the employing organization: help initiate or
update the disaster plan, provide educational programs and
material regarding disasters specific to the area, and organize
disaster drills.
2. Community health nurse: provide an updated record of
vulnerable populations within the community. Individualized
strategies should be reviewed, including the availability of
specific resources, in the event of an emergency.
3. Leader: an intimate knowledge of the institution and
familiarity with the individuals who work there. Persons with
disaster management training, and especially those who
have served on "real" disasters, make valuable members of
any preparedness team as well
4. As a community advocate: should always seek to keep
a safe environment. Recalling that disasters are not only
natural but also man-made, the nurse in the community
has an obligation to assess for and report environmental
health hazards.
5. Others
a. what community resources will be available
after a disaster strikes and most important
b. how the community will work together
c. what "should" occur before, during, and after
the response and his or her role within the plan.
d. community health nurse who seeks greater involvement
or a more in-depth understanding of disaster
management can become involved in any number of
community organizations that are part of the official
response team, such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, or
Emergency Medical System/ Ambulance Corps.
 RESPONSE
• It includes community assessment, case finding and referring,
prevention, health education, surveillance, and working with
aggregates. Local and regional emergency and public health
resources can be readjusted as assessment reports continue to
come in.
• SHELTER MANAGEMENT
• Responsibility of the local Red Cross, building of “tent cities”
• Assessing and referring, ensuring medical needs, providing first
aid, serving meals, keeping patient records, ensuring emergency
communications and transportation, and providing a safe
environment.
 INTERNATIONAL RELIEF EFFORTS

• Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the

International Committee of Red Cross or as health
representatives from the WHO.

PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS OF DISASTER WORKERS:

The degree of worker stress depends "on the nature of the
disaster, role in the disaster, individual stamina, and other
environmental factors.
 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
• Noise, inadequate work space, physical danger, and
stimulus overload, stress, mood swings, frustration and
conflict,
 DISASTER RECOVERY
• Flexibility
• Community cleanup efforts
• Release of continuing threat
• teaching proper hygiene
• short-term psychological support
• alert for environmental health hazards
• Home visits
THANK
YOU