DISASTER

MANAGEMENT
[Link].P.R
DEPT OF SWASTHAVRITTA
PIA
 DISASTER & HAZARD
A "disaster" can be defined as "any
occurrence that causes damage, ecological
disruption, loss of human life or deterioration
of health and health services on a scale
sufficient to warrant an extraordinary
response from outside the affected
community or area“.
A "hazard" can be defined as any
phenomenon that has the potential to cause
disruption or damage to people and their
environment.
 DISASTER MANAGEMENT
 Disaster response
 Disaster preparedness

 Disaster mitigation
 DISASTER IMPACT AND
RESPONSE
 Search, rescue and first-aid

 Field care
 TRIAGE
 The principle of "first come, first treated", is not followed
in mass emergencies.
 Triage consists of rapidly classifying the injured on the
basis of the severity of their injuries.
 Although different triage systems have been adopted and
are still in use in some countries, the most common
classification uses the internationally accepted four colour
code system.
 Red indicates high priority treatment or transfer, yellow
signals medium priority, green indicates ambulatory
patients and black for dead or moribund patients.
 Triage should be carried out at the site of disaster, in
order to determine transportation priority, and admission
to the hospital or treatment centre, where the patient's
needs and priority of medical care will be reassessed
 TAGGING
 All patients should be identified with tags
stating their name, age, place of origin,
triage category, diagnosis, and initial
treatment.
 IDENTIFICATION OF DEAD

 Taking care of the dead is an essential part of

the disaster management.
 A large number of dead can also impede the

efficiency of the rescue activities at the site of

the disaster.
 Care of the dead includes : ( 1) removal of the

dead from the disaster scene; (2) shifting to the

mortuary; (3) identification; (4) reception of
bereaved relatives.
 Proper respect for the dead is of great

importance.
 RELIEF PHASE

 This phase begins when assistance from outside

starts to reach the disaster area.
 The type and quantity of humanitarian relief

supplies are usually determined by two main

factors :
 (1) the type of disaster, since distinct events

have different effects on the population

 (2) the type and quantity of supplies available

locally.
 EPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEILLANCE
AND DISEASE CONTROL
 Disasters can increase the transmission of
communicable diseases through following
mechanisms :
 1. Overcrowding and poor sanitation in temporary

resettlements. This accounts in part, for the

reported increase in acute respiratory infections
etc. following the disasters.
 2. Population displacement may lead to introduction

of communicable diseases to which either the

migrant or indigenous populations are susceptible.
 3. Disruption and the contamination of water

supply, damage to sewerage system and power

systems are common in natural disasters.
 4. Disruption of routine control programmes as
funds and personnel are usually diverted to
relief work.
 5. Ecological changes may favour breeding of

vectors and increase the vector population

density.
 6. Displacement of domestic and wild animals,

who carry with them zoonoses that can be

transmitted to humans as well as to other
animals
 7. Provision of emergency food, water and

shelter in disaster situation from different or

new source may itself be a source of infectious
disease.
 Vaccination
 Health authorities are often under

considerable public and political pressure to

begin mass vaccination programmes, usually
against typhoid, cholera and tetanus.
 The pressure may be increased by the press

media and offer of vaccines from abroad.

 Nutrition
 A natural disaster may affect the nutritional status of

the population by affecting one or more components

of food chain depending on the type, duration and
extent of the disaster, as well as the food and
nutritional conditions existing in the area before the
catastrophe.
 Infants, children, pregnant women, nursing mothers

and sick persons are more prone to nutritional

problems after prolonged drought or after certain
types of disasters like hurricanes, floods, land or
mudslides, volcanic eruptions and sea surges
involving damage to crops, to stocks or to food
distribution systems.
 REHABILITATION

 The final phase in a disaster should lead to

restoration of the pre-disaster conditions.
 Rehabilitation starts from the very first moment of

a disaster.
 Too often, measures decided in a hurry, tend to

obstruct re-establishment of normal conditions of

life.
 Provisions by external agencies of sophisticated

medical care for a temporary period has negative

effects.
 On the withdrawal of such care, the population is

left with a new level of expectation which simply

cannot be fulfilled.
 WATER SUPPLY

A survey of all public water supplies

should be made.
 This includes distribution system and

water source.
 It is essential to determine physical

integrity of system components, the

remaining capacities, and
bacteriological and chemical quality of
water supplied.
FOOD SAFETY
 Poor hygiene is the major cause of food-borne diseases in
disaster situations.
 Where feeding programmes are used (as in shelters or
camps) kitchen sanitation is of utmost importance.
 Personal hygiene should be monitored in individuals
involved in food preparation.

 Basic sanitation and personal hygiene

 Many communicable diseases are spread through faecal
contamination of drinking water and food.
 Hence, every effort should be made to ensure the sanitary
disposal of excreta.
 Emergency latrines should be made available to the
displaced, where toilet facilities have been destroyed.
 Washing, cleaning and bathing facilities should be provided
to the displaced persons.
 Vector control
 Control programme for vector-borne diseases

should be intensified in the emergency and

rehabilitation period, especially in areas
where such diseases are known to be
endemic.
 Of special concern are dengue fever and

malaria (mosquitoes), leptospirosis and rat

bite fever (rats), typhus (lice, fleas), and
plague (fleas).
 Flood water provides ample breeding

opportunities for mosquitoes.

DISASTER MITIGATION IN HEALTH SECTOR

 Emergency prevention and mitigation involves

measures designed either to prevent hazards
from causing emergency or to lessen the likely
effects of emergencies.
 These measures include flood mitigation works,

appropriate landuse planning, improved building

codes, and reduction or protection of vulnerable
population and structures.
 DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

 Emergency preparedness is "a programme of

long-term development activities whose goals are
to strengthen the overall capacity and capability
of a country to manage efficiently all types of
emergency.
 It should bring about an orderly transition from

relief through recovery, and back to sustained

development“.
 The objective of disaster preparedness is to

ensure that appropriate systems, procedures and

resources are in place to provide prompt effective
assistance to disaster victims, thus facilitating
relief measures and rehabilitation of services.
PERSONAL PROTECTION IN DIFFERENT
TYPES OF EMERGENCIES
 A number of measures must be observed by all
persons in all types of emergency:
 Listen to the messages broadcast by radio and the

various media so as to be informed of development.

 - Carry out the official instructions given over the

radio or by loudspeaker.
 -Keep a family emergency kit ready.

 In all the different types of emergency, it is better:

 - to be prepared than to get hurt;

 - to get information so as to get organized;

 to wait rather than act too hastily.

 FLOODS

 What to do before-hand
 While town planning is a government

responsibility, individuals should find out about

risks in the area where they live.
 For example, people who live in areas

downstream from a dam should know the special

signals (such as foghorns) used when a dam
threatens to break.
 Small floods can be foreseen by watching the

water level after heavy rains and regularly

listening to the weather forecasts.
 During a flood
 - Turn off the electricity to reduce the risk of

electrocution.
 Protect people and property:

 Beware of water contamination - if the taste,

colour, or smell of the water is suspicious, it is

vital to use some means of purification.·
 - Evacuate danger zones as ordered by the

local authorities it is essential to comply

strictly with th evacuation advice given.
 Authorities will recommend that families take

with them the emergency supplies they have

prepared.
 After a flood
 When a flood is over, it is important that people do not
return home until told to do so by the local authorities,
who will have ensured that buildings have not been
undermined by water.
 From then on it is essential to: ·
 - wait until. the water is declared safe before drinking
 any that is untreated;
 - clean and disinfect any room that has been flooded;
 sterilize or wash with boiling water all dishes and
 kitchen utensils;
 - get rid of any food that has been in or near the
water,
 including canned foods and any food kept in
refrigerators and freezers;
 - get rid of all consumables (drinks, medicines,
cosmetics, etc.)
EARTHQUAKES

 What to do before-hand
 - Build in accordance with urban planning

regulations for risk areas.

 - Ensure that all electrical and gas appliances in

houses, together with all pipes connected to them,

are firmly fixed.
 Avoid storing heavy objects and materials in high

positions.
 Hold family evacuation drills and ensure that the

whole family knows what to do in case of an

earthquake.
 - Prepare a family emergency kit.
 DURING AN EARTHQUAKE

 Keep calm, do no panic.

 People who are indoors should stay there but

move to the central part of the building.

 - Keep away from the stairs, which might

collapse suddenly.
 - People who are outside should stay there,

keeping away from buildings to avoid

collapsing walls and away from electric
cables.
 Anyone in a vehicle should park it, keeping

away from bridges and buildings.

 AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE

 - Obey the authorities' instructions.

 - Do not go back into damaged buildings since

tremors may start again at any moment.

 - Give first-aid to the injured and alert the

emergency services in case of fire, burst pipes, etc.

 - Do not go simply to look at the stricken areas:

this will hamper rescue work.

 - Keep emergency packages and a radio near at

hand.
 - Make sure that water is safe to drink and food

stored at home is fit to eat (in case of electricity

cuts affecting refrigerators and freezers).