Meeting national response time targets for priority 1 incidents in an urban emergency medical services system in South Africa: More ambulances won't help.

PubMed

Stein, Christopher; Wallis, Lee; Adetunji, Olufemi

2015-09-19

Response time is viewed as a key performance indicator in most emergency medical services (EMS) systems. To determine the effect of increased emergency vehicle numbers on response time performance for priority 1 incidents in an urban EMS system in Cape Town, South Africa, using discrete-event computer simulation. A simulation model was created, based on input data from part of the EMS operations. Two different versions of the model were used, one with primary response vehicles and ambulances and one with only ambulances. In both cases the models were run in seven different scenarios. The first scenario used the actual number of emergency vehicles in the real system, and in each subsequent scenario vehicle numbers were increased by adding the baseline number to the cumulative total. The model using only ambulances had shorter response times and a greater number of responses meeting national response time targets than models using primary response vehicles and ambulances. In both cases an improvement in response times and the number of responses meeting national response time targets was observed with the first incremental addition of vehicles. After this the improvements rapidly diminished and eventually became negligible with each successive increase in vehicle numbers. The national response time target for urban areas was never met, even with a seven-fold increase in vehicle numbers. The addition of emergency vehicles to an urban EMS system improves response times in priority 1 incidents, but alone is not capable of the magnitude of response time improvement needed to meet the national response time targets.

A cross-functional service-oriented architecture to support real-time information exchange in emergency medical response.

PubMed

Hauenstein, Logan; Gao, Tia; Sze, Tsz Wo; Crawford, David; Alm, Alex; White, David

2006-01-01

Real-time information communication presents a persistent challenge to the emergency response community. During a medical emergency, various first response disciplines including Emergency Medical Service (EMS), Fire, and Police, and multiple health service facilities including hospitals, auxiliary care centers and public health departments using disparate information technology systems must coordinate their efforts by sharing real-time information. This paper describes a service-oriented architecture (SOA) that uses shared data models of emergency incidents to support the exchange of data between heterogeneous systems. This architecture is employed in the Advanced Health and Disaster Aid Network (AID-N) system, a testbed investigating information technologies to improve interoperation among multiple emergency response organizations in the Washington DC Metropolitan region. This architecture allows us to enable real-time data communication between three deployed systems: 1) a pre-hospital patient care reporting software system used on all ambulances in Arlington County, Virginia (MICHAELS), 2) a syndromic surveillance system used by public health departments in the Washington area (ESSENCE), and 3) a hazardous material reference software system (WISER) developed by the National Library Medicine. Additionally, we have extended our system to communicate with three new data sources: 1) wireless automated vital sign sensors worn by patients, 2) web portals for admitting hospitals, and 3) PDAs used by first responders at emergency scenes to input data (SIRP).

Very serious and non-ignorable problem: Crisis in emergency medical response in catastrophic event.

PubMed

Shen, Weifeng; Jiang, Libing; Zhang, Mao; Ma, Yuefeng; Jiang, Guanyu; He, Xiaojun

2015-12-01

The crisis of medical response caused by catastrophic events might significantly affect emergency response, and might even initiate more serious social crisis. Therefore, early identification and timely blocking the formation of crisis in the early phase after a major disaster will improve the efficiency of medical response in a major disaster and avoid serious consequences. In the present paper, we described the emergency strategy to crisis management of medical response after a major disaster. Major catastrophic events often lead to various crises, including excess demand, the crisis of response in barrier and the structural crisis in response. The corresponding emergency response strategies include: (i) shunt of catastrophic medical surge; (ii) scalability of medical surge capacity; (iii) matching of the structural elements of response; (iv) maintaining the functions of support system for medical response and maximising the operation of the integrated response system; and (v) selection of appropriate care 'standard' in extreme situations of overload of disaster medical surge. In conclusion, under the impact of a major catastrophic event, medical response is often complex and the medical surge beyond the conventional response capacity and it is easy to be in crisis. In addition to the current consensus of disaster response, three additional aspects should be considered. First, all relevant society forces led by the government and military should be linkages. Second, a powerful medical response system must be based on a strong support system. Third, countermeasures of medical surge should be applied flexibly to the special and specific disaster environment, to promote the effective medical response force. © 2015 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

40 CFR 300.4 - Abbreviations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Function FCO—Federal Coordinating Officer FRERP—Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan FRP—Federal Response Plan FS—Feasibility Study HRS—Hazard Ranking System LEPC—Local Emergency Planning Committee NCP... Action RCP—Regional Contingency Plan RD—Remedial Design RERT—Radiological Emergency Response Team RI...

40 CFR 300.4 - Abbreviations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Function FCO—Federal Coordinating Officer FRERP—Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan FRP—Federal Response Plan FS—Feasibility Study HRS—Hazard Ranking System LEPC—Local Emergency Planning Committee NCP... Action RCP—Regional Contingency Plan RD—Remedial Design RERT—Radiological Emergency Response Team RI...

40 CFR 300.4 - Abbreviations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Function FCO—Federal Coordinating Officer FRERP—Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan FRP—Federal Response Plan FS—Feasibility Study HRS—Hazard Ranking System LEPC—Local Emergency Planning Committee NCP... Action RCP—Regional Contingency Plan RD—Remedial Design RERT—Radiological Emergency Response Team RI...

40 CFR 300.4 - Abbreviations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Function FCO—Federal Coordinating Officer FRERP—Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan FRP—Federal Response Plan FS—Feasibility Study HRS—Hazard Ranking System LEPC—Local Emergency Planning Committee NCP... Action RCP—Regional Contingency Plan RD—Remedial Design RERT—Radiological Emergency Response Team RI...

Significant acceleration of emergency response using smartphone geolocation data and a worldwide emergency call support system.

PubMed

Weinlich, Michael; Kurz, Peter; Blau, Melissa B; Walcher, Felix; Piatek, Stefan

2018-01-01

When patients are disorientated or experience language barriers, it is impossible to activate the emergency response system. In these cases, the delay for receiving appropriate help can extend to several hours. A worldwide emergency call support system (ECSS), including geolocation of modern smartphones (GPS, WLAN and LBS), was established referring to E911 and eCall systems. The system was tested for relevance in quickly forwarding abroad emergency calls to emergency medical services (EMS). To verify that geolocation data from smartphones are exact enough to be used for emergency cases, the accuracy of GPS (global positioning system), Wi-Fi (wireless LAN network) and LBS (location based system) was tested in eleven different countries and compared to actual location. The main objective was analyzed by simulation of emergencies in different countries. The time delay in receiving help in unsuccessful emergency call cases by using the worldwide emergency call support system (ECSS) was measured. GPS is the gold standard to locate patients with an average accuracy of 2.0 ± 3.3 m. Wi-Fi can be used within buildings with an accuracy of 7.0 ± 24.1 m. Using ECSS, the emergency call leads to a successful activation of EMS in 22.8 ± 10.8 min (Median 21 min). The use of a simple app with one button to touch did never cause any delay. The worldwide emergency call support system (ECSS) significantly improves the emergency response in cases of disorientated patients or language barriers. Under circumstances without ECSS, help can be delayed by 2 or more hours and might have relevant lifesaving effects. This is the first time that Wi-Fi geolocation could prove to be a useful improvement in emergencies to enhance GPS, especially within or close to buildings.

Faster response time, effective use of resources : integrating transportation systems and emergency management systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-01-01

When emergency services agencies share : facilities and traffic monitoring resources : with transportation management agencies, : the efficiency and speed of incident : response are measurably improved.

Emergency response to mass casualty incidents in Lebanon.

PubMed

El Sayed, Mazen J

2013-08-01

The emergency response to mass casualty incidents in Lebanon lacks uniformity. Three recent large-scale incidents have challenged the existing emergency response process and have raised the need to improve and develop incident management for better resilience in times of crisis. We describe some simple emergency management principles that are currently applied in the United States. These principles can be easily adopted by Lebanon and other developing countries to standardize and improve their emergency response systems using existing infrastructure.

From SARS to H7N9: the mechanism of responding to emerging communicable diseases has made great progress in China.

PubMed

Yao, Linong; Chen, Enfu; Chen, Zhiping; Gong, Zhenyu

2013-12-01

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 indicated that China's existing former mechanism for emergency management was very vulnerable. The Chinese Government has since established a new mechanism for responding to emerging communicable diseases. This paper examined the current status of and developments in China's response to emerging communicable diseases from the outbreak of SARS in 2003 to the outbreak of H7N9 virus infection in 2013. Results indicated that the current mechanism for emergency responses to emerging communicable diseases in China has made great achievements in terms of command and decision-making, organization and collaboration, monitoring and early warning systems, protection, and international communication and cooperation. This mechanism for responding to emerging communicable diseases allowed China to successfully deal with outbreaks of the H5N1 bird flu, H1N1 flu, and H7N9 bird flu. However, a better coordination system, a more complete Office of Responses to Public Health Emergencies, administrative responsibility and error correction, better personnel training, and government responsibility may help to improve the response to emerging communicable diseases. Such improvements are eagerly anticipated.

[Emergency response management near the tracks of the public railway network: special aspects of missions connected with the German national railway system].

PubMed

Krämer, P; Aul, A; Vock, B; Frank, C

2010-11-01

Emergency response management and rescue operations concerning the railway network in Germany need special attention and implementation in several ways. The emergency response concerning the German national railway network managed by Deutsche Bahn AG is subject to various rules and regulations which have to be followed precisely. Only by following these rules and procedures is the safety of all emergency staff at the scene ensured. The German national railway network (Deutsche Bahn AG) provides its own emergency response control center, which specializes in managing its response to emergencies and dispatches an emergency response manager to the scene. This person serves as the primary Deutsche Bahn AG representative at the scene and is the only person who is allowed to earth the railway electrical power lines. This article will discuss different emergency situations concerning railway accidents and the emergency medical response to them based on a near collision with a high speed train during a rescue mission close to the railway track. Injury to personnel could only be avoided by chance and luck. The dangers and risks for rescue staff are specified. Furthermore, the article details practical guidelines for rescue operations around the German national railway track system.

Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers: Using a Public Health Systems Approach to Improve All-Hazards Preparedness and Response

PubMed Central

Leinhos, Mary; Williams-Johnson, Mildred

2014-01-01

In 2008, at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Institute of Medicine (IOM) prepared a report identifying knowledge gaps in public health systems preparedness and emergency response and recommending near-term priority research areas. In accordance with the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act mandating new public health systems research for preparedness and emergency response, CDC provided competitive awards establishing nine Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers (PERRCs) in accredited U.S. schools of public health. The PERRCs conducted research in four IOM-recommended priority areas: (1) enhancing the usefulness of public health preparedness and response (PHPR) training, (2) creating and maintaining sustainable preparedness and response systems, (3) improving PHPR communications, and (4) identifying evaluation criteria and metrics to improve PHPR for all hazards. The PERRCs worked closely with state and local public health, community partners, and advisory committees to produce practice-relevant research findings. PERRC research has generated more than 130 peer-reviewed publications and nearly 80 practice and policy tools and recommendations with the potential to significantly enhance our nation's PHPR to all hazards and that highlight the need for further improvements in public health systems. PMID:25355970

Report on the International Conference on Emergency Health Care Development.

PubMed Central

Dines, G B

1990-01-01

Emergency medical services (EMS) provide rescue, field stabilization, transportation to medical facilities, and definitive care for persons experiencing medical emergencies. In order to advance worldwide development and refinement of EMS systems, and their integration with emergency preparedness and response programs, the International Conference on Emergency Health Care Development was held in Crystal City, Arlington, VA, August 15-19, 1989. The conference was supported by the Department of Health and Human Services and its Health Resources and Services Administration; the Department of Transportation and its National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration; and the Pan American Health Organization. Objectives of the conference were to clarify linkages between various levels of emergency response, to present methods for developing or improving EMS systems within societies with different resources, to demonstrate processes by which EMS systems have been developed, and to propose international emergency health care development goals. Topics included development of services in developing nations, case studies of underdeveloped countries' responses to natural disasters, and a method for updating disaster response through use of available medical resources. PMID:1968669

Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS)

EPA Science Inventory

The Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS) is a database used to store information on notifications of oil discharges and hazardous substances releases. The ERNS program is a cooperative data sharing effort among the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters, the ...

Design and application of the emergency response mobile phone-based information system for infectious disease reporting in the Wenchuan earthquake zone.

PubMed

Ma, Jiaqi; Zhou, Maigeng; Li, Yanfei; Guo, Yan; Su, Xuemei; Qi, Xiaopeng; Ge, Hui

2009-05-01

To describe the design and application of an emergency response mobile phone-based information system for infectious disease reporting. Software engineering and business modeling were used to design and develop the emergency response mobile phone-based information system for infectious disease reporting. Seven days after the initiation of the reporting system, the reporting rate in the earthquake zone reached the level of the same period in 2007, using the mobile phone-based information system. Surveillance of the weekly report on morbidity in the earthquake zone after the initiation of the mobile phone reporting system showed the same trend as the previous three years. The emergency response mobile phone-based information system for infectious disease reporting was an effective solution to transmit urgently needed reports and manage communicable disease surveillance information. This assured the consistency of disease surveillance and facilitated sensitive, accurate, and timely disease surveillance. It is an important backup for the internet-based direct reporting system for communicable disease. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

Experimental Simulation-Based Performance Evaluation of an SMS-Based Emergency Geolocation Notification System

PubMed Central

Osebor, Isibor

2017-01-01

In an emergency, a prompt response can save the lives of victims. This statement generates an imperative issue in emergency medical services (EMS). Designing a system that brings simplicity in locating emergency scenes is a step towards improving response time. This paper therefore implemented and evaluated the performance of an SMS-based emergency geolocation notification system with emphasis on its SMS delivery time and the system's geolocation and dispatch time. Using the RAS metrics recommended by IEEE for evaluation, the designed system was found to be efficient and effective as its reliability stood within 62.7% to 70.0% while its availability stood at 99% with a downtime of 3.65 days/year. PMID:29065643

Incident Management Systems and Building Emergency Management Capacity during the 2014-2016 Ebola Epidemic - Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.

PubMed

Brooks, Jennifer C; Pinto, Meredith; Gill, Adrienne; Hills, Katherine E; Murthy, Shivani; Podgornik, Michelle N; Hernandez, Luis F; Rose, Dale A; Angulo, Frederick J; Rzeszotarski, Peter

2016-07-08

Establishing a functional incident management system (IMS) is important in the management of public health emergencies. In response to the 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease (Ebola) epidemic in West Africa, CDC established the Emergency Management Development Team (EMDT) to coordinate technical assistance for developing emergency management capacity in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. EMDT staff, deployed staff, and partners supported each country to develop response goals and objectives, identify gaps in response capabilities, and determine strategies for coordinating response activities. To monitor key programmatic milestones and assess changes in emergency management and response capacities over time, EMDT implemented three data collection methods in country: coordination calls, weekly written situation reports, and an emergency management dashboard tool. On the basis of the information collected, EMDT observed improvements in emergency management capacity over time in all three countries. The collaborations in each country yielded IMS structures that streamlined response and laid the foundation for long-term emergency management programs.The activities summarized in this report would not have been possible without collaboration with many U.S and international partners (http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/partners.html).

Unmanned and Unattended Response Capability for Homeland Defense

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BENNETT, PHIL C.

2002-11-01

An analysis was conducted of the potential for unmanned and unattended robotic technologies for forward-based, immediate response capabilities that enables access and controlled task performance. The authors analyze high-impact response scenarios in conjunction with homeland security organizations, such as the NNSA Office of Emergency Response, the FBI, the National Guard, and the Army Technical Escort Unit, to cover a range of radiological, chemical and biological threats. They conducted an analysis of the potential of forward-based, unmanned and unattended robotic technologies to accelerate and enhance emergency and crisis response by Homeland Defense organizations. Response systems concepts were developed utilizing new technologiesmore » supported by existing emerging threats base technologies to meet the defined response scenarios. These systems will pre-position robotic and remote sensing capabilities stationed close to multiple sites for immediate action. Analysis of assembled systems included experimental activities to determine potential efficacy in the response scenarios, and iteration on systems concepts and remote sensing and robotic technologies, creating new immediate response capabilities for Homeland Defense.« less

InteractInteraction mechanism of emergency response in geological hazard perception and risk management: a case study in Zhouqu county

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Yuan; Zhao, Hongtao

2017-04-01

China is one of few several natural disaster prone countries, which has complex geological and geographical environment and abnormal climate. On August 8, 2010, a large debris flow disaster happened in Zhouqu Country, Gansu province, resulting in more than 1700 casualties and more than 200 buildings damaged. In order to percept landslide and debris flow, an early warning system was established in the county. Spatial information technologies, such as remote sensing, GIS, and GPS, play core role in the early warning system, due to their functions in observing, analyzing, and locating geological disasters. However, all of these spatial information technologies could play an important role only guided by the emergency response mechanism. This article takes the establishment of Zhouqu Country's Disaster Emergency Response Interaction Mechanism (DERIM) as an example to discuss the risk management of country-level administrative units. The country-level risk management aims to information sharing, resources integration, integrated prevention and unified command. Then, nine subsystems support DERIM, which included disaster prevention and emergency data collection and sharing system, joint duty system, disaster verification and evaluation system, disaster consultation system, emergency warning and information release system, emergency response system, disaster reporting system, plan management system, mass prediction and prevention management system. At last, an emergency command platform in Zhouqu Country built up to realize DERIM. The core mission of the platform consists of daily management of disaster, monitoring and warning, comprehensive analysis, information release, consultation and decision-making, emergency response, etc. Five functional modules, including module of disaster information management, comprehensive monitoring module (geological monitoring, meteorological monitoring, water conservancy and hydrological monitoring), alarm management module, emergency command and disaster dispatching management module are developed on the basis of this platform. Based on the internet technology, an web-based office platform is exploited for the nodes scattered in departments and towns, which includes daily business, monitoring and warning, alarm notification, alarm recording, personnel management and update in disaster region, query and analysis of real-time observation data, etc. The platform experienced 3 years' test of the duty in flood period since 2013, and two typical disaster cases during this period fully illustrates the effectiveness of the DERIM and the emergency command platform.

Radiological emergency response for community agencies with cognitive task analysis, risk analysis, and decision support framework.

PubMed

Meyer, Travis S; Muething, Joseph Z; Lima, Gustavo Amoras Souza; Torres, Breno Raemy Rangel; del Rosario, Trystyn Keia; Gomes, José Orlando; Lambert, James H

2012-01-01

Radiological nuclear emergency responders must be able to coordinate evacuation and relief efforts following the release of radioactive material into populated areas. In order to respond quickly and effectively to a nuclear emergency, high-level coordination is needed between a number of large, independent organizations, including police, military, hazmat, and transportation authorities. Given the complexity, scale, time-pressure, and potential negative consequences inherent in radiological emergency responses, tracking and communicating information that will assist decision makers during a crisis is crucial. The emergency response team at the Angra dos Reis nuclear power facility, located outside of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, presently conducts emergency response simulations once every two years to prepare organizational leaders for real-life emergency situations. However, current exercises are conducted without the aid of electronic or software tools, resulting in possible cognitive overload and delays in decision-making. This paper describes the development of a decision support system employing systems methodologies, including cognitive task analysis and human-machine interface design. The decision support system can aid the coordination team by automating cognitive functions and improving information sharing. A prototype of the design will be evaluated by plant officials in Brazil and incorporated to a future trial run of a response simulation.

Using social network analysis to understand Missouri's system of public health emergency planners.

PubMed

Harris, Jenine K; Clements, Bruce

2007-01-01

Effective response to large-scale public health threats requires well-coordinated efforts among individuals and agencies. While guidance is available to help states put emergency planning programs into place, little has been done to evaluate the human infrastructure that facilitates successful implementation of these programs. This study examined the human infrastructure of the Missouri public health emergency planning system in 2006. The Center for Emergency Response and Terrorism (CERT) at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has responsibility for planning, guiding, and funding statewide emergency response activities. Thirty-two public health emergency planners working primarily in county health departments contract with CERT to support statewide preparedness. We surveyed the planners to determine whom they communicate with, work with, seek expertise from, and exchange guidance with regarding emergency preparedness in Missouri. Most planners communicated regularly with planners in their region but seldom with planners outside their region. Planners also reported working with an average of 12 local entities (e.g., emergency management, hospitals/ clinics). Planners identified the following leaders in Missouri's public health emergency preparedness system: local public health emergency planners, state epidemiologists, the state vaccine and grant coordinator, regional public health emergency planners, State Emergency Management Agency area coordinators, the state Strategic National Stockpile coordinator, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Weapons of Mass Destruction coordinators. Generally, planners listed few federal-level or private-sector individuals in their emergency preparedness networks. While Missouri public health emergency planners maintain large and varied emergency preparedness networks, there are opportunities for strengthening existing ties and seeking additional connections.

GLOBAL EMERGING INFECTIONS SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

Department of Defense (DoD) Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP). The DoD Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (DoD-GEIS) partners with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in the global surv...

Performance Evaluation of Intelligent Systems at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

past few years, including performance evaluation of emergency response robots , sensor systems on unmanned ground vehicles, speech-to-speech translation...emergency response robots ; intelligent systems; mixed palletizing, testing, simulation; robotic vehicle perception systems; search and rescue robots ...ranging from autonomous vehicles to urban search and rescue robots to speech translation and manufacturing systems. The evaluations have occurred in

Responsive Multimodal Transportation Management Strategies And IVHS

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-09-01

Emergency Notification and Response report summarizes and interprets the results of two Field Operational Tests (FOTs) that included emergency notification and response system components. The tests included in this report are: Colorado Mayday and Pug...

Addressing the gap between public health emergency planning and incident response

PubMed Central

Freedman, Ariela M; Mindlin, Michele; Morley, Christopher; Griffin, Meghan; Wooten, Wilma; Miner, Kathleen

2013-01-01

Objectives: Since 9/11, Incident Command System (ICS) and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) are relatively new concepts to public health, which typically operates using less hierarchical and more collaborative approaches to organizing staff. This paper describes the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak in San Diego County to explore the use of ICS and EOC in public health emergency response. Methods: This study was conducted using critical case study methodology consisting of document review and 18 key-informant interviews with individuals who played key roles in planning and response. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Results: Several broad elements emerged as key to ensuring effective and efficient public health response: 1) developing a plan for emergency response; 2) establishing the framework for an ICS; 3) creating the infrastructure to support response; 4) supporting a workforce trained on emergency response roles, responsibilities, and equipment; and 5) conducting regular preparedness exercises. Conclusions: This research demonstrates the value of investments made and that effective emergency preparedness requires sustained efforts to maintain personnel and material resources. By having the infrastructure and experience based on ICS and EOC, the public health system had the capability to surge-up: to expand its day-to-day operation in a systematic and prolonged manner. None of these critical actions are possible without sustained funding for the public health infrastructure. Ultimately, this case study illustrates the importance of public health as a key leader in emergency response. PMID:28228983

Report on the emergency response to the event on May 14, 1997, at the plutonuim reclamation facility, Hanford Site, Richland,Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shoop, D.S.

1997-08-20

On the evening of May 14,1997, a chemical explosion Occurred at the Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) in the 200 West Area(200-W) of the Hanford Site. The event warranted the declaration of an Alert emergency, activation of the Hanford Emergency Response Organization (BRO), and notification of offsite agencies. As a result of the emergency declaration, a subsequent evaluation was conducted to assess: 9 the performance of the emergency response organization o the occupational health response related to emergency activities o event notifications to offsite and environmental agencies. Additionally, the evaluation was designed to: 9 document the chronology of emergency and occupationalmore » health responses and environmental notifications connected with the explosion at the facility 0 assess the adequacy of the Hanford Site emergency preparedness activities; response readiness; and emergency management actions, occupational health, and environmental actions 0 provide an analysis of the causes of the deficiencies and weaknesses in the preparedness and response system that have been identified in the evaluation of the response a assign organizational responsibility to correct deficiencies and weaknesses a improve future performance 0 adjust elements of emergency implementing procedures and emergency preparedness activities.« less

44 CFR 208.6 - System resource reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false System resource reports. 208.6 Section 208.6 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DISASTER ASSISTANCE NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM General § 208.6 System resource reports. (a) Reports to...

Determining the appropriate strategies for emergency planning through AHP-SWOT.

PubMed

Kalatpour, Omid

2017-01-01

During an unexpected incident, companies should demonstrate appropriate behaviour based on predetermined and rehearsed emergency strategies. This paper describes how to select the proper strategies for emergency situations via means of the AHP-SWOT tool, where the initial SWOT analysis is conducted for the emergency management system, and the final strategies are selected via the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Alternative response strategies comprise internal, shared and external responses. Most of the scenarios investigated for this study demanded a shared response. These findings highlight the importance of mutual aid agreements, cooperative exercises and the improvement of communication systems. Organisations can take advantage of integrated approaches to select the best strategies and tactics for normal situations in general and emergency situations in particular.

Recommended emergency preparedness guidelines for elderly and disabled rail-transit passengers. Final report, November 1987-March 1989

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hathaway, W.T.; Markos, S.H.; Balog, J.N.

1989-08-01

Rail transit has become an important source of transportation for many elderly and disabled persons. The principal reasons for the increased use are improved accessibility, low cost, and expanded areas of service. For the purposes of the report, 'elderly' is defined as any member of the population who is 60 years of age or older, and 'disabled' is defined as any person who has some type of disability. The Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) has recognized the need to consider the unique characteristics of elderly and disabled passengers in rail-transit emergency response planning. The needs of these passengers can bemore » addressed through carefully planned emergency response procedures, proper training of transit and emergency-response personnel, and effective use of equipment. The recommendations contained herein are therefore intended to assist rail-transit and emergency response organization personnel in evaluating their emergency response plans in terms of the needs of elderly and disabled passengers and, if necessary, to modify or supplement those plans accordingly. The report is intended to supplement the UMTA publication Recommended Emergency Preparedness Guidelines for Rail Transit Systems. That report contains general guidelines designed to assist rail-transit systems in assessing, developing, documenting, and improving their capabilities for responding to emergencies and in coordinating those efforts with emergency response organizations.« less

The Student Volunteer Army: a 'repeat emergent' emergency response organisation.

PubMed

Carlton, Sally; Mills, Colleen E

2017-10-01

This paper seeks to contribute to understanding of the factors associated with an effective emergent emergency response organisation and to provide new insights into this understudied area. It examines, through an analysis of a range of textual resources, the emergence and re-emergence of the Student Volunteer Army (SVA) during the devastating earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand, in 2010-11. This evaluation is conducted in relation to the four key features of an effective emergency response organisation: adaptability; direction; leadership; and communication. In addition, the paper aims to further understanding of 'emergency entrepreneurship' and thus of the values and strategies that underpin social entrepreneur organisations in times of normalcy. The paper concludes that the unique position of the SVA as a 'repeat emergent' emergency response organisation enabled it to innovate continually and to improve repeatedly its systems, relationships, and image, such that it exhibited features common to emergent and established emergency response organisations. © 2017 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2017.

44 CFR 334.5 - GMR system description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false GMR system description. 334.5 Section 334.5 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS GRADUATED MOBILIZATION RESPONSE § 334.5 GMR system description. The GMR...

GNSS-based emergency management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yuhang; Chen, Xiuwan; Ma, Lei

2009-06-01

Public safety and public service is a particularly challenging task. The questions of how to use the limited resources efficiently, how to improve the Government's emergency rapid response and ability of risk resistance, and how to provide a more efficient emergency service for the public, have increasingly become the focus to strengthen urban management. Emergency Response Management System is a highly efficient and powerful command system dealing with natural and social disasters, by using all aspects of the force being gathered in a short period of time, sudden events can be handled efficiently, and further development of the incident can be controlled. In this paper, based on the analysis of development status of the emergency management system at home and abroad, and the key technologies of the emergency management system based on GNSS, research and development on emergency command system based on GNSS has been done. Meanwhile, test in Sichuan earthquake has also been carried out. Practice in Sichuan province earthquake relief work has proved that the emergency management command system based on GNSS can play the advantage function and exert the maximum potential, and can play the role of "lifeline" in the critical moment.

Terrorism in Argentina.

PubMed

Muro, Marcelo; Cohen, Roberto; Maffei, Daniel; Ballesteros, Marcelo; Espinosa, Luis

2003-01-01

Major terrorist attacks in Argentina since 1990 have been limited to two bombings in Buenos Aires, which together caused 115 deaths and left at least 555 injured. Following these attacks, national, regional, and local institutions responsible for emergency response in Argentina sought to improve their planning and preparedness for terrorism-related events. In 1996, the national government enacted legislation, which launched the Sistema Federal de Emergencias (SIFEM) or Federal Emergency System under the direction of the president. Since 1997, several of Argentina's major cities have developed emergency plans for terrorism-related events, including intentional biological and chemical releases. Institutional participants in emergency preparedness for terrorism-related events include Emergency Medical Services, hospitals, and the public health system. Remaining challenges include: (1) Improving intra-agency coordination; (2) Improving intra-agency communication; and (3) Improving and expanding emergency response training programs for responders and the general population.

USGS Emergency Response and the Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, B. K.; Lamb, R.

2013-12-01

Remotely sensed datasets such as satellite imagery and aerial photography can be an invaluable resource to support the response and recovery from many types of emergency events such as floods, earthquakes, landslides, wildfires, and other natural or human-induced disasters. When disaster strikes there is often an urgent need and high demand for rapid acquisition and coordinated distribution of pre- and post-event geospatial products and remotely sensed imagery. These products and images are necessary to record change, analyze impacts, and facilitate response to the rapidly changing conditions on the ground. The coordinated and timely provision of relevant imagery and other datasets is one important component of the USGS support for domestic and international emergency response activities. The USGS Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) serves as a single, consolidated point-of-access for relevant satellite and aerial image datasets during an emergency event response. The HDDS provides data visibility and immediate download services through a complementary pair of graphical map-based and traditional directory-based interfaces. This system allows emergency response personnel to rapidly select and obtain pre-event ('baseline') and post-event emergency response imagery from many different sources. These datasets will typically include images that are acquired directly by USGS, but may also include many other types of images that are collected and contributed by partner agencies and organizations during the course of an emergency event response. Over the past decade, USGS Emergency Response and HDDS have supported hundreds of domestic and international disaster events by providing critically needed pre- and post-event remotely sensed imagery and other related geospatial products as required by the emergency response community. Some of the larger national events supported by HDDS have included Hurricane Sandy (2012), the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010), and Hurricane Katrina (2005). Some of the major international events supported by HDDS have included the Japan earthquake and tsunami (2011), the historic flood event in Pakistan (2010), and the earthquake in Haiti (2010). This presentation will provide an overview of the USGS HDDS system, and the various types and sources of remotely sensed imagery that are distributed through this system. There will be particular focus on recent upgrades to the HDDS interface. There will also be a brief discussion of the USGS role in the International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters' and the satellite imagery that can be made available through this mechanism in the case of major disasters.

Emergency Response Systems for Outdoor Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merrill, Kurt; Satz, Jay A.

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) runs backcountry programs in wilderness settings, providing both an educational experience for participants and badly needed conservation work on public lands. As part of its risk management efforts, SCA has developed an emergency response system that ties resources in the field to all the resources of…

Development of Rural Emergency Medical System (REMS) with Geospatial Technology in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ooi, W. H.; Shahrizal, I. M.; Noordin, A.; Nurulain, M. I.; Norhan, M. Y.

2014-02-01

Emergency medical services are dedicated services in providing out-of-hospital transport to definitive care or patients with illnesses and injuries. In this service the response time and the preparedness of medical services is of prime importance. The application of space and geospatial technology such as satellite navigation system and Geographical Information System (GIS) was proven to improve the emergency operation in many developed countries. In collaboration with a medical service NGO, the National Space Agency (ANGKASA) has developed a prototype Rural Emergency Medical System (REMS), focusing on providing medical services to rural areas and incorporating satellite based tracking module integrated with GIS and patience database to improve the response time of the paramedic team during emergency. With the aim to benefit the grassroots community by exploiting space technology, the project was able to prove the system concept which will be addressed in this paper.

44 CFR 152.4 - Roles and responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... grantee must agree to provide information to the system for a twelve-month period commencing as soon as... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Roles and responsibilities. 152.4 Section 152.4 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY...

Achieving Reliable Communication in Dynamic Emergency Responses

PubMed Central

Chipara, Octav; Plymoth, Anders N.; Liu, Fang; Huang, Ricky; Evans, Brian; Johansson, Per; Rao, Ramesh; Griswold, William G.

2011-01-01

Emergency responses require the coordination of first responders to assess the condition of victims, stabilize their condition, and transport them to hospitals based on the severity of their injuries. WIISARD is a system designed to facilitate the collection of medical information and its reliable dissemination during emergency responses. A key challenge in WIISARD is to deliver data with high reliability as first responders move and operate in a dynamic radio environment fraught with frequent network disconnections. The initial WIISARD system employed a client-server architecture and an ad-hoc routing protocol was used to exchange data. The system had low reliability when deployed during emergency drills. In this paper, we identify the underlying causes of unreliability and propose a novel peer-to-peer architecture that in combination with a gossip-based communication protocol achieves high reliability. Empirical studies show that compared to the initial WIISARD system, the redesigned system improves reliability by as much as 37% while reducing the number of transmitted packets by 23%. PMID:22195075

Science in Emergency Response at CDC: Structure and Functions.

PubMed

Iskander, John; Rose, Dale A; Ghiya, Neelam D

2017-09-01

Recent high-profile activations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) include responses to the West African Ebola and Zika virus epidemics. Within the EOC, emergency responses are organized according to the Incident Management System, which provides a standardized structure and chain of command, regardless of whether the EOC activation occurs in response to an outbreak, natural disaster, or other type of public health emergency. By embedding key scientific roles, such as the associate director for science, and functions within a Scientific Response Section, the current CDC emergency response structure ensures that both urgent and important science issues receive needed attention. Key functions during emergency responses include internal coordination of scientific work, data management, information dissemination, and scientific publication. We describe a case example involving the ongoing Zika virus response that demonstrates how the scientific response structure can be used to rapidly produce high-quality science needed to answer urgent public health questions and guide policy. Within the context of emergency response, longer-term priorities at CDC include both streamlining administrative requirements and funding mechanisms for scientific research.

Sex differences in physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress in adolescence.

PubMed

Ordaz, Sarah; Luna, Beatriz

2012-08-01

Females begin to demonstrate greater negative affective responses to stress than males in adolescence. This may reflect the concurrent emergence of underlying differences in physiological response systems, including corticolimbic circuitries, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). This review examines when sex differences in physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress emerge and the directionality of these differences over development. Indeed, the literature indicates that sex differences emerge during adolescence and persist into adulthood for all three physiological response systems. However, the directionality of the differences varies by system. The emerging corticolimbic reactivity literature suggests greater female reactivity, particularly in limbic regions densely innervated by gonadal hormone receptors. In contrast, males generally show higher levels of HPAA and ANS reactivity. We argue that the contrasting directionality of corticolimbic and peripheral physiological responses may reflect specific effects of gonadal hormones on distinct systems and also sex differences in evolved behavioral responses that demand different levels of peripheral physiological activation. Studies that examine both subjective reports of negative affect and physiological responses indicate that beginning in adolescence, females respond to acute stressors with more intense negative affect than males despite their comparatively lower peripheral physiological responses. This dissociation is not clearly explained by sex differences in the strength of the relationship between physiological and subjective responses. We suggest that females' greater subjective responsivity may instead arise from a greater activity in brain regions that translate stress responses to subjective awareness in adolescence. Future research directions include investigations of the role of pubertal hormones in physiological reactivity across all systems, examining the relationship of corticolimbic reactivity and negative affect, and sex differences in emotion regulation processes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sex differences in physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress in adolescence

PubMed Central

Ordaz, Sarah; Luna, Beatriz

2012-01-01

Summary Females begin to demonstrate greater negative affective responses to stress than males in adolescence. This may reflect the concurrent emergence of underlying differences in physiological response systems, including corticolimbic circuitries, the hypothalamic—pituitary— adrenal axis (HPAA), and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). This review examines when sex differences in physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress emerge and the directionality of these differences over development. Indeed, the literature indicates that sex differences emerge during adolescence and persist into adulthood for all three physiological response systems. However, the directionality of the differences varies by system. The emerging corti-colimbic reactivity literature suggests greater female reactivity, particularly in limbic regions densely innervated by gonadal hormone receptors. In contrast, males generally show higher levels of HPAA and ANS reactivity. We argue that the contrasting directionality of corticolimbic and peripheral physiological responses may reflect specific effects of gonadal hormones on distinct systems and also sex differences in evolved behavioral responses that demand different levels of peripheral physiological activation. Studies that examine both subjective reports of negative affect and physiological responses indicate that beginning in adolescence, females respond to acute stressors with more intense negative affect than males despite their comparatively lower peripheral physiological responses. This dissociation is not clearly explained by sex differences in the strength of the relationship between physiological and subjective responses. We suggest that females' greater subjective responsivity may instead arise from a greater activity in brain regions that translate stress responses to subjective awareness in adolescence. Future research directions include investigations of the role of pubertal hormones in physiological reactivity across all systems, examining the relationship of corticolimbic reactivity and negative affect, and sex differences in emotion regulation processes. PMID:22281210

Contemplating what I would do if someone got in my house: intentions of older homebound women living alone.

PubMed

Porter, Eileen J

2008-01-01

There is little research guiding interventions to help old homebound women prepare to manage an intrusion event. During a phenomenological study of the experience of reaching help quickly, I compared intentions during a possible intrusion event for 9 women subscribing to a personal emergency response system and 5 nonsubscribers. The phenomenon of contemplating what I would do if an intruder got in my home had 4 components. Only 2 personal emergency response system subscribers voiced the definitive intention to use the personal emergency response system. Findings underpin a new empirical perspective of competence grounded in situations relevant to living alone at home rather than specific tasks of daily living.

Factors influencing readiness to deploy in disaster response: findings from a cross-sectional survey of the Department of Veterans Affairs Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) program provides a system of volunteers whereby active or retired Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel can register to be deployed to support other VA facilities or the nation during national emergencies or disasters. Both early and ongoing volunteer training is required to participate. Methods This study aims to identify factors that impact willingness to deploy in the event of an emergency. This analysis was based on responses from 2,385 survey respondents (response rate, 29%). Latent variable path models were developed and tested using the EQS structural equations modeling program. Background demographic variables of education, age, minority ethnicity, and female gender were used as predictors of intervening latent variables of DEMPS Volunteer Experience, Positive Attitude about Training, and Stress. The model had acceptable fit statistics, and all three intermediate latent variables significantly predicted the outcome latent variable Readiness to Deploy. Results DEMPS Volunteer Experience and a Positive Attitude about Training were associated with Readiness to Deploy. Stress was associated with decreased Readiness to Deploy. Female gender was negatively correlated with Readiness to Deploy; however, there was an indirect relationship between female gender and Readiness to Deploy through Positive Attitude about Training. Conclusions These findings suggest that volunteer emergency management response programs such as DEMPS should consider how best to address the factors that may make women less ready to deploy than men in order to ensure adequate gender representation among emergency responders. The findings underscore the importance of training opportunities to ensure that gender-sensitive support is a strong component of emergency response, and may apply to other emergency response programs such as the Medical Reserve Corps and the American Red Cross. PMID:25038628

Factors influencing readiness to deploy in disaster response: findings from a cross-sectional survey of the Department of Veterans Affairs Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System.

PubMed

Zagelbaum, Nicole K; Heslin, Kevin C; Stein, Judith A; Ruzek, Josef; Smith, Robert E; Nyugen, Tam; Dobalian, Aram

2014-07-19

The Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) program provides a system of volunteers whereby active or retired Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel can register to be deployed to support other VA facilities or the nation during national emergencies or disasters. Both early and ongoing volunteer training is required to participate. This study aims to identify factors that impact willingness to deploy in the event of an emergency. This analysis was based on responses from 2,385 survey respondents (response rate, 29%). Latent variable path models were developed and tested using the EQS structural equations modeling program. Background demographic variables of education, age, minority ethnicity, and female gender were used as predictors of intervening latent variables of DEMPS Volunteer Experience, Positive Attitude about Training, and Stress. The model had acceptable fit statistics, and all three intermediate latent variables significantly predicted the outcome latent variable Readiness to Deploy. DEMPS Volunteer Experience and a Positive Attitude about Training were associated with Readiness to Deploy. Stress was associated with decreased Readiness to Deploy. Female gender was negatively correlated with Readiness to Deploy; however, there was an indirect relationship between female gender and Readiness to Deploy through Positive Attitude about Training. These findings suggest that volunteer emergency management response programs such as DEMPS should consider how best to address the factors that may make women less ready to deploy than men in order to ensure adequate gender representation among emergency responders. The findings underscore the importance of training opportunities to ensure that gender-sensitive support is a strong component of emergency response, and may apply to other emergency response programs such as the Medical Reserve Corps and the American Red Cross.

Emergency Preparedness: Life, Limb, the Pursuit of Safety and Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, Marianne Robin; Bryan, Valerie C.; Penney, Gerri

2012-01-01

Since 9-11, emergency preparedness has been the focus on federal, state, tribal, and local levels. Although current research describes emergency management response, many barriers may exist that effect response systems, including the role of first responders, social vulnerability, and the way technology interfaces with these variables. Several…

After-action review of the 2009-10 H1N1 Influenza Outbreak Response: Ohio's Public Health System's performance.

PubMed

Mase, William A; Bickford, Beth; Thomas, Casey L; Jones, Shamika D; Bisesi, Michael

In early 2009, H1N1 influenza was identified within the human population. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials responded with focused assessment, policy development, and assurances. The response was mobilized through efforts including procurement of adequate vaccine supply, local area span of control, materials acquisition, and facilities and resource identification. Qualitative evaluation of the assurance functions specific to the system's ability to assure safe and healthy conditions are reported. The methodology mirrors the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program used to assess system capability. Findings demonstrate the effectiveness of community responsive disease prevention efforts in partnership with the public health systems mission to unify traditional public sector systems, for-profit systems, and local area systems was accomplished. As a result of this response pharmaceutical industries, healthcare providers, healthcare agencies, police/safety, colleges, and health and human service agencies were united. Findings demonstrate the effectiveness of community response strategies utilizing feedback from system stakeholders. After-action review processes are critical in all-hazards preparedness. This analysis of local health district response to the H1N1 influenza outbreak informs future public health service delivery. Results provide a synthesis of local health department's emergency response strategies, challenges encountered, and future-focused emergency response strategy implementation. A synthesis is provided as to policy and practice developments which have emerged over the past seven years with regard to lessons learned from the 2009-10 H1N1 influenza outbreak and response.

Special population planner, version 4.0.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuiper, J.; Tanzman, E.; Metz, W.

2007-03-26

Emergencies happen every day. Many are caused by storms or auto accidents and can be planned for, if not predicted. Emergencies resulting from natural hazards often affect a large number of people, and planning for them can be difficult, since knowledge of the needs of the people involved is generally unavailable. Emergencies resulting from accidents at industrial and military facilities can also be large scale in nature if people must be evacuated or sheltered in place. Federal planning for large scale emergencies is the responsibility of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which provides assistance to various emergency management agenciesmore » at the national, state and local level. More information about FEMA is available at http://www.fema.gov/. The purpose of the Special Population Planner (SPP) is to help emergency planners address the needs of persons with special needs. The exact definition of 'special population' is a policy decision. Policymakers have included a variety of groups in this term, such as persons with disabilities, those who do not have vehicles with which to evacuate, children who are unattended at times (latchkey children), and many others. The SPP was developed initially for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency as part of its Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP), which aids emergency planning and preparedness in communities surrounding military installations across the United States where chemical weapons are stored pending their destruction under federal law. Like that specialized application, this open-source version contains a set of specialized Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to facilitate emergency planning on behalf of persons with special needs, regardless of how the term is defined. While the original SPP system was developed for emergency planning relating to chemical hazards, it can be applied to other threats as well. It is apparent from Hurricane Katrina and other natural and man-made disasters that many of the problems posed by emergency planning for a chemical weapons agent release are shared by other hazards as well. The notion that emergency planning shares common functions underlies the decision by FEMA to include the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) in its 'all-hazards' planning approach. The CSEPP's official planning guidance operationalizes this approach by suggesting that state and local CSEPP emergency plans 'should be appended to the existing all-hazards emergency plan.' The SPP is programmed as a set of tools within an ESRI ArcMap 9.1 project. ArcMap is a component of both ESRI ArcGIS 9.1 and ESRI ArcView 9.1, and it provides a rich GIS user interface for viewing spatial and tabular data, analyzing it, and producing output reports and maps. This GIS interface has been augmented with the SPP tools for a user interface that provides custom functionality for emergency planning. The system as released also includes some hypothetical example records for special needs populations, facilities, resources, control points and sirens sufficient for showing how the system would work with real information. A GIS database is included with some publicly available example layers. The SPP is designed to support emergency planners as they address emergency management issues, and includes capabilities that support the collection and importing of data, the review of data in a spatial context, and GIS tools for emergency planning. The SPP system allows for the identification and categorization of response zones to allow for multiple levels of preparedness. An Immediate Response Zone (IRZ) might be designated as the area 0 to 10 miles from a facility where the response would be the most urgent. SPP can support more than one set of planning zones to accommodate different types of emergencies or the different jurisdictions of emergency response organizations. These areas can be delineated by any number of criteria that make sense for the area. An area like New Orleans might designate response zones based on the depth above/below sea level, or an urban area may categorize an IRZ as the 'central business district' with the PAZ encompassing the larger outlying area. Many of the sites involved in the CSEPP currently use an integrated emergency response information system to support their emergency management planning. The D2-Puff system (including or WebPuff 2.1) by Innovative Emergency Management, Inc. is the main software serving this purpose. More information on D2-Puff can be found at www.ieminc.com. SPP differs from D2-Puff in that it is designed for planning, not response to assist those with special needs, is programmed within a popular commercial GIS software system, and can be loaded with large amounts of data to support all hazards emergency planning.« less

A systems approach to designing next generation vaccines: combining α-galactose modified antigens with nanoparticle platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phanse, Yashdeep; Carrillo-Conde, Brenda R.; Ramer-Tait, Amanda E.; Broderick, Scott; Kong, Chang Sun; Rajan, Krishna; Flick, Ramon; Mandell, Robert B.; Narasimhan, Balaji; Wannemuehler, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Innovative vaccine platforms are needed to develop effective countermeasures against emerging and re-emerging diseases. These platforms should direct antigen internalization by antigen presenting cells and promote immunogenic responses. This work describes an innovative systems approach combining two novel platforms, αGalactose (αGal)-modification of antigens and amphiphilic polyanhydride nanoparticles as vaccine delivery vehicles, to rationally design vaccine formulations. Regimens comprising soluble αGal-modified antigen and nanoparticle-encapsulated unmodified antigen induced a high titer, high avidity antibody response with broader epitope recognition of antigenic peptides than other regimen. Proliferation of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells was also enhanced compared to a traditional adjuvant. Combining the technology platforms and augmenting immune response studies with peptide arrays and informatics analysis provides a new paradigm for rational, systems-based design of next generation vaccine platforms against emerging and re-emerging pathogens.

Study on Mine Emergency Mechanism based on TARP and ICS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Jian; Wu, Zongzhi

2018-01-01

By analyzing the experiences and practices of mine emergency in China and abroad, especially the United States and Australia, normative principle, risk management principle and adaptability principle of constructing mine emergency mechanism based on Trigger Action Response Plans (TARP) and Incident Command System (ICS) are summarized. Classification method, framework, flow and subject of TARP and ICS which are suitable for the actual situation of domestic mine emergency are proposed. The system dynamics model of TARP and ICS is established. The parameters such as evacuation ratio, response rate, per capita emergency capability and entry rate of rescuers are set up. By simulating the operation process of TARP and ICS, the impact of these parameters on the emergency process are analyzed, which could provide a reference and basis for building emergency capacity, formulating emergency plans and setting up action plans in the emergency process.

Evaluation of the Emergency Response Dose Assessment System(ERDAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Randolph J.; Lambert, Winifred C.; Manobianco, John T.; Taylor, Gregory E.; Wheeler, Mark M.; Yersavich, Ann M.

1996-01-01

The emergency response dose assessment system (ERDAS) is a protype software and hardware system configured to produce routine mesoscale meteorological forecasts and enhanced dispersion estimates on an operational basis for the Kennedy Space Center (KSC)/Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) region. ERDAS provides emergency response guidance to operations at KSC/CCAS in the case of an accidental hazardous material release or an aborted vehicle launch. This report describes the evaluation of ERDAS including: evaluation of sea breeze predictions, comparison of launch plume location and concentration predictions, case study of a toxic release, evaluation of model sensitivity to varying input parameters, evaluation of the user interface, assessment of ERDA's operational capabilities, and a comparison of ERDAS models to the ocean breeze dry gultch diffusion model.

A Conceptual Framework to Measure Systems’ Performance during Emergency Preparedness Exercises

PubMed Central

Savoia, Elena; Agboola, Foluso; Biddinger, Paul D.

2014-01-01

Large-scale public health emergencies require a sophisticated, coordinated response involving multiple entities to protect health and minimize suffering. However, the rarity of such emergencies presents a barrier to gathering observational data about the effectiveness of the public health response before such events occur. For this reason, public health practitioners increasingly have relied on simulated emergencies, known as “exercises” as proxies to test their emergency capabilities. However, the formal evaluation of performance in these exercises, historically has been inconsistent, and there is little research to describe how data acquired from simulated emergencies actually support conclusions about the quality of the public health emergency response system. Over the past six years, we have designed and evaluated more than seventy public health emergency exercises, collaborating with public health agencies, hospitals and others to test a wide variety of systems and their capabilities. Using the data and experience that we gathered, we have developed a conceptual framework that describes the essential elements necessary to consider when applying performance measurement science to public health emergency exercises. We suggest that this framework may assist practitioners and researchers who wish to better measure performance in exercises and to improve public health emergency preparedness. PMID:25233015

Personal Emergency Response Systems--Communication Technology Aids Elderly and Their Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dibner, Andrew S.

Personal response systems (PRS) bring immediate help to aged and disabled persons at home at the touch of a button. The PRS user wears a tiny radio transmitter as a pendant or a bracelet and can send a telephone signal from any part of the home to a 24-hour emergency center when help is needed. This study examined research on the Lifeline system,…

Future Roles for Autonomous Vertical Lift in Disaster Relief and Emergency Response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Larry A.

2006-01-01

System analysis concepts are applied to the assessment of potential collaborative contributions of autonomous system and vertical lift (a.k.a. rotorcraft, VTOL, powered-lift, etc.) technologies to the important, and perhaps underemphasized, application domain of disaster relief and emergency response. In particular, an analytic framework is outlined whereby system design functional requirements for an application domain can be derived from defined societal good goals and objectives.

Modeling operators' emergency response time for chemical processing operations.

PubMed

Murray, Susan L; Harputlu, Emrah; Mentzer, Ray A; Mannan, M Sam

2014-01-01

Operators have a crucial role during emergencies at a variety of facilities such as chemical processing plants. When an abnormality occurs in the production process, the operator often has limited time to either take corrective actions or evacuate before the situation becomes deadly. It is crucial that system designers and safety professionals can estimate the time required for a response before procedures and facilities are designed and operations are initiated. There are existing industrial engineering techniques to establish time standards for tasks performed at a normal working pace. However, it is reasonable to expect the time required to take action in emergency situations will be different than working at a normal production pace. It is possible that in an emergency, operators will act faster compared to a normal pace. It would be useful for system designers to be able to establish a time range for operators' response times for emergency situations. This article develops a modeling approach to estimate the time standard range for operators taking corrective actions or following evacuation procedures in emergency situations. This will aid engineers and managers in establishing time requirements for operators in emergency situations. The methodology used for this study combines a well-established industrial engineering technique for determining time requirements (predetermined time standard system) and adjustment coefficients for emergency situations developed by the authors. Numerous videos of workers performing well-established tasks at a maximum pace were studied. As an example, one of the tasks analyzed was pit crew workers changing tires as quickly as they could during a race. The operations in these videos were decomposed into basic, fundamental motions (such as walking, reaching for a tool, and bending over) by studying the videos frame by frame. A comparison analysis was then performed between the emergency pace and the normal working pace operations to determine performance coefficients. These coefficients represent the decrease in time required for various basic motions in emergency situations and were used to model an emergency response. This approach will make hazardous operations requiring operator response, alarm management, and evacuation processes easier to design and predict. An application of this methodology is included in the article. The time required for an emergency response was roughly a one-third faster than for a normal response time.

Use of an automated drug distribution cabinet system in a disaster response mobile emergency department.

PubMed

Morchel, Herman; Ogedegbe, Chinwe; Desai, Nilesh; Faley, Brian; Mahmood, Nasir; Moro, Gary Del; Feldman, Joseph

2015-01-01

This article describes the innovative use of an automated drug distribution cabinet system for medication supply in a disaster response mobile Emergency Department vehicle. Prior to the use of the automated drug distribution cabinet system described in this article, the mobile hospitals were stocked as needed with drugs in individual boxes and draws. Experience with multiple deployments found this method to be very cumbersome and labor intensive, both in preparation, operational use, and demobilization. For a recent deployment to provide emergency medical care at the 2014 Super Bowl football event, the automated drug distribution cabinet system in the Institution's main campus Emergency Department was duplicated and incorporated into the mobile Emergency Department. This method of drug stocking and dispensing was found to be far more efficient than gathering and placing drugs in onboard draws and racks. Automated drug distribution cabinet systems can be used to significantly improve patient care and overall efficiency in mobile hospital deployments.

Helpful Hints for School Emergency Management: The National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Schools. Frequently Asked Questions and FY 2006 NIMS Compliance Activities for Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2006

2006-01-01

"Helpful Hints" offers a quick overview of school emergency preparedness topics that are frequently the subject of inquiries. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a comprehensive system that improves tribal and local emergency response operations through the use of the Incident Command System (ICS) and the application of standardized…

a Real-Time GIS Platform for High Sour Gas Leakage Simulation, Evaluation and Visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, M.; Liu, H.; Yang, C.

2015-07-01

The development of high-sulfur gas fields, also known as sour gas field, is faced with a series of safety control and emergency management problems. The GIS-based emergency response system is placed high expectations under the consideration of high pressure, high content, complex terrain and highly density population in Sichuan Basin, southwest China. The most researches on high hydrogen sulphide gas dispersion simulation and evaluation are used for environmental impact assessment (EIA) or emergency preparedness planning. This paper introduces a real-time GIS platform for high-sulfur gas emergency response. Combining with real-time data from the leak detection systems and the meteorological monitoring stations, GIS platform provides the functions of simulating, evaluating and displaying of the different spatial-temporal toxic gas distribution patterns and evaluation results. This paper firstly proposes the architecture of Emergency Response/Management System, secondly explains EPA's Gaussian dispersion model CALPUFF simulation workflow under high complex terrain and real-time data, thirdly explains the emergency workflow and spatial analysis functions of computing the accident influencing areas, population and the optimal evacuation routes. Finally, a well blow scenarios is used for verify the system. The study shows that GIS platform which integrates the real-time data and CALPUFF models will be one of the essential operational platforms for high-sulfur gas fields emergency management.

Prototype development and demonstration for response, emergency staging, communications, uniform management, and evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E.) : R.E.S.C.U.M.E. prototype system design document.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

This report documents the System Design Document (SDD) for the prototype development and demonstration of the Response, Emergency Staging, Communications, Uniform Management, and Evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E.) application bundle, with a focus on the Inc...

Emergency material allocation with time-varying supply-demand based on dynamic optimization method for river chemical spills.

PubMed

Liu, Jie; Guo, Liang; Jiang, Jiping; Jiang, Dexun; Wang, Peng

2018-04-13

Aiming to minimize the damage caused by river chemical spills, efficient emergency material allocation is critical for an actual emergency rescue decision-making in a quick response. In this study, an emergency material allocation framework based on time-varying supply-demand constraint is developed to allocate emergency material, minimize the emergency response time, and satisfy the dynamic emergency material requirements in post-accident phases dealing with river chemical spills. In this study, the theoretically critical emergency response time is firstly obtained for the emergency material allocation system to select a series of appropriate emergency material warehouses as potential supportive centers. Then, an enumeration method is applied to identify the practically critical emergency response time, the optimum emergency material allocation and replenishment scheme. Finally, the developed framework is applied to a computational experiment based on south-to-north water transfer project in China. The results illustrate that the proposed methodology is a simple and flexible tool for appropriately allocating emergency material to satisfy time-dynamic demands during emergency decision-making. Therefore, the decision-makers can identify an appropriate emergency material allocation scheme in a balance between time-effective and cost-effective objectives under the different emergency pollution conditions.

A computerized support system to cooperative training in emergency scenarios management and its application to an oil port domain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Balducelli, C.; Bologna, S.; Di Costanzo, G.

1995-12-31

The paper describes part of the results achieved in the framework of the MUSTER project (Multi-Users System for Training and Evaluating Environmental Emergency Response). The aim of this project is to define the detailed specifications of a computer based system supporting collaborative training for emergency management. A system prototype has been implemented to support the refinement and improvement of the system specifications.

Development of an Automated Emergency Response System (AERS) for Rail Transit Systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-10-01

As a result of a fire in 1979 at the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), a microprocessor-based information retrieval system was developed to aid in the emergency decision-making process. This system was proposed, designed and programmed by a sup...

Secure Utilization of Beacons and UAVs in Emergency Response Systems for Building Fire Hazard

PubMed Central

Seo, Seung-Hyun; Choi, Jung-In; Song, Jinseok

2017-01-01

An intelligent emergency system for hazard monitoring and building evacuation is a very important application area in Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Through the use of smart sensors, such a system can provide more vital and reliable information to first-responders and also reduce the incidents of false alarms. Several smart monitoring and warning systems do already exist, though they exhibit key weaknesses such as a limited monitoring coverage and security, which have not yet been sufficiently addressed. In this paper, we propose a monitoring and emergency response method for buildings by utilizing beacons and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) on an IoT security platform. In order to demonstrate the practicability of our method, we also implement a proof of concept prototype, which we call the UAV-EMOR (UAV-assisted Emergency Monitoring and Response) system. Our UAV-EMOR system provides the following novel features: (1) secure communications between UAVs, smart sensors, the control server and a smartphone app for security managers; (2) enhanced coordination between smart sensors and indoor/outdoor UAVs to expand real-time monitoring coverage; and (3) beacon-aided rescue and building evacuation. PMID:28946659

Is there a doctor in the house? Standards of physician availability for laboring women.

PubMed

Minkoff, Howard; Ecker, Jeffrey

2010-09-01

Unexpected emergencies requiring urgent intervention can arise in the course of labor even among uncomplicated pregnancies in low-risk women. The possibility of such emergencies requires that responsible practitioners be available for management. The recent National Institutes of Health-sponsored consensus conference on vaginal birth after cesarean delivery highlighted this issue in discussing alternate standards of "ready" and "immediate" availability. The merits, feasibility, and ethics of alternate systems for coverage of all laboring women have not been widely or previously discussed and are considered in this opinion. Although there are potential advantages to having a responsible practitioner immediately available, logistic and economic considerations will make immediate availability unfeasible in all centers and systems, particularly on smaller services where distance or other factors may limit the option of consolidation (ie, the merging of different hospitals' obstetric services). We discuss training, systems, and planning to optimize response to emergencies in all systems, whether practitioners are readily or immediately available. Finally, we suggest that the ethical principle of respect for autonomy argues that particularly where alternate systems exist, practitioners and patients discuss the details, merits, and limitations of individual centers' clinical systems and plans for responding to emergencies.

Secure Utilization of Beacons and UAVs in Emergency Response Systems for Building Fire Hazard.

PubMed

Seo, Seung-Hyun; Choi, Jung-In; Song, Jinseok

2017-09-25

An intelligent emergency system for hazard monitoring and building evacuation is a very important application area in Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Through the use of smart sensors, such a system can provide more vital and reliable information to first-responders and also reduce the incidents of false alarms. Several smart monitoring and warning systems do already exist, though they exhibit key weaknesses such as a limited monitoring coverage and security, which have not yet been sufficiently addressed. In this paper, we propose a monitoring and emergency response method for buildings by utilizing beacons and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) on an IoT security platform. In order to demonstrate the practicability of our method, we also implement a proof of concept prototype, which we call the UAV-EMOR (UAV-assisted Emergency Monitoring and Response) system. Our UAV-EMOR system provides the following novel features: (1) secure communications between UAVs, smart sensors, the control server and a smartphone app for security managers; (2) enhanced coordination between smart sensors and indoor/outdoor UAVs to expand real-time monitoring coverage; and (3) beacon-aided rescue and building evacuation.

Strengthening global health security capacity--Vietnam demonstration project, 2013.

PubMed

Tran, Phu Dac; Vu, Long Ngoc; Nguyen, Hien Tran; Phan, Lan Trong; Lowe, Wayne; McConnell, Michelle S; Iademarco, Michael F; Partridge, Jeffrey M; Kile, James C; Do, Trang; Nadol, Patrick J; Bui, Hien; Vu, Diep; Bond, Kyle; Nelson, David B; Anderson, Lauren; Hunt, Kenneth V; Smith, Nicole; Giannone, Paul; Klena, John; Beauvais, Denise; Becknell, Kristi; Tappero, Jordan W; Dowell, Scott F; Rzeszotarski, Peter; Chu, May; Kinkade, Carl

2014-01-31

Over the past decade, Vietnam has successfully responded to global health security (GHS) challenges, including domestic elimination of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and rapid public health responses to human infections with influenza A(H5N1) virus. However, new threats such as Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and influenza A(H7N9) present continued challenges, reinforcing the need to improve the global capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats. In June 2012, Vietnam, along with many other nations, obtained a 2-year extension for meeting core surveillance and response requirements of the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR). During March-September 2013, CDC and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH) collaborated on a GHS demonstration project to improve public health emergency detection and response capacity. The project aimed to demonstrate, in a short period, that enhancements to Vietnam's health system in surveillance and early detection of and response to diseases and outbreaks could contribute to meeting the IHR core capacities, consistent with the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases. Work focused on enhancements to three interrelated priority areas and included achievements in 1) establishing an emergency operations center (EOC) at the General Department of Preventive Medicine with training of personnel for public health emergency management; 2) improving the nationwide laboratory system, including enhanced testing capability for several priority pathogens (i.e., those in Vietnam most likely to contribute to public health emergencies of international concern); and 3) creating an emergency response information systems platform, including a demonstration of real-time reporting capability. Lessons learned included awareness that integrated functions within the health system for GHS require careful planning, stakeholder buy-in, and intradepartmental and interdepartmental coordination and communication.

Web 2.0 and internet social networking: a new tool for disaster management?--lessons from Taiwan.

PubMed

Huang, Cheng-Min; Chan, Edward; Hyder, Adnan A

2010-10-06

Internet social networking tools and the emerging web 2.0 technologies are providing a new way for web users and health workers in information sharing and knowledge dissemination. Based on the characters of immediate, two-way and large scale of impact, the internet social networking tools have been utilized as a solution in emergency response during disasters. This paper highlights the use of internet social networking in disaster emergency response and public health management of disasters by focusing on a case study of the typhoon Morakot disaster in Taiwan. In the case of typhoon disaster in Taiwan, internet social networking and mobile technology were found to be helpful for community residents, professional emergency rescuers, and government agencies in gathering and disseminating real-time information, regarding volunteer recruitment and relief supplies allocation. We noted that if internet tools are to be integrated in the development of emergency response system, the accessibility, accuracy, validity, feasibility, privacy and the scalability of itself should be carefully considered especially in the effort of applying it in resource poor settings. This paper seeks to promote an internet-based emergency response system by integrating internet social networking and information communication technology into central government disaster management system. Web-based networking provides two-way communication which establishes a reliable and accessible tunnel for proximal and distal users in disaster preparedness and management.

Community-based first aid: a program report on the intersection of community-based participatory research and first aid education in a remote Canadian Aboriginal community.

PubMed

VanderBurgh, D; Jamieson, R; Beardy, J; Ritchie, S D; Orkin, A

2014-01-01

Community-based first aid training is the collaborative development of locally relevant emergency response training. The Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative was developed, delivered, and evaluated through two intensive 5-day first aid courses. Sachigo Lake First Nation is a remote Aboriginal community of 450 people in northern Ontario, Canada, with no local paramedical services. These courses were developed in collaboration with the community, with a goal of building community capacity to respond to medical emergencies. Most first aid training programs rely on standardized curriculum developed for urban and rural contexts with established emergency response systems. Delivering effective community-based first aid training in a remote Aboriginal community required specific adaptations to conventional first aid educational content and pedagogy. Three key lessons emerged during this program that used collaborative principles to adapt conventional first aid concepts and curriculum: (1) standardized approaches may not be relevant nor appropriate; (2) relationships between course participants and the people they help are relevant and important; (3) curriculum must be attentive to existing informal and formal emergency response systems. These lessons may be instructive for the development of other programs in similar settings.

Speeding response -- saving lives : automatic vehicle location capabilities for emergency vehicles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-01-01

This brochure focuses on the application of automatic vehicle location systems to emergency services. It discusses how AVL works with emergency vehicles. how it accommodates a wide range of emergency situations, and the benefits of its use.

Integrating a framework for conducting public health systems research into statewide operations-based exercises to improve emergency preparedness

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Due to the uncommon nature of large-scale disasters and emergencies, public health practitioners often turn to simulated emergencies, known as “exercises”, for preparedness assessment and improvement. Under the right conditions, exercises can also be used to conduct original public health systems research. This paper describes the integration of a research framework into a statewide operations-based exercise program in California as a systems-based approach for studying public health emergency preparedness and response. Methods We developed a research framework based on the premise that operations-based exercises conducted by medical and public health agencies can be described using epidemiologic concepts. Using this framework, we conducted a survey of key local and regional medical and health agencies throughout California following the 2010 Statewide Medical and Health Exercise. The survey evaluated: (1) the emergency preparedness capabilities activated and functions performed in response to the emergency scenario, and (2) the major challenges to inter-organizational communications and information management. Results Thirty-five local health departments (LHDs), 24 local emergency medical services (EMS) agencies, 121 hospitals, and 5 Regional Disaster Medical and Health Coordinators/Specialists (RDMHC) responded to our survey, representing 57%, 77%, 26% and 83%, respectively, of target agencies in California. We found two sets of response capabilities were activated during the 2010 Statewide Exercise: a set of core capabilities that were common across all agencies, and a set of agency-specific capabilities that were more common among certain agency types. With respect to one response capability in particular, inter-organizational information sharing, we found that the majority of respondents’ comments were related to the complete or partial failure of communications equipment or systems. Conclusions Using the 2010 Statewide Exercise in California as an opportunity to develop our research framework, we characterized several aspects of the public health and medical system’s response to a standardized emergency scenario. From a research perspective, this study provides a potential new framework for conducting exercise-based research. From a practitioner’s perspective, our results provide a starting point for preparedness professionals’ dialogue about expected and actual organizational roles, responsibilities, and resource capacities within the public health system. Additionally, the identification of specific challenges to inter-organizational communications and information management offer specific areas for intervention. PMID:22905991

The development and implementation of a Hospital Emergency Response Team (HERT) for out-of-hospital surgical care.

PubMed

Scott, Christopher; Putnam, Brant; Bricker, Scott; Schneider, Laura; Raby, Stephanie; Koenig, William; Gausche-Hill, Marianne

2012-06-01

Over the past two decades, Los Angeles County has implemented a Hospital Emergency Response Team (HERT) to provide on-scene, advanced surgical care of injured patients as an element of the local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system. Since 2008, the primary responsibility of the team has been to perform surgical procedures in the austere field setting when prolonged extrication is anticipated. Following the maxim of "life over limb," the team is equipped to provide rapid amputation of an entrapped extremity as well as other procedures and medical care, such as anxiolytics and advanced pain control. This report describes the development and implementation of a local EMS system HERT.

A stratified response system for the emergency management of the severely injured.

PubMed

Lloyd, D A; Patterson, M; Robson, J; Phillips, B

2001-01-01

A decade ago, there were justifiable criticisms of the delivery of emergency care for injured patients in accident and emergency departments in the UK. To address this, a trauma management system was developed in 1991 at Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool. This includes a trauma team, communication system, management guidelines and quality assurance. On admission to the accident and emergency department, injured patients are triaged to one of three levels of injury severity, and a multidisciplinary team lead by a paediatric surgeon or senior accident and emergency department physician is activated. The level of injury severity determines the composition of the trauma team. A care pathway based on ATLS/APLS principles has been developed. The response process as well patient management are documented and reviewed at a monthly audit meeting. Currently, more than 80% of eligible patients are managed using the trauma system, with an over-triage rate of about 25%. Regular modifications to the trauma system since its inception in 1991 have resulted in an efficient and effective management structure. Stratification of the trauma response has minimised unnecessary use of the multidisciplinary trauma team and ensures that mobilisation and use of hospital staff and resources are tailored to the needs of the injured patient. Although developed in a specialist children's hospital, the system could be adapted for any acute hospital.

Evaluating the success of an emergency response medical information system.

PubMed

Petter, Stacie; Fruhling, Ann

2011-07-01

STATPack™ is an information system used to aid in the diagnosis of pathogens in hospitals and state public health laboratories. STATPack™ is used as a communication and telemedicine diagnosis tool during emergencies. This paper explores the success of this emergency response medical information system (ERMIS) using a well-known framework of information systems success developed by DeLone and McLean. Using an online survey, the entire population of STATPack™ users evaluated the success of the information system by considering system quality, information quality, system use, intention to use, user satisfaction, individual impact, and organizational impact. The results indicate that the overall quality of this ERMIS (i.e., system quality, information quality, and service quality) has a positive impact on both user satisfaction and intention to use the system. However, given the nature of ERMIS, overall quality does not necessarily predict use of the system. Moreover, the user's satisfaction with the information system positively affected the intention to use the system. User satisfaction, intention to use, and system use had a positive influence on the system's impact on the individual. Finally, the organizational impacts of the system were positively influenced by use of the system and the system's individual impact on the user. The results of the study demonstrate how to evaluate the success of an ERMIS as well as introduce potential changes in how one applies the DeLone and McLean success model in an emergency response medical information system context. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mass Casualty Chemical Incident Operational Framework, Assessment and Best Practices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greenwalt, R. J.; Hibbard, W. J.

2016-05-04

Emergency response agencies in most US communities are organized, sized, and equipped to manage those emergencies normally expected. Hospitals in particular do not typically have significant excess capacity to handle massive numbers of casualties, as hospital space is an expensive luxury if not needed. Unfortunately this means that in the event of a mass casualty chemical incident the emergency response system will be overwhelmed. This document provides a self-assessment means for emergency managers to examine their response system and identify shortfalls. It also includes lessons from a detailed analysis of five communities: Baltimore, Boise, Houston, Nassau County, and New Orleans.more » These lessons provide a list of potential critical decisions to allow for pre-planning and a library of best practices that may be helpful in reducing casualties in the event of an incident.« less

Mass Casualty Chemical Incident Operational Framework, Assessment and Best Practices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greenwalt, R.; Hibbard, W.

2016-08-09

Emergency response agencies in most US communities are organized, sized, and equipped to manage those emergencies normally expected. Hospitals in particular do not typically have significant excess capacity to handle massive numbers of casualties, as hospital space is an expensive luxury if not needed. Unfortunately this means that in the event of a mass casualty chemical incident the emergency response system will be overwhelmed. This document provides a self-assessment means for emergency managers to examine their response system and identify shortfalls. It also includes lessons from a detailed analysis of five communities: Baltimore, Boise, Houston, Nassau County, and New Orleans.more » These lessons provide a list of potential critical decisions to allow for pre-planning and a library of best practices that may be helpful in reducing casualties in the event of an incident.« less

Responsive systems - The challenge for the nineties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malek, Miroslaw

1990-01-01

A concept of responsive computer systems will be introduced. The emerging responsive systems demand fault-tolerant and real-time performance in parallel and distributed computing environments. The design methodologies for fault-tolerant, real time and responsive systems will be presented. Novel techniques of introducing redundancy for improved performance and dependability will be illustrated. The methods of system responsiveness evaluation will be proposed. The issues of determinism, closed and open systems will also be discussed from the perspective of responsive systems design.

Report: EPA Plans for Managing Counter Terrorism/ Emergency Response Equipment and Protecting Critical Assets Not Fully Implemented

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #09-P-0087, January 27, 2009. EPA has progressed in implementing the counter terrorism/emergency response (CT/ER) initiatives, but is behind schedule in implementing the Radiation Ambient Monitoring (RadNet) System.

A Comprehensive Evaluation System for Military Hospitals' Response Capability to Bio-terrorism.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Jiang, Nan; Shao, Sicong; Zheng, Tao; Sun, Jianzhong

2015-05-01

The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Literature research and Delphi method were utilized to establish the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Questionnaires were designed and used to survey the status quo of 134 military hospitals' response capability to bio-terrorism. Survey indicated that factor analysis method was suitable to for analyzing the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. The constructed evaluation system was consisted of five first-class and 16 second-class indexes. Among them, medical response factor was considered as the most important factor with weight coefficient of 0.660, followed in turn by the emergency management factor with weight coefficient of 0.109, emergency management consciousness factor with weight coefficient of 0.093, hardware support factor with weight coefficient of 0.078, and improvement factor with weight coefficient of 0.059. The constructed comprehensive assessment model and system are scientific and practical.

Deployment of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) in Emergency and Disaster Response Scenarios to Support Local Emergency Management Agencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calamaio, C. L.; Walker, J.; Beck, J. M.; Graves, S. J.; Johnson, C.

2017-12-01

Researchers at the Information Technology and Systems Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville are working closely with the Madison County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), GeoHuntsville's UAS Working Group, and the NOAA UAS Program Office, to conduct a series of practical demonstrations testing the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) for emergency response activities in Madison County, Alabama. These exercises demonstrate the use of UAS to detect and visualize hazards in affected areas via the delivery of aerial imagery and associated data products to law enforcement first responders in a variety of different scenarios, for example, search and rescue, tornado track mapping, damage assessment, and situational awareness/containment during active shooter incidents. In addition to showcasing the use of UAS as a tool for emergency services, these pilot exercises provide the opportunity to engage the appropriate stakeholders from several communities including first responders, geospatial intelligence, active members of the unmanned systems industry, and academia. This presentation will showcase the challenges associated with delivering quality data products for emergency services in a timely manner as well as the related challenges in integrating the technology into local emergency management.

When the bells toll: engaging healthcare providers in catastrophic disaster response planning.

PubMed

Hanfling, Dan

2013-01-01

Catastrophic disaster planning and response have been impeded by the inability to better coordinate the many components of the emergency response system. Healthcare providers in particular have remained on the periphery of such planning because of a variety of real or perceived barriers. Although hospitals and healthcare systems have worked successfully to develop surge capacity and capability, less successful have been the attempts to inculcate such planning in the private practice medical community. Implementation of a systems approach to catastrophic disaster planning that incorporates healthcare provider participation and engagement as one of the first steps toward such efforts will be of significant importance in ensuring that a comprehensive and successful emergency response will ensue.

Speeding response, saving lives : automatic vehicle location capabilities for emergency services

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-01-01

This brochure focuses on the application of automatic vehicle location systems to emergency services. It discusses how AVL works with emergency vehicles and how it accommodates a wide range of emergency situations, and the benefits of ITS use. (3 p.)

Active Disaster Response System for a Smart Building

PubMed Central

Lin, Chun-Yen; Chu, Edward T.-H; Ku, Lun-Wei; Liu, Jane W. S.

2014-01-01

Disaster warning and surveillance systems have been widely applied to help the public be aware of an emergency. However, existing warning systems are unable to cooperate with household appliances or embedded controllers; that is, they cannot provide enough time for preparedness and evacuation, especially for disasters like earthquakes. In addition, the existing warning and surveillance systems are not responsible for collecting sufficient information inside a building for relief workers to conduct a proper rescue action after a disaster happens. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a proof of concept prototype, named the active disaster response system (ADRS), which automatically performs emergency tasks when an earthquake happens. ADRS can interpret Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) messages, published by an official agency, and actuate embedded controllers to perform emergency tasks to respond to the alerts. Examples of emergency tasks include opening doors and windows and cutting off power lines and gas valves. In addition, ADRS can maintain a temporary network by utilizing the embedded controllers; hence, victims trapped inside a building are still able to post emergency messages if the original network is disconnected. We conducted a field trial to evaluate the effectiveness of ADRS after an earthquake happened. Our results show that compared to manually operating emergency tasks, ADRS can reduce the operation time by up to 15 s, which is long enough for people to get under sturdy furniture, or to evacuate from the third floor to the first floor, or to run more than 100 m. PMID:25237897

Disaster Response and Preparedness Application: Emergency Environmental Response Tool (EERT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smoot, James; Carr, Hugh; Jester, Keith

2003-01-01

In 2000, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Environmental Office at the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) developed an Environmental Geographic Information Systems (EGIS) database. NASA had previously developed a GIS database at SSC to assist in the NASA Environmental Office's management of the Center. This GIS became the basis for the NASA-wide EGIS project, which was proposed after the applicability of the SSC database was demonstrated. Since its completion, the SSC EGIS has aided the Environmental Office with noise pollution modeling, land cover assessment, wetlands delineation, environmental hazards mapping, and critical habitat delineation for protected species. At SSC, facility management and safety officers are responsible for ensuring the physical security of the facilities, staff, and equipment as well as for responding to environmental emergencies, such as accidental releases of hazardous materials. All phases of emergency management (planning, mitigation, preparedness, and response) depend on data reliability and system interoperability from a variety of sources to determine the size and scope of the emergency operation. Because geospatial data are now available for all NASA facilities, it was suggested that this data could be incorporated into a computerized management information program to assist facility managers. The idea was that the information system could improve both the effectiveness and the efficiency of managing and controlling actions associated with disaster, homeland security, and other activities. It was decided to use SSC as a pilot site to demonstrate the efficacy of having a baseline, computerized management information system that ultimately was referred to as the Emergency Environmental Response Tool (EERT).

Hierarchical hybrid control of manipulators: Artificial intelligence in large scale integrated circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, P. H.

1972-01-01

Both in practical engineering and in control of muscular systems, low level subsystems automatically provide crude approximations to the proper response. Through low level tuning of these approximations, the proper response variant can emerge from standardized high level commands. Such systems are expressly suited to emerging large scale integrated circuit technology. A computer, using symbolic descriptions of subsystem responses, can select and shape responses of low level digital or analog microcircuits. A mathematical theory that reveals significant informational units in this style of control and software for realizing such information structures are formulated.

Operational atmospheric modeling system CARIS for effective emergency response associated with hazardous chemical releases in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Cheol-Hee; Park, Jin-Ho; Park, Cheol-Jin; Na, Jin-Gyun

2004-03-01

The Chemical Accidents Response Information System (CARIS) was developed at the Center for Chemical Safety Management in South Korea in order to track and predict the dispersion of hazardous chemicals in the case of an accident or terrorist attack involving chemical companies. The main objective of CARIS is to facilitate an efficient emergency response to hazardous chemical accidents by rapidly providing key information in the decision-making process. In particular, the atmospheric modeling system implemented in CARIS, which is composed of a real-time numerical weather forecasting model and an air pollution dispersion model, can be used as a tool to forecast concentrations and to provide a wide range of assessments associated with various hazardous chemicals in real time. This article introduces the components of CARIS and describes its operational modeling system. Some examples of the operational modeling system and its use for emergency preparedness are presented and discussed. Finally, this article evaluates the current numerical weather prediction model for Korea.

Community Environmental Response Facilitation Act (CERFA) Report, Sacramento Army Depot, Sacramento, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-01

Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System CERFA Community Environmental Response Facilitation Act CORTESE State-designated hazardous...waste cleanup sites DESCOM U.S. Army Depot Systems Command DTSC Department of Toxic Substance Control EMD Environmental Management Division EPA U.S...Environmental Protection Agency ERNS Emergency Response Notification system FFA Federal Facility Agreement FINDS Facility index system HWCSA Hazardous

Interactive Voice/Web Response System in clinical research

PubMed Central

Ruikar, Vrishabhsagar

2016-01-01

Emerging technologies in computer and telecommunication industry has eased the access to computer through telephone. An Interactive Voice/Web Response System (IxRS) is one of the user friendly systems for end users, with complex and tailored programs at its backend. The backend programs are specially tailored for easy understanding of users. Clinical research industry has experienced revolution in methodologies of data capture with time. Different systems have evolved toward emerging modern technologies and tools in couple of decades from past, for example, Electronic Data Capture, IxRS, electronic patient reported outcomes, etc. PMID:26952178

Interactive Voice/Web Response System in clinical research.

PubMed

Ruikar, Vrishabhsagar

2016-01-01

Emerging technologies in computer and telecommunication industry has eased the access to computer through telephone. An Interactive Voice/Web Response System (IxRS) is one of the user friendly systems for end users, with complex and tailored programs at its backend. The backend programs are specially tailored for easy understanding of users. Clinical research industry has experienced revolution in methodologies of data capture with time. Different systems have evolved toward emerging modern technologies and tools in couple of decades from past, for example, Electronic Data Capture, IxRS, electronic patient reported outcomes, etc.

New Nuclear Emergency Prognosis system in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyun-Ha; Jeong, Seung-Young; Park, Sang-Hyun; Lee, Kwan-Hee

2016-04-01

This paper reviews the status of assessment and prognosis system for nuclear emergency response in Korea, especially atmospheric dispersion model. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) performs the regulation and radiological emergency preparedness of the nuclear facilities and radiation utilizations. Also, KINS has set up the "Radiological Emergency Technical Advisory Plan" and the associated procedures such as an emergency response manual in consideration of the IAEA Safety Standards GS-R-2, GS-G-2.0, and GS-G-2.1. The Radiological Emergency Technical Advisory Center (RETAC) organized in an emergency situation provides the technical advice on radiological emergency response. The "Atomic Computerized Technical Advisory System for nuclear emergency" (AtomCARE) has been developed to implement assessment and prognosis by RETAC. KINS developed Accident Dose Assessment and Monitoring (ADAMO) system in 2015 to reflect the lessons learned from Fukushima accident. It incorporates (1) the dose assessment on the entire Korean peninsula, Asia region, and global region, (2) multi-units accident assessment (3) applying new methodology of dose rate assessment and the source term estimation with inverse modeling, (4) dose assessment and monitoring with the environmental measurements result. The ADAMO is the renovated version of current FADAS of AtomCARE. The ADAMO increases the accuracy of the radioactive material dispersion with applying the LDAPS(Local Data Assimilation Prediction System, Spatial resolution: 1.5 km) and RDAPS(Regional Data Assimilation Prediction System, Spatial resolution: 12km) of weather prediction data, and performing the data assimilation of automatic weather system (AWS) data from Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) and data from the weather observation tower at NPP site. The prediction model of the radiological material dispersion is based on the set of the Lagrangian Particle model and Lagrangian Puff model. The dose estimation methodology incorporate the dose assessment methods of IAEA, WHO, and USNRC. The dose assessment result will express on the GIS (GIS (Geographic Information System) to provide to the local- governments and the central government. Acknowledgements This research has been supported by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission [Reference No.1305020-0315-SB110

An affordable wearable video system for emergency response training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King-Smith, Deen; Mikkilineni, Aravind; Ebert, David; Collins, Timothy; Delp, Edward J.

2009-02-01

Many emergency response units are currently faced with restrictive budgets that prohibit their use of advanced technology-based training solutions. Our work focuses on creating an affordable, mobile, state-of-the-art emergency response training solution through the integration of low-cost, commercially available products. The system we have developed consists of tracking, audio, and video capability, coupled with other sensors that can all be viewed through a unified visualization system. In this paper we focus on the video sub-system which helps provide real time tracking and video feeds from the training environment through a system of wearable and stationary cameras. These two camera systems interface with a management system that handles storage and indexing of the video during and after training exercises. The wearable systems enable the command center to have live video and tracking information for each trainee in the exercise. The stationary camera systems provide a fixed point of reference for viewing action during the exercise and consist of a small Linux based portable computer and mountable camera. The video management system consists of a server and database which work in tandem with a visualization application to provide real-time and after action review capability to the training system.

Piloting a real-time surface water flood nowcasting system for enhancing operational resilience of emergency responders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Dapeng; Guan, Mingfu; Wilby, Robert; Bruce, Wright; Szegner, Mark

2017-04-01

Emergency services (such as Fire & Rescue, and Ambulance) can face the challenging tasks of having to respond to or operate under extreme and fast changing weather conditions, including surface water flooding. UK-wide, return period based surface water flood risk mapping undertaken by the Environment Agency provides useful information about areas at risks. Although these maps are useful for planning purposes for emergency responders, their utility to operational response during flood emergencies can be limited. A street-level, high resolution, real-time, surface water flood nowcasting system, has been piloted in the City of Leicester, UK to assess emergency response resilience to surface water flooding. Precipitation nowcasting over 7- and 48-hour horizons are obtained from the UK Met Office and used as inputs to the system. A hydro-inundation model is used to simulate urban surface water flood depths/areas at both the city and basin scale, with a 20 m and 3 m spatial resolution respectively, and a 15-minute temporal resolution, 7-hour and 48-hour in advance. Based on this, we evaluate both the direct and indirect impacts of potential surface water flood events on emergency responses, including: (i) identifying vulnerable populations (e.g. care homes and schools) at risk; and (ii) generating novel metrics of accessibility (e.g. travel time from service stations to vulnerable sites; spatial coverage with certain legislative timeframes) in real-time. In doing so, real-time information on potential risks and impacts of emerging flood incidents arising from intense rainfall can be communicated via a dedicated web-based platform to emergency responders thereby improving response times and operational resilience.

Conceptualizing and Managing Medical Emergencies Where No Formal Paramedical System Exists: Perspectives from a Remote Indigenous Community in Canada.

PubMed

Curran, Jeffrey; Ritchie, Stephen D; Beardy, Jackson; VanderBurgh, David; Born, Karen; Lewko, John; Orkin, Aaron M

2018-02-04

(1) Background: Remote communities in Canada lack an equitable emergency medical response capacity compared to other communities. Community-based emergency care (CBEC) training for laypeople is a model that has the potential to enhance the medical emergency response capacity in isolated and resource-limited contexts. The purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics of medical emergencies and to conceptualize and present a framework for what a medical emergency is for one remote Indigenous community in northwestern Ontario, in order to inform the development of CBEC training. (2) Methods: This study adhered to the principles of community-based participatory research and realist evaluation; it was an integrated component of the formative evaluation of the second Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative (SLWEREI) training course in 2012. Twelve members of Sachigo Lake First Nation participated in the training course, along with local nursing staff, police officers, community Elders, and course instructors (n = 24 total), who participated in interviews, focus groups, and a collaborative discussion of local health issues in the development of the SLWEREI. (3) Results: The qualitative results are organized into sections that describe the types of local health emergencies and the informal response system of community members in addressing these emergencies. Prominent themes of health adversity that emerged were an inability to manage chronic conditions and fears of exacerbations, the lack of capacity for addressing mental illness, and the high prevalence of injury for community members. (4) Discussion: A three-point framework of what constitutes local perceptions of an emergency emerged from the findings in this study: (1) a sense of isolation; (2) a condition with a potentially adverse outcome; and (3) a need for help.

Conceptualizing and Managing Medical Emergencies Where No Formal Paramedical System Exists: Perspectives from a Remote Indigenous Community in Canada

PubMed Central

Curran, Jeffrey; Ritchie, Stephen D.; Beardy, Jackson; VanderBurgh, David; Born, Karen; Lewko, John; Orkin, Aaron M.

2018-01-01

(1) Background: Remote communities in Canada lack an equitable emergency medical response capacity compared to other communities. Community-based emergency care (CBEC) training for laypeople is a model that has the potential to enhance the medical emergency response capacity in isolated and resource-limited contexts. The purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics of medical emergencies and to conceptualize and present a framework for what a medical emergency is for one remote Indigenous community in northwestern Ontario, in order to inform the development of CBEC training. (2) Methods: This study adhered to the principles of community-based participatory research and realist evaluation; it was an integrated component of the formative evaluation of the second Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative (SLWEREI) training course in 2012. Twelve members of Sachigo Lake First Nation participated in the training course, along with local nursing staff, police officers, community Elders, and course instructors (n = 24 total), who participated in interviews, focus groups, and a collaborative discussion of local health issues in the development of the SLWEREI. (3) Results: The qualitative results are organized into sections that describe the types of local health emergencies and the informal response system of community members in addressing these emergencies. Prominent themes of health adversity that emerged were an inability to manage chronic conditions and fears of exacerbations, the lack of capacity for addressing mental illness, and the high prevalence of injury for community members. (4) Discussion: A three-point framework of what constitutes local perceptions of an emergency emerged from the findings in this study: (1) a sense of isolation; (2) a condition with a potentially adverse outcome; and (3) a need for help. PMID:29401706

EMERGENCY RESPONSE EQUIPMENT TO CLEAN UP HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL RELEASES AT SPILLS AND UNCONTROLLED WASTE SITES

EPA Science Inventory

This paper reviews some of the research activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the development of emergency response equipment to control hazardous chemical releases. Several devices and systems have been developed by EPA for environmental emergenc...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Chemical Hazard Response Information System (CHRIS) is designed to provide timely information essential for proper decision-making by responsible Coast Guard personnel and others during emergencies involving the water transport of hazardous chemicals. A secondary purpose is the provision of certain basic non-emergency-related information to support the Coast Guard in its efforts to achieve improved levels of safety in the bulk shipment of hazardous chemicals. CHRIS consists of four reference guides or manuals, a regional contingency plan, a hazard-assessment computer system (HACS), and an organizational entity located at Coast Guard headquarters. The four manuals contain chemical data, hazard-assessment methods, andmore » response guides. Regional data for the entire coastline are included in the Coastal Regional Contingency Plans. The headquarters staff operates the hazard-assessment computer system and provides technical assistance on request by field personnel during emergencies. In addition, it is responsible for periodic update and maintenance of CHRIS. A brief description of each component of CHRIS and its relation to this manual - the Hazard-Assessment Handbook - is provided.« less

USE OF THE AERIAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM HELICOPTER EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACQUISITION SYSTEMS WITH GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR RADIOACTIVE SOIL REMEDIATION - [11504

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BROCK CT

2011-02-15

The Aerial Measurement System (AMS) Helicopter Emergency Response Acquisition System provides a thorough and economical means to identify and characterize the contaminants for large area radiological surveys. The helicopter system can provide a 100-percent survey of an area that qualifies as a scoping survey under the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) methodology. If the sensitivity is adequate when compared to the clean up values, it may also be used for the characterization survey. The data from the helicopter survey can be displayed and manipulated to provide invaluable data during remediation activities.

41 CFR 102-74.230 - Who is responsible for establishing an occupant emergency program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 74-FACILITY MANAGEMENT Facility Management Occupant Emergency Program § 102-74.230 Who is... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Who is responsible for...

An Analysis of State Public Health Emergency Declarations

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Disaster responses often involve coordination among multiple levels of government and public and private sector collaboration. When emergencies raise health concerns, governments must include public health and health care systems in their response. A state government’s declaration of “public health emergency” can provide that state’s health sector with flexibility and guidance about response parameters. Although events including Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy and the H1N1 influenza outbreak provided opportunities for states to deploy their public health emergency powers, little has been reported about how states have used their authority to declare a public health emergency. I present a systematic identification and analysis of states’ public health emergency declarations, examine why these declarations were issued, and discuss their potential value. PMID:25033156

The Rescue911 Emergency Response Information System (ERIS): A Systems Development Project Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Jason F.; Thiel, Franz H.

2010-01-01

This teaching case presents a systems development project useful for courses in object-oriented analysis and design. The case has a strong focus on the business, methodology, modeling and implementation aspects of systems development. The case is centered on a fictitious ambulance and emergency services company (Rescue911). The case describes that…

A Coordinated Emergency Response: A Color Dust Explosion at a 2015 Concert in Taiwan

PubMed Central

Yang, Chih-Ching

2016-01-01

In June 2015, nearly 500 concert attendees suffered injuries from smoke inhalation and severe burns following a color-dust explosion at a waterpark in Taiwan. We report on the progressions of the incident and government responses, share cross-departmental mobilization and case management lessons, and reflect on clinical and complex policy issues emerged. The timely and coordinated emergency responses, a high-quality universal health care system, and dedicated clinicians voluntarily working overtime resulted in an unprecedented 2.4% mortality rate (international statistics predicted 26.8%). PMID:27459446

Spills of National Significance Response Management System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-07-15

This Instruction contains guidance for establishing an Incident Command System : (ICS) Area Command Structure for a Spill of National Significance (SONS). : Reference (a), the National Contingency Plan (NCP), assigns responsibilities for : emergency ...

The social media manifesto: a comprehensive review of the impact of social media on emergency management.

PubMed

Crowe, Adam

2011-02-01

Over the past five years, social media have impacted emergency management and disaster response in numerous ways. The emergency management professional must begin to accept this impact not as an arbitrary consequence of an uncontrolled disaster, but rather as a tool to help coordinate, manage and facilitate a safe and expected response during emergencies and disasters. This paper will explain the power and purpose of social media as well as how social media systems have equalised capabilities for all levels and sizes of government. Moreover, this paper will also highlight the social media systems that are being used as operational tools as well as what the future holds. Lastly, common implementation challenges will be discussed through a look at systematic approaches to applying social media in emergency management as a positive and valuable tool.

Management of non-traumatic chest pain by the French Emergency Medical System: Insights from the DOLORES registry.

PubMed

Manzo-Silberman, Stéphane; Assez, Nathalie; Vivien, Benoît; Tazarourte, Karim; Mokni, Tarak; Bounes, Vincent; Greffet, Agnès; Bataille, Vincent; Mulak, Geneviève; Goldstein, Patrick; Ducassé, Jean Louis; Spaulding, Christian; Charpentier, Sandrine

2015-03-01

The early recognition of acute coronary syndromes is a priority in health care systems, to reduce revascularization delays. In France, patients are encouraged to call emergency numbers (15, 112), which are routed to a Medical Dispatch Centre where physicians conduct an interview and decide on the appropriate response. However, the effectiveness of this system has not yet been assessed. To describe and analyse the response of emergency physicians receiving calls for chest pain in the French Emergency Medical System. From 16 November to 13 December 2009, calls to the Medical Dispatch Centre for non-traumatic chest pain were included prospectively in a multicentre observational study. Clinical characteristics and triage decisions were collected. A total of 1647 patients were included in the study. An interview was conducted with the patient in only 30.5% of cases, and with relatives, bystanders or physicians in the other cases. A Mobile Intensive Care Unit was dispatched to 854 patients (51.9%) presenting with typical angina chest pains and a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Paramedics were sent to 516 patients (31.3%) and a general practitioner was sent to 169 patients (10.3%). Patients were given medical advice only by telephone in 108 cases (6.6%). Emergency physicians in the Medical Dispatch Centre sent an effecter to the majority of patients who called the Emergency Medical System for chest pain. The response level was based on the characteristics of the chest pain and the patient's risk profile. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Medical and radiological aspects of emergency preparedness and response at SevRAO facilities.

PubMed

Savkin, M N; Sneve, M K; Grachev, M I; Frolov, G P; Shinkarev, S M; Jaworska, A

2008-12-01

Regulatory cooperation between the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority and the Federal Medical Biological Agency (FMBA) of the Russian Federation has the overall goal of promoting improvements in radiation protection in Northwest Russia. One of the projects in this programme has the objectives to review and improve the existing medical emergency preparedness capabilities at the sites for temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. These are operated by SevRAO at Andreeva Bay and in Gremikha village on the Kola Peninsula. The work is also intended to provide a better basis for regulation of emergency response and medical emergency preparedness at similar facilities elsewhere in Russia. The purpose of this paper is to present the main results of that project, implemented by the Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Centre. The first task was an analysis of the regulatory requirements and the current state of preparedness for medical emergency response at the SevRAO facilities. Although Russian regulatory documents are mostly consistent with international recommendations, some distinctions lead to numerical differences in operational intervention criteria under otherwise similar conditions. Radiological threats relating to possible accidents, and related gaps in the regulation of SevRAO facilities, were also identified. As part of the project, a special exercise on emergency medical response on-site at Andreeva Bay was prepared and carried out, and recommendations were proposed after the exercise. Following fruitful dialogue among regulators, designers and operators, special regulatory guidance has been issued by FMBA to account for the specific and unusual features of the SevRAO facilities. Detailed sections relate to the prevention of accidents, and emergency preparedness and response, supplementing the basic Russian regulatory requirements. Overall it is concluded that (a) the provision of medical and sanitary components of emergency response at SevRAO facilities is a priority task within the general system of emergency preparedness; (b) there is an effective and improving interaction between SevRAO and the local medical institutions of FMBA and other territorial medical units; (c) the infrastructure of emergency response at SevRAO facilities has been created and operates within the framework of Russian legal and normative requirements. Further proposals have been made aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the available system of emergency preparedness and response, and to promote interagency cooperation.

Real-time Medical Emergency Response System: Exploiting IoT and Big Data for Public Health.

PubMed

Rathore, M Mazhar; Ahmad, Awais; Paul, Anand; Wan, Jiafu; Zhang, Daqiang

2016-12-01

Healthy people are important for any nation's development. Use of the Internet of Things (IoT)-based body area networks (BANs) is increasing for continuous monitoring and medical healthcare in order to perform real-time actions in case of emergencies. However, in the case of monitoring the health of all citizens or people in a country, the millions of sensors attached to human bodies generate massive volume of heterogeneous data, called "Big Data." Processing Big Data and performing real-time actions in critical situations is a challenging task. Therefore, in order to address such issues, we propose a Real-time Medical Emergency Response System that involves IoT-based medical sensors deployed on the human body. Moreover, the proposed system consists of the data analysis building, called "Intelligent Building," depicted by the proposed layered architecture and implementation model, and it is responsible for analysis and decision-making. The data collected from millions of body-attached sensors is forwarded to Intelligent Building for processing and for performing necessary actions using various units such as collection, Hadoop Processing (HPU), and analysis and decision. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed system are evaluated by implementing the system on Hadoop using an UBUNTU 14.04 LTS coreTMi5 machine. Various medical sensory datasets and real-time network traffic are considered for evaluating the efficiency of the system. The results show that the proposed system has the capability of efficiently processing WBAN sensory data from millions of users in order to perform real-time responses in case of emergencies.

29 CFR 1926.65 - Hazardous waste operations and emergency response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... only comply with the requirements of paragraph (q) of this section. (3) Definitions—Buddy system means a system of organizing employees into work groups in such a manner that each employee of the work... buddy system is to provide rapid assistance to employees in the event of an emergency. Clean-up...

Integrating Social Media Monitoring Into Public Health Emergency Response Operations.

PubMed

Hadi, Tamer A; Fleshler, Keren

2016-10-01

Social media monitoring for public health emergency response and recovery is an essential response capability for any health department. The value of social media for emergency response lies not only in the capacity to rapidly communicate official and critical incident information, but as a rich source of incoming data that can be gathered to inform leadership decision-making. Social media monitoring is a function that can be formally integrated into the Incident Command System of any response agency. The approach to planning and required resources, such as staffing, logistics, and technology, is flexible and adaptable based on the needs of the agency and size and scope of the emergency. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has successfully used its Social Media Monitoring Team during public health emergency responses and planned events including major Ebola and Legionnaires' disease responses. The concepts and implementations described can be applied by any agency, large or small, interested in building a social media monitoring capacity. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 6).

Model of Rescue Units Control in Event of Potential Emergency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalach, A. V.; Kravchenko, A. S.; Soloviev, A. S.; Nesterov, A. A.

2018-05-01

A problem of organization and efficiency improvement of the system controlling the rescue units of the Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Response of the Russian Federation considered using the example of potential hydrological emergency, a model of a system for controlling rescue units in the event of potential hydrological emergency. The problem solution is based on mathematical models of operational control of rescue units and assessment of a hydrological situation of area flooding.

Performance Requirements for Emergency Responder Interoperable and Compatible Electronic Safety Equipment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, Paul S.

2012-01-01

Firefighters and other emergency response personnel are presented with an increasing array of technologies to improve their health and safety. This includes real-time bidirectional communication, navigation and positional information, data on physiological and metabolic functions, as well as data on their surrounding environment. The emerging challenge is to integrate these elements into a practical system, addressing such features as power, data transfer, and inter-element coordination and communication. In many respects, NASA has addressed these aspects in the context of Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA). The EVA environment shares many common attributes with that of emergency response scenarios. A similar situation exists in terms of the need for interoperability among the various system sub-elements. A brief overview is presented on the similarities and differences in these two applications, as well as the technical approach adopted by NASA in terms of system design philosophy.

Call selection for the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service: implications for ambulance control.

PubMed Central

Coats, T J; Newton, A

1994-01-01

The increasing sophistication of pre-hospital care, with paramedics and many types of 'rapid response' units, requires the use of advanced systems of ambulance control. The introduction of call selection by a paramedic in the ambulance control room significantly improved the tasking of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. This paper illustrates the need for a system to grade 999 calls, so that the appropriate pre-hospital response can be directed to each patient. PMID:8182675

Serum Penicillin G Levels Are Lower Than Expected in Adults within Two Weeks of Administration of 1.2 Million Units

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

United States of America, 3 United States Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System, Silver Spring, Maryland... infections . Citation: Broderick MP, Hansen CJ, Russell KL, Kaplan EL, Blumer JL, et al. (2011) Serum Penicillin G Levels Are Lower Than Expected in...Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System, a Division of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, WU# 60501, http://afhsc.mil

Homeland security and public health: role of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the US Department of Homeland Security, and implications for the public health community.

PubMed

Koenig, Kristi L

2003-01-01

The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 led to the largest US Government transformation since the formation of the Department of Defense following World War II. More than 22 different agencies, in whole or in part, and >170,000 employees were reorganized to form a new Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with the primary mission to protect the American homeland. Legislation enacted in November 2002 transferred the entire Federal Emergency Management Agency and several Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) assets to DHS, including the Office of Emergency Response, and oversight for the National Disaster Medical System, Strategic National Stockpile, and Metropolitan Medical Response System. This created a potential separation of "health" and "medical" assets between the DHS and HHS. A subsequent presidential directive mandated the development of a National Incident Management System and an all-hazard National Response Plan. While no Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) assets were targeted for transfer, the VA remains the largest integrated healthcare system in the nation with important support roles in homeland security that complement its primary mission to provide care to veterans. The Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group (EMSHG) within the VA's medical component, the Veteran Health Administration (VHA), is the executive agent for the VA's Fourth Mission, emergency management. In addition to providing comprehensive emergency management services to the VA, the EMSHG coordinates medical back-up to the Department of Defense, and assists the public via the National Disaster Medical System and the National Response Plan. This article describes the VA's role in homeland security and disasters, and provides an overview of the ongoing organizational and operational changes introduced by the formation of the new DHS. Challenges and opportunities for public health are highlighted.

The Global Emerging Infection Surveillance and Response System (GEIS), a U.S. government tool for improved global biosurveillance: a review of 2009

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (AFHSC-GEIS) has the mission of performing surveillance for emerging infectious diseases that could affect the United States (U.S.) military. This mission is accomplished by orchestrating a global portfolio of surveillance projects, capacity-building efforts, outbreak investigations and training exercises. In 2009, this portfolio involved 39 funded partners, impacting 92 countries. This article discusses the current biosurveillance landscape, programmatic details of organization and implementation, and key contributions to force health protection and global public health in 2009. PMID:21388562

44 CFR 208.37 - Reimbursement for equipment and supply costs incurred during Activation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Reimbursement for equipment... SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM Response Cooperative Agreements § 208.37 Reimbursement for equipment... for the emergency procurement of equipment and supplies in the number, type, and up to the cost...

Training initiatives within the AFHSC-Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System: support for IHR (2005)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Training is a key component of building capacity for public health surveillance and response, but has often been difficult to quantify. During fiscal 2009, the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Division of Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (AFHSC-GEIS) supported 18 partner organizations in conducting 123 training initiatives in 40 countries for 3,130 U.S. military, civilian and host-country personnel. The training assisted with supporting compliance with International Health Regulations, IHR (2005). Training activities in pandemic preparedness, outbreak investigation and response, emerging infectious disease (EID) surveillance and pathogen diagnostic techniques were expanded significantly. By engaging local health and other government officials and civilian institutions, the U.S. military’s role as a key stakeholder in global public health has been strengthened and has contributed to EID-related surveillance, research and capacity-building initiatives specified elsewhere in this issue. Public health and emerging infections surveillance training accomplished by AFHSC-GEIS and its Department of Defense (DoD) partners during fiscal 2009 will be tabulated and described. PMID:21388565

Military-civilian cooperative emergency response to infectious disease prevention and control in China.

PubMed

Ma, Hui; Dong, Ji-Ping; Zhou, Na; Pu, Wei

2016-01-01

In recent years, the incidence of severe infectious diseases has increased, and the number of emerging infectious diseases continues to increase. The Chinese government and military forces have paid a great deal of attention to infectious disease prevention and control, and using military-civilian cooperation, they have successfully prevented numerous severe epidemic situations, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), influenza A (H1N1), avian influenza H5N1 and H7N9, and Ebola hemorrhagic fever, while actively maintained public health, economic development, and national construction. This paper focuses on the mechanisms of the military-cooperative emergency response to infectious diseases--the joint working mechanism, the information-sharing mechanism, the research collaboration mechanism, and the joint disposal mechanism--and presents a sorted summary of the practices and experiences of cooperative emergency responses to infectious diseases. In the future, the Chinese military and the civilian sector will further strengthen the cooperative joint command system and emergency rescue force and will reinforce their collaborative information-sharing platform and technical equipment system to further improve military-civilian collaborative emergency infectious diseases disposal, advance the level of infectious disease prevention and control, and maintain public health.

78 FR 8691 - Notice of Availability of Emergency Relief Funds in Response to Hurricane Sandy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-06

...) announces the availability of funds under the Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program (Emergency... affects public transportation systems. The Emergency Relief Program allows FTA to make grants for eligible public transportation capital and operating costs in the event of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane...

44 CFR 334.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Response (GMR) is a system for integrating mobilization actions designed to respond to ambiguous and/or... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Definitions. 334.4 Section 334.4 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND...

44 CFR 334.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Response (GMR) is a system for integrating mobilization actions designed to respond to ambiguous and/or... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2012-10-01 2011-10-01 true Definitions. 334.4 Section 334.4 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND...

44 CFR 334.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Response (GMR) is a system for integrating mobilization actions designed to respond to ambiguous and/or... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Definitions. 334.4 Section 334.4 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND...

44 CFR 334.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Response (GMR) is a system for integrating mobilization actions designed to respond to ambiguous and/or... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Definitions. 334.4 Section 334.4 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND...

Idaho National Laboratory Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan — Fiscal Year 2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, the prime contractor for Idaho National Laboratory (INL), provides this Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan (ERAP) for Fiscal Year 2016 in accordance with DOE O 151.1C, “Comprehensive Emergency Management System.” The ERAP documents the readiness of the INL Emergency Management Program using emergency response planning and preparedness activities as the basis. It describes emergency response planning and preparedness activities, and where applicable, summarizes and/or provides supporting information in tabular form for easy access to data. The ERAP also provides budget, personnel, and planning forecasts for Fiscal Year 2017. Specifically, the ERAP assures the Department of Energy Idahomore » Operations Office that stated emergency capabilities at INL are sufficient to implement PLN 114, “INL Emergency Plan/RCRA Contingency Plan.”« less

Idaho National Laboratory Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan — Fiscal Year 2014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bush, Shane

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, the prime contractor for Idaho National Laboratory (INL), provides this Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan (ERAP) for Fiscal Year 2014 in accordance with DOE O 151.1C, “Comprehensive Emergency Management System.” The ERAP documents the readiness of the INL Emergency Management Program using emergency response planning and preparedness activities as the basis. It describes emergency response planning and preparedness activities, and where applicable, summarizes and/or provides supporting information in tabular form for easy access to data. The ERAP also provides budget, personnel, and planning forecasts for Fiscal Year 2015. Specifically, the ERAP assures the Department of Energy Idahomore » Operations Office that stated emergency capabilities at INL are sufficient to implement PLN-114, “INL Emergency Plan/RCRA Contingency Plan.”« less

An Alternative for Emergency Preemption of Traffic Lights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, Conrad; Bachelder, Aaron

2006-01-01

An electronic communication-and-control system has been developed as a prototype of advanced means of automatically modifying the switching of traffic lights to give priority to emergency vehicles. This system could be used alternatively or in addition to other emergency traffic-light-preemption systems, including a variety of systems now in use as well as two proposed systems described in "Systems Would Preempt Traffic Lights for Emergency Vehicles" (NPO-30573), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 28, No. 10 (October 2004), page 36. Unlike those prior systems that depend on detection of sounds and/or lights emitted by emergency vehicles, this system is not subject to severe range limitations. This system can be retrofitted into any pre-existing traffic-light-control system, without need to modify that system other than to make a minimal number of wire connections between the two systems. This system comprises several subsystems, including a transponder and interface circuitry on each emergency vehicle, a monitoring and control unit at each intersection equipped with traffic lights, and a wide-area two-way radio communication network that connects the emergency vehicles and intersection units. Computers in the various intersections and vehicle units run special-purpose software that implements the traffic- light-preemption scheme. The operations of the intersection and vehicle units are synchronized by use of Global Positioning System (GPS) timing signals. The transponder in each vehicle estimates its own position and velocity by use of GPS signals, deductive ("dead") reckoning, data from the onboard diagnostic (OBD) computer of the vehicle, and/or triangulation of beacon signals. When the operator of an emergency vehicle turns on its flashing lights and sirens in response to a request for an emergency response, the transponder unit goes into action, reading the OBD data to determine speed and acceleration, and reading and gathering further navigational data as described above. The position, velocity, and acceleration data are combined with vehicle-identification data in a prescribed format, and the resulting set of data is transmitted to the intersections within communication range of the transponder.

Central-Monitor Software Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Aaron; Foster, Conrad

2005-01-01

One of the software modules of the emergency-vehicle traffic-light-preemption system of the two preceding articles performs numerous functions for the central monitoring subsystem. This module monitors the states of all units (vehicle transponders and intersection controllers): It provides real-time access to the phases of traffic and pedestrian lights, and maps the positions and states of all emergency vehicles. Most of this module is used for installation and configuration of units as they are added to the system. The module logs all activity in the system, thereby providing information that can be analyzed to minimize response times and optimize response strategies. The module can be used from any location within communication range of the system; with proper configuration, it can also be used via the Internet. It can be integrated into call-response centers, where it can be used for alerting emergency vehicles and managing their responses to specific incidents. A variety of utility subprograms provide access to any or all units for purposes of monitoring, testing, and modification. Included are "sniffer" utility subprograms that monitor incoming and outgoing data for accuracy and timeliness, and that quickly and autonomously shut off malfunctioning vehicle or intersection units.

Analysis of the resilience of team performance during a nuclear emergency response exercise.

PubMed

Gomes, José Orlando; Borges, Marcos R S; Huber, Gilbert J; Carvalho, Paulo Victor R

2014-05-01

The current work presents results from a cognitive task analysis (CTA) of a nuclear disaster simulation. Audio-visual records were collected from an emergency room team composed of individuals from 26 different agencies as they responded to multiple scenarios in a simulated nuclear disaster. This simulation was part of a national emergency response training activity for a nuclear power plant located in a developing country. The objectives of this paper are to describe sources of resilience and brittleness in these activities, identify cues of potential improvements for future emergency simulations, and leveraging the resilience of the emergency response system in case of a real disaster. Multiple CTA techniques were used to gain a better understanding of the cognitive dimensions of the activity and to identify team coordination and crisis management patterns that emerged from the simulation exercises. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

44 CFR 208.42 - Reimbursement for other administrative costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Reimbursement for other administrative costs. 208.42 Section 208.42 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT... SYSTEM Response Cooperative Agreements § 208.42 Reimbursement for other administrative costs. Costs...

Local Public Health System Response to the Tsunami Threat in Coastal California following the Tōhoku Earthquake

PubMed Central

Hunter, Jennifer C.; Crawley, Adam W.; Petrie, Michael; Yang, Jane E.; Aragón, Tomás J.

2012-01-01

Background On Friday March 11, 2011 a 9.0 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami off the eastern coast of Japan, resulting in thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars in damage around the Pacific Rim. The tsunami first reached the California coast on Friday, March 11th, causing more than $70 million in damage and at least one death. While the tsunami’s impact on California pales in comparison to the destruction caused in Japan and other areas of the Pacific, the event tested emergency responders’ ability to rapidly communicate and coordinate a response to a potential threat. Methods To evaluate the local public health system emergency response to the tsunami threat in California, we surveyed all local public health, emergency medical services (EMS), and emergency management agencies in coastal or floodplain counties about several domains related to the tsunami threat in California, including: (1) the extent to which their community was affected by the tsunami, (2) when and how they received notification of the event, (3) which public health response activities were carried out to address the tsunami threat in their community, and (4) which organizations contributed to the response. Public health activities were characterized using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Preparedness Capabilities (PHEP) framework. Findings The tsunami's impact on coastal communities in California ranged widely, both in terms of the economic consequences and the response activities. Based on estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ten jurisdictions in California reported tsunami-related damage, which ranged from $15,000 to $35 million. Respondents first became aware of the tsunami threat in California between the hours of 10:00pm Pacific Standard Time (PST) on Thursday March 10th and 2:00pm PST on Friday March 11th, a range of 16 hours, with notification occurring through both formal and informal channels. In response to this threat, the activities most commonly reported by the local government agencies included in this study were: emergency public information and warning, emergency operations coordination, and inter-organizational information sharing, which were reported by 86%, 75%, and 65% of all respondents, respectively. When looking at the distribution of responsibility, emergency management agencies were the most likely to report assuming a lead role in these common activities as well as those related to evacuation and community recovery. While activated less frequently, public health agencies carried out emergency response functions related to surveillance and epidemiology, environmental health, and mental health/psychological support. Both local public health and EMS agencies took part in mass care and medical material management activities. A large network of organizations contributed to response activities, with emergency management, law enforcement, fire, public health, public works, EMS, and media cited by more than half of respondents. Conclusions In response to the tsunami threat in California, we found that emergency management agencies assumed a lead role in the local response efforts. While public health and medical agencies played a supporting role in the response, they uniquely contributed to a number of specific activities. If the response to the recent tsunami is any indication, these support activities can be anticipated in planning for future events with similar characteristics to the tsunami threat. Additionally, we found that many respondents first learned of the tsunami through the media, rather than through rapid notification systems, which suggests that government agencies must continue to develop and maintain the ability to rapidly aggregate and analyze information in order to provide accurate assessments and guidance to a potentially well-informed public. Citation: Hunter JC, Crawley AW, Petrie M, Yang JE, Aragón TJ. Local Public Health System Response to the Tsunami Threat in Coastal California following the Tōhoku Earthquake. PLoS Currents Disasters. 2012 Jul 16 PMID:22953236

Local Public Health System Response to the Tsunami Threat in Coastal California following the Tōhoku Earthquake.

PubMed

Hunter, Jennifer C; Crawley, Adam W; Petrie, Michael; Yang, Jane E; Aragón, Tomás J

2012-07-16

Background On Friday March 11, 2011 a 9.0 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami off the eastern coast of Japan, resulting in thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars in damage around the Pacific Rim. The tsunami first reached the California coast on Friday, March 11th, causing more than $70 million in damage and at least one death. While the tsunami's impact on California pales in comparison to the destruction caused in Japan and other areas of the Pacific, the event tested emergency responders' ability to rapidly communicate and coordinate a response to a potential threat. Methods To evaluate the local public health system emergency response to the tsunami threat in California, we surveyed all local public health, emergency medical services (EMS), and emergency management agencies in coastal or floodplain counties about several domains related to the tsunami threat in California, including: (1) the extent to which their community was affected by the tsunami, (2) when and how they received notification of the event, (3) which public health response activities were carried out to address the tsunami threat in their community, and (4) which organizations contributed to the response. Public health activities were characterized using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Preparedness Capabilities (PHEP) framework. Findings The tsunami's impact on coastal communities in California ranged widely, both in terms of the economic consequences and the response activities. Based on estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ten jurisdictions in California reported tsunami-related damage, which ranged from $15,000 to $35 million. Respondents first became aware of the tsunami threat in California between the hours of 10:00pm Pacific Standard Time (PST) on Thursday March 10th and 2:00pm PST on Friday March 11th, a range of 16 hours, with notification occurring through both formal and informal channels. In response to this threat, the activities most commonly reported by the local government agencies included in this study were: emergency public information and warning, emergency operations coordination, and inter-organizational information sharing, which were reported by 86%, 75%, and 65% of all respondents, respectively. When looking at the distribution of responsibility, emergency management agencies were the most likely to report assuming a lead role in these common activities as well as those related to evacuation and community recovery. While activated less frequently, public health agencies carried out emergency response functions related to surveillance and epidemiology, environmental health, and mental health/psychological support. Both local public health and EMS agencies took part in mass care and medical material management activities. A large network of organizations contributed to response activities, with emergency management, law enforcement, fire, public health, public works, EMS, and media cited by more than half of respondents. Conclusions In response to the tsunami threat in California, we found that emergency management agencies assumed a lead role in the local response efforts. While public health and medical agencies played a supporting role in the response, they uniquely contributed to a number of specific activities. If the response to the recent tsunami is any indication, these support activities can be anticipated in planning for future events with similar characteristics to the tsunami threat. Additionally, we found that many respondents first learned of the tsunami through the media, rather than through rapid notification systems, which suggests that government agencies must continue to develop and maintain the ability to rapidly aggregate and analyze information in order to provide accurate assessments and guidance to a potentially well-informed public. Hunter JC, Crawley AW, Petrie M, Yang JE, Aragón TJ. Local Public Health System Response to the Tsunami Threat in Coastal California following the Tōhoku Earthquake. PLoS Currents Disasters. 2012 Jul 16.

Standardized emergency management system and response to a smallpox emergency.

PubMed

Kim-Farley, Robert J; Celentano, John T; Gunter, Carol; Jones, Jessica W; Stone, Rogelio A; Aller, Raymond D; Mascola, Laurene; Grigsby, Sharon F; Fielding, Jonathan E

2003-01-01

The smallpox virus is a high-priority, Category-A agent that poses a global, terrorism security risk because it: (1) easily can be disseminated and transmitted from person to person; (2) results in high mortality rates and has the potential for a major public health impact; (3) might cause public panic and social disruption; and (4) requires special action for public health preparedness. In recognition of this risk, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LAC-DHS) developed the Smallpox Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plan for LAC to prepare for the possibility of an outbreak of smallpox. A unique feature of the LAC-DHS plan is its explicit use of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) framework for detailing the functions needed to respond to a smallpox emergency. The SEMS includes the Incident Command System (ICS) structure (management, operations, planning/intelligence, logistics, and finance/administration), the mutual-aid system, and the multi/interagency coordination required during a smallpox emergency. Management for incident command includes setting objectives and priorities, information (risk communications), safety, and liaison. Operations includes control and containment of a smallpox outbreak including ring vaccination, mass vaccination, adverse events monitoring and assessment, management of confirmed and suspected smallpox cases, contact tracing, active surveillance teams and enhanced hospital-based surveillance, and decontamination. Planning/intelligence functions include developing the incident action plan, epidemiological investigation and analysis of smallpox cases, and epidemiological assessment of the vaccination coverage status of populations at risk. Logistics functions include receiving, handling, inventorying, and distributing smallpox vaccine and vaccination clinic supplies; personnel; transportation; communications; and health care of personnel. Finally, finance/administration functions include monitoring costs related to the smallpox emergency, procurement, and administrative aspects that are not handled by other functional divisions of incident command systems. The plan was developed and is under frequent review by the LAC-DHS Smallpox Planning Working Group, and is reviewed periodically by the LAC Bioterrorism Advisory Committee, and draws upon the Smallpox Response Plan and Guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The Smallpox Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plan, with its SEMS framework and ICS structure, now is serving as a model for the development of LAC-DHS plans for responses to other terrorist or natural-outbreak responses.

78 FR 19357 - Allocation of Public Transportation Emergency Relief Funds in Response to Hurricane Sandy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-29

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Transit Administration Allocation of Public Transportation...) announces the allocation of $2,000,000,000 under the Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program... after an emergency or major disaster that affects public transportation systems. The Appropriations Act...

Evaluating the Reliability of Emergency Response Systems for Large-Scale Incident Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

for describing response performance or other reliability related measures include Kolesar et al., 1975; Chelst and Jarvis , 1979; Revelle and Hogan...Chemicals,” Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 159, 2008, pp. 2–12. Mason, Steve , Final Report, Incident Name: Teris LLC Explosion and Fire, El Dorado...Arkansas, EPA Region 6, Emergency Readiness Team, Response and Prevention Branch, March 2005. Mason, Steve , Final Report, Incident Name: Union Pacific

Web-based emergency response exercise management systems and methods thereof

DOEpatents

Goforth, John W.; Mercer, Michael B.; Heath, Zach; Yang, Lynn I.

2014-09-09

According to one embodiment, a method for simulating portions of an emergency response exercise includes generating situational awareness outputs associated with a simulated emergency and sending the situational awareness outputs to a plurality of output devices. Also, the method includes outputting to a user device a plurality of decisions associated with the situational awareness outputs at a decision point, receiving a selection of one of the decisions from the user device, generating new situational awareness outputs based on the selected decision, and repeating the sending, outputting and receiving steps based on the new situational awareness outputs. Other methods, systems, and computer program products are included according to other embodiments of the invention.

Speeding response, saving lives : automatic vehicle location capabilities for emergency services.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-01-01

Information from automatic vehicle location systems, when combined with computeraided dispatch software, can provide a rich source of data for analyzing emergency vehicle operations and evaluating agency performance.

The Use of Autonomous Systems in Emergency Medical Services: Bridging Human Intelligence and Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

significant impact on emergency medical services ( EMS ). EMS provider organizations must be prepared to not only interact with AS by having response... EMS will be high, that the number of opportunities to improve required emergency response and deliver expedient medical care will be diminished, and...that strengths may be nonexistent. The thesis focuses on the analysis of what AS are, how they are used in the provision of EMS today, how they may be

Modeling relief demands in an emergency supply chain system under large-scale disasters based on a queuing network.

PubMed

He, Xinhua; Hu, Wenfa

2014-01-01

This paper presents a multiple-rescue model for an emergency supply chain system under uncertainties in large-scale affected area of disasters. The proposed methodology takes into consideration that the rescue demands caused by a large-scale disaster are scattered in several locations; the servers are arranged in multiple echelons (resource depots, distribution centers, and rescue center sites) located in different places but are coordinated within one emergency supply chain system; depending on the types of rescue demands, one or more distinct servers dispatch emergency resources in different vehicle routes, and emergency rescue services queue in multiple rescue-demand locations. This emergency system is modeled as a minimal queuing response time model of location and allocation. A solution to this complex mathematical problem is developed based on genetic algorithm. Finally, a case study of an emergency supply chain system operating in Shanghai is discussed. The results demonstrate the robustness and applicability of the proposed model.

Modeling Relief Demands in an Emergency Supply Chain System under Large-Scale Disasters Based on a Queuing Network

PubMed Central

He, Xinhua

2014-01-01

This paper presents a multiple-rescue model for an emergency supply chain system under uncertainties in large-scale affected area of disasters. The proposed methodology takes into consideration that the rescue demands caused by a large-scale disaster are scattered in several locations; the servers are arranged in multiple echelons (resource depots, distribution centers, and rescue center sites) located in different places but are coordinated within one emergency supply chain system; depending on the types of rescue demands, one or more distinct servers dispatch emergency resources in different vehicle routes, and emergency rescue services queue in multiple rescue-demand locations. This emergency system is modeled as a minimal queuing response time model of location and allocation. A solution to this complex mathematical problem is developed based on genetic algorithm. Finally, a case study of an emergency supply chain system operating in Shanghai is discussed. The results demonstrate the robustness and applicability of the proposed model. PMID:24688367

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnes, B.K.; Rothkopf, M.H.

Energy emergency preparedness is the special responsibility of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy Emergencies within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Energy Emergencies; though other Department of Energy (DOE) offices manage some aspects and DOE also coordinates emergency management with other federal departments. There are two basic objectives for energy emergency preparedness. The first of these, the economic stabilization objective, seeks to ease the impact of an energy supply disruption by facilitating a quick recovery and minimizing the disruption's economic consequences. The second is the mobilization support objective to ensure that there is adequate energymore » and fuel to support defense, defense industrial and critical civilian needs for energy and fuel. While all energy systems are vulnerable they vary in the degree of seriousness and the probability of a disruption. Oil is the most vulnerable, and will become increasingly so in the 1990's, as domestic and reliable foreign sources diminish and the United States relies more on imports from volatile Persian Gulf countries. Electric power is the next most vulnerable system, being open particularly to multi-site terrorist attack. This overview examines two highly connected organizations: the Office of Energy Emergencies (OEE) itself and the actual response organization, centering on the Energy Emergency Management System (EEMS). 38 refs., 10 figs.« less

Emerging applications of stimuli-responsive polymer materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuart, Martien A. Cohen; Huck, Wilhelm T. S.; Genzer, Jan; Müller, Marcus; Ober, Christopher; Stamm, Manfred; Sukhorukov, Gleb B.; Szleifer, Igal; Tsukruk, Vladimir V.; Urban, Marek; Winnik, Françoise; Zauscher, Stefan; Luzinov, Igor; Minko, Sergiy

2010-02-01

Responsive polymer materials can adapt to surrounding environments, regulate transport of ions and molecules, change wettability and adhesion of different species on external stimuli, or convert chemical and biochemical signals into optical, electrical, thermal and mechanical signals, and vice versa. These materials are playing an increasingly important part in a diverse range of applications, such as drug delivery, diagnostics, tissue engineering and 'smart' optical systems, as well as biosensors, microelectromechanical systems, coatings and textiles. We review recent advances and challenges in the developments towards applications of stimuli-responsive polymeric materials that are self-assembled from nanostructured building blocks. We also provide a critical outline of emerging developments.

29 CFR 1910.120 - Hazardous waste operations and emergency response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... paragraph (q) of this section. (3) Definitions—Buddy system means a system of organizing employees into work... other employee in the work group. The purpose of the buddy system is to provide rapid assistance to... water-borne vessel. Hazardous materials response (HAZMAT) team means an organized group of employees...

The Hazards Data Distribution System update

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Brenda K.; Lamb, Rynn M.

2010-01-01

After a major disaster, a satellite image or a collection of aerial photographs of the event is frequently the fastest, most effective way to determine its scope and severity. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Emergency Operations Portal provides emergency first responders and support personnel with easy access to imagery and geospatial data, geospatial Web services, and a digital library focused on emergency operations. Imagery and geospatial data are accessed through the Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS). HDDS historically provided data access and delivery services through nongraphical interfaces that allow emergency response personnel to select and obtain pre-event baseline data and (or) event/disaster response data. First responders are able to access full-resolution GeoTIFF images or JPEG images at medium- and low-quality compressions through ftp downloads. USGS HDDS home page: http://hdds.usgs.gov/hdds2/

Terrorism in Turkey.

PubMed

Rodoplu, Ulkumen; Arnold, Jeffrey; Ersoy, Gurkan

2003-01-01

Over the past two decades, terrorism has exacted an enormous toll on the Republic of Turkey, a secular democracy with a 99.8% Muslim population. From 1984 to 2000, an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 Turkish citizens were killed by a nearly continuous stream of terrorism-related events. During this period, the Partiya Karekerren Kurdistan (PKK), a Kurdish separatist group (re-named KADEK in 2002), was responsible for the vast majority of terrorism-related events (and casualties), which disproportionately affected the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey, in which the PKK has focused its activities. Most terrorist attacks over the past two decades have been bombings or shootings that produced < 10 casualties per event. From 1984 to 2003, 15 terrorist attacks produced > or = 30 casualties (eight shootings, five bombings, and two arsons). The maximum number of casualties produced by any of these events was 93 in the Hotel Madimak arson attack by the Turkish Islamic Movement in 1993. This pattern suggests that terrorist attacks in Turkey rarely required more than local systems of emergency medical response, except in rural areas where Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are routinely provided by regional military resources. The last decade has seen the development of several key systems of local emergency response in Turkey, including the establishment of the medical specialty of Emergency Medicine, the establishment of training programs for EMS providers, the spread of a generic, Turkish hospital emergency plan based on the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System, and the spread of advanced training in trauma care modeled after Advanced Trauma Life Support.

44 CFR 208.1 - Purpose and scope of this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Purpose and scope of this part. 208.1 Section 208.1 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY... Rescue Response System. (b) Scope. This part applies to Sponsoring Agencies and other participants in the...

44 CFR 208.1 - Purpose and scope of this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Purpose and scope of this part. 208.1 Section 208.1 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY... Rescue Response System. (b) Scope. This part applies to Sponsoring Agencies and other participants in the...

44 CFR 208.1 - Purpose and scope of this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Purpose and scope of this part. 208.1 Section 208.1 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY... Rescue Response System. (b) Scope. This part applies to Sponsoring Agencies and other participants in the...

44 CFR 208.64 - Administrative and audit requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Administrative and audit requirements. 208.64 Section 208.64 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DISASTER ASSISTANCE NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM Reimbursement Claims and Appeals § 208.64...

DoD Global Emerging Infections System -- Partnering in the Fight Against Emerging Infections, Fiscal Year 2004

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

chloroquine (CQ) and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in parts of the Peruvian Amazon . These studies contributed to Peru becoming the first country in the...298 OCONUS derived AFIOH processed international isolates that included isolates from Nepal (AFRIMS) and NMRCD ( Peru ), and others from NAMRU3 Cairo...warning systems; outbreak response; and epidemiologic training. Over the past decade, malaria emerged as a major public health threat in the Amazon

Applications of Remote Sensing to Emergency Management.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-15

Contents: Foundations of Remote Sensing : Data Acquisition and Interpretation; Availability of Remote Sensing Technology for Disaster Response...Imaging Systems, Current and Near Future Satellite and Aircraft Remote Sensing Systems; Utilization of Remote Sensing in Disaster Response: Categories of...Disasters, Phases of Monitoring Activities; Recommendations for Utilization of Remote Sensing Technology in Disaster Response; Selected Reading List.

Human Response to Emergency Warning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorensen, J.

2009-12-01

Almost every day people evacuate from their homes, businesses or other sites, even ships, in response to actual or predicted threats or hazards. Evacuation is the primary protective action utilized in large-scale emergencies such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, or wildfires. Although often precautionary, protecting human lives by temporally relocating populations before or during times of threat remains a major emergency management strategy. One of the most formidable challenges facing emergency officials is evacuating residents for a fast-moving and largely unpredictable event such as a wildfire or a local tsunami. How to issue effective warnings to those at risk in time for residents to take appropriate action is an on-going problem. To do so, some communities have instituted advanced communications systems that include reverse telephone call-down systems or other alerting systems to notify at-risk residents of imminent threats. This presentation examines the effectiveness of using reverse telephone call-down systems for warning San Diego residents of wildfires in the October of 2007. This is the first systematic study conducted on this topic and is based on interviews with 1200 households in the evacuation areas.

Emergency motorcycle: has it a place in a medical emergency system?

PubMed

Soares-Oliveira, Miguel; Egipto, Paula; Costa, Isabel; Cunha-Ribeiro, Luis Manuel

2007-07-01

In an emergency medical service system, response time is an important factor in determining the prognosis of a victim. There are well-documented increases in response time in urban areas, mainly during rush hour. Because prehospital emergency care is required to be efficient and swift, alternative measures to achieve this goal should be addressed. We report our experience with a medical emergency motorcycle (MEM) and propose major criteria for dispatching it. This work presents a prospective analysis of the data relating to MEM calls from July 2004 to December 2005. The analyzed parameters were age, sex, reason for call, action, and need for subsequent transport. A comparison was made of the need to activate more means and, if so, whether the MEM was the first to arrive. There were 1972 calls. The average time of arrival at destination was 4.4 +/- 2.5 minutes. The main action consisted of administration of oxygen (n = 626), immobilization (n = 118), and control of hemorrhage (n = 101). In 63% of cases, MEM arrived before other emergency vehicles. In 355 cases (18%), there was no need for transport. The MEM can intervene in a wide variety of clinical situations and a quick response is guaranteed. Moreover, in specific situations, MEM safely and efficiently permits better management of emergency vehicles. We propose that it should be dispatched mainly in the following situations: true life-threatening cases and uncertain need for an ambulance.

[Assessment on the ability of emergency response at the county center for disease control and prevention level in flooding-prone areas].

PubMed

Chen, Wei; Zeng, Guang

2006-02-01

To establish a comprehensive assessment model on the ability of emergency response within the public health system in flooding-prone areas. A hierarchy process theory was used to establish the initial assessing framework. Delphi method was used to screen and choose the ultimate indicators and their weights before an assessment model was set up under the 'synthetic scored method' to assess the ability of the emergency response among twenty county public health units. We then used the 'analysis of variation (ANOVA)' methodology to test the feasibility of distinguishing the ability of emergency response among different county health units and correlation analysis was used to assess the independence of indicators in the assessing model. A comprehensive model was then established including twenty first-class indicators and fifty-six second-class indicators and the degree of ability to emergency response with flooding of public health units was evaluated. There were five public health units having higher, ten having moderate but five with lower levels on emergency response. The assessment model was proved to be a good method in differentiating the ability of public health units, using independent indicators. The assessment model which we established seemed to be practical and reliable.

Chemical Manufacturing and Refining Industry Legitimacy: Reflective Management, Trust, Precrisis Communication to Achieve Community Efficacy.

PubMed

Heath, Robert L; Lee, Jaesub

2016-06-01

Calls for emergency right-to-know in the 1980s, and, in the 1990s, risk management planning, motivated U.S. chemical manufacturing and refining industries to operationalize a three-pronged approach to risk minimization and communication: reflective management to increase legitimacy, operational safety programs to raise trust, and community engagement designed to facilitate citizens' emergency response efficacy. To assess these management, operational, and communication initiatives, communities (often through Local Emergency Planning Committees) monitored the impact of such programs. In 2012, the fourth phase of a quasi-longitudinal study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of operational change and community outreach in one bellwether community. This study focuses on legitimacy, trust, and response efficacy to suggest that an industry can earn legitimacy credits by raising its safety and environmental impact standards, by building trust via that change, and by communicating emergency response messages to near residents to raise their response efficacy. As part of its campaign to demonstrate its concern for community safety through research, planning, and implementation of safe operations and viable emergency response systems, this industry uses a simple narrative of risk/emergency response-shelter-in-place-communicated by a spokes-character: Wally Wise Guy. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

The Perceptions of Superintendents and Emergency Responders Concerning the Usefulness of Geographical Information Systems in Illinois School District's Crisis Response Procedures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roundcount, Travis R.

2010-01-01

Across the United States, many communities are concerned with the prevention and response to school violence. To address their concerns, school districts and emergency responders (law enforcement) have increased their use of technological information when planning for and responding to a crisis event. There are many different types of security…

Youth with Mental Health Disorders: Issues and Emerging Responses. Also: Wraparound Milwaukee Program: Suicide Prevention in Juvenile Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juvenile Justice, 2000

2000-01-01

This issue of Juvenile Justice presents three main articles. "Youth with Mental Health Disorders: Issues and Emerging Responses" (J. J. Cocozza and K. Skowyra) discusses tragic mass homicides by juveniles, documented cases of neglect and inadequate services, and federal policy focusing on providing systems of care for at-risk juveniles that have…

Rainfall intensity-duration thresholds for postfire debris-flow emergency-response planning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, S.H.; Boldt, E.M.; Laber, J.L.; Kean, J.W.; Staley, D.M.

2011-01-01

Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies can be faced with evacuation and resource-deployment decisions well in advance of coming winter storms and during storms themselves. Information critical to these decisions is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. A compilation of information on the hydrologic response to winter storms from recently burned areas in southern California steeplands is used to develop a system for classifying magnitudes of hydrologic response. The four-class system describes combinations of reported volumes of individual debris flows, consequences of debris flows and floods in an urban setting, and spatial extents of the hydrologic response. The range of rainfall conditions associated with different magnitude classes is defined by integrating local rainfall data with the response magnitude information. Magnitude I events can be expected when within-storm rainfall accumulations (A) of given durations (D) fall above the threshold A = 0.4D0.5 and below A = 0.5D0.6 for durations greater than 1 h. Magnitude II events will be generated in response to rainfall accumulations and durations between A = 0.4D0.5 and A = 0.9D0.5 for durations less than 1 h, and between A = 0.5D0.6 and A = 0.9D0.5 or durations greater than 1 h. Magnitude III events can be expected in response to rainfall conditions above the threshold A = 0.9D0.5. Rainfall threshold-magnitude relations are linked with potential emergency-response actions as an emergency-response decision chart, which leads a user through steps to determine potential event magnitudes and identify possible evacuation and resource-deployment levels. Use of this information in planning and response decision-making process could result in increased safety for both the public and emergency responders. ?? 2011 US Government.

Emerging and Reemerging Diseases in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region-Progress, Challenges, and WHO Initiatives.

PubMed

Buliva, Evans; Elhakim, Mohamed; Tran Minh, Nhu Nguyen; Elkholy, Amgad; Mala, Peter; Abubakar, Abdinasir; Malik, Sk Md Mamunur Rahman

2017-01-01

The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to be a hotspot for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases and the need to prevent, detect, and respond to any infectious diseases that pose a threat to global health security remains a priority. Many risk factors contribute in the emergence and rapid spread of epidemic diseases in the Region including acute and protracted humanitarian emergencies, resulting in fragile health systems, increased population mobility, rapid urbanization, climate change, weak surveillance and limited laboratory diagnostic capacity, and increased human-animal interaction. In EMR, several infectious disease outbreaks were detected, investigated, and rapidly contained over the past 5 years including: yellow fever in Sudan, Middle East respiratory syndrome in Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, cholera in Iraq, avian influenza A (H5N1) infection in Egypt, and dengue fever in Yemen, Sudan, and Pakistan. Dengue fever remains an important public health concern, with at least eight countries in the region being endemic for the disease. The emergence of MERS-CoV in the region in 2012 and its continued transmission currently poses one of the greatest threats. In response to the growing frequency, duration, and scale of disease outbreaks, WHO has worked closely with member states in the areas of improving public health preparedness, surveillance systems, outbreak response, and addressing critical knowledge gaps. A Regional network for experts and technical institutions has been established to facilitate support for international outbreak response. Major challenges are faced as a result of protracted humanitarian crises in the region. Funding gaps, lack of integrated approaches, weak surveillance systems, and absence of comprehensive response plans are other areas of concern. Accelerated efforts are needed by Regional countries, with the continuous support of WHO, to build and maintain a resilient public health system for detection and response to all acute public health events.

Emerging and Reemerging Diseases in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region—Progress, Challenges, and WHO Initiatives

PubMed Central

Buliva, Evans; Elhakim, Mohamed; Tran Minh, Nhu Nguyen; Elkholy, Amgad; Mala, Peter; Abubakar, Abdinasir; Malik, Sk Md Mamunur Rahman

2017-01-01

The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to be a hotspot for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases and the need to prevent, detect, and respond to any infectious diseases that pose a threat to global health security remains a priority. Many risk factors contribute in the emergence and rapid spread of epidemic diseases in the Region including acute and protracted humanitarian emergencies, resulting in fragile health systems, increased population mobility, rapid urbanization, climate change, weak surveillance and limited laboratory diagnostic capacity, and increased human–animal interaction. In EMR, several infectious disease outbreaks were detected, investigated, and rapidly contained over the past 5 years including: yellow fever in Sudan, Middle East respiratory syndrome in Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, cholera in Iraq, avian influenza A (H5N1) infection in Egypt, and dengue fever in Yemen, Sudan, and Pakistan. Dengue fever remains an important public health concern, with at least eight countries in the region being endemic for the disease. The emergence of MERS-CoV in the region in 2012 and its continued transmission currently poses one of the greatest threats. In response to the growing frequency, duration, and scale of disease outbreaks, WHO has worked closely with member states in the areas of improving public health preparedness, surveillance systems, outbreak response, and addressing critical knowledge gaps. A Regional network for experts and technical institutions has been established to facilitate support for international outbreak response. Major challenges are faced as a result of protracted humanitarian crises in the region. Funding gaps, lack of integrated approaches, weak surveillance systems, and absence of comprehensive response plans are other areas of concern. Accelerated efforts are needed by Regional countries, with the continuous support of WHO, to build and maintain a resilient public health system for detection and response to all acute public health events. PMID:29098145

Terrorism in South Korea.

PubMed

Wang, Soon Joo; Choi, Jin Tae; Arnold, Jeffrey

2003-01-01

South Korea has experienced > 30 suspected terrorism-related events since 1958, including attacks against South Korean citizens in foreign countries. The most common types of terrorism used have included bombings, shootings, hijackings, and kidnappings. Prior to 1990, North Korea was responsible for almost all terrorism-related events inside of South Korea, including multiple assassination attempts on its presidents, regular kidnappings of South Korean fisherman, and several high-profile bombings. Since 1990, most of the terrorist attacks against South Korean citizens have occurred abroad and have been related to the emerging worldwide pattern of terrorism by international terrorist organizations or deranged individuals. The 1988 Seoul Olympic Games provided a major stimulus for South Korea to develop a national emergency response system for terrorism-related events based on the participation of multiple ministries. The 11 September 2001 World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks and the 2001 United States of America (US) anthrax letter attacks prompted South Korea to organize a new national system of emergency response for terrorism-related events. The system is based on five divisions for the response to specific types of terrorist events, involving conventional terrorism, bioterrorism, chemical terrorism, radiological terrorism, and cyber-terrorism. No terrorism-related events occurred during the 2002 World Cup and Asian Games held in South Korea. The emergency management of terrorism-related events in South Korea is adapting to the changing risk of terrorism in the new century.

The Evolution of the Federal Monitoring and Assessment Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NSTec Aerial Measurement System

2012-07-31

The Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC) is a federal emergency response asset whose assistance may be requested by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and state and local agencies to respond to a nuclear or radiological incident. It is an interagency organization with representation from the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other federal agencies. FRMAC,more » in its present form, was created in 1987 when the radiological support mission was assigned to the DOE’s Nevada Operations Office by DOE Headquarters. The FRMAC asset, including its predecessor entities, was created, grew, and evolved to function as a response to radiological incidents. Radiological emergency response exercises showed the need for a coordinated approach to managing federal emergency monitoring and assessment activities. The mission of FRMAC is to coordinate and manage all federal radiological environmental monitoring and assessment activities during a nuclear or radiological incident within the United States in support of state,local, tribal governments, DHS, and the federal coordinating agency. Radiological emergency response professionals with the DOE’s national laboratories support the Radiological Assistance Program (RAP), National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC), the Aerial MeasuringSystem (AMS), and the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS). These teams support the FRMAC to provide: Atmospheric transport modeling; Radiation monitoring; Radiological analysis and data assessments; and Medical advice for radiation injuries In support of field operations, the FRMAC provides geographic information systems, communications, mechanical, electrical, logistics, and administrative support. The size of the FRMAC is tailored to the incident and is comprised of emergency response professionals drawn from across the federal government. State and local emergency response teams may also integrate their operations with FRMAC, but are not required to.« less

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Incident Management System

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The NIMS provides an integrated framework defining the roles and responsibilities of federal, state and local first responders, developed with responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines, to better work together during emergency events.

Are ethical norms and current policies still relevant in face of the recent mass terror events?

PubMed

Simon, Tomer; Goldberg, Avishay; Adini, Bruria

2016-10-04

The widespread utilization of social media in recent terror attacks in major European cities should raise a "red flag" for the emergency medical response teams. The question arises as to the impact of social media during terror events on the healthcare system. Information was published well before any emergency authority received a distress call or was requested to respond. Photos published at early stages of the attacks, through social media were uncensored, presenting identifiable pictures of victims. Technological advancements of recent years decrease and remove barriers that enable the public to use them as they see fit. These attacks raise ethical considerations for the patients and their rights as they were outsourced from the medical community, into the hands of the public. The healthcare system should leverage social media and its advantages in designing response to terror, but this requires a re-evaluation and introspection into the current emergency response models.

EPPM and willingness to respond: the role of risk and efficacy communication in strengthening public health emergency response systems.

PubMed

Barnett, Daniel J; Thompson, Carol B; Semon, Natalie L; Errett, Nicole A; Harrison, Krista L; Anderson, Marilyn K; Ferrell, Justin L; Freiheit, Jennifer M; Hudson, Robert; McKee, Mary; Mejia-Echeverry, Alvaro; Spitzer, James; Balicer, Ran D; Links, Jonathan M; Storey, J Douglas

2014-01-01

This study examines the attitudinal impact of an Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM)-based training curriculum on local public health department (LHD) workers' willingness to respond to representative public health emergency scenarios. Data are from 71 U.S. LHDs in urban and rural settings across nine states. The study explores changes in response willingness and EPPM threat and efficacy appraisals between randomly assigned control versus intervention health departments, at baseline and 1 week post curriculum, through an EPPM-based survey/resurvey design. Levels of response willingness and emergency response-related attitudes/beliefs are measured. Analyses focus on two scenario categories that have appeared on a U.S. government list of scenarios of significant concern: a weather-related emergency and a radiological "dirty" bomb event (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2007). The greatest impact from the training intervention on response willingness was observed among LHD workers who had low levels of EPPM-related threat and efficacy perceptions at baseline. Self-efficacy and response efficacy and response willingness increased in intervention LHDs for both scenarios, with greater response willingness increases observed for the radiological "dirty" bomb terrorism scenario. Findings indicate the importance of building efficacy versus enhancing threat perceptions as a path toward greater response willingness, and suggest the potential applicability of such curricular interventions for boosting emergency response willingness among other cadres of health providers.

Progress and challenges of disaster health management in China: a scoping review.

PubMed

Zhong, Shuang; Clark, Michele; Hou, Xiang-Yu; Zang, Yuli; FitzGerald, Gerard

2014-01-01

Despite the importance of an effective health system response to various disasters, relevant research is still in its infancy, especially in middle- and low-income countries. This paper provides an overview of the status of disaster health management in China, with its aim to promote the effectiveness of the health response for reducing disaster-related mortality and morbidity. A scoping review method was used to address the recent progress of and challenges to disaster health management in China. Major health electronic databases were searched to identify English and Chinese literature that were relevant to the research aims. The review found that since 2003 considerable progress has been achieved in the health disaster response system in China. However, there remain challenges that hinder effective health disaster responses, including low standards of disaster-resistant infrastructure safety, the lack of specific disaster plans, poor emergency coordination between hospitals, lack of portable diagnostic equipment and underdeveloped triage skills, surge capacity, and psychological interventions. Additional challenges include the fragmentation of the emergency health service system, a lack of specific legislation for emergencies, disparities in the distribution of funding, and inadequate cost-effective considerations for disaster rescue. One solution identified to address these challenges appears to be through corresponding policy strategies at multiple levels (e.g. community, hospital, and healthcare system level).

Feasibility of Using Distributed Wireless Mesh Networks for Medical Emergency Response

PubMed Central

Braunstein, Brian; Trimble, Troy; Mishra, Rajesh; Manoj, B. S.; Rao, Ramesh; Lenert, Leslie

2006-01-01

Achieving reliable, efficient data communications networks at a disaster site is a difficult task. Network paradigms, such as Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) architectures, form one exemplar for providing high-bandwidth, scalable data communication for medical emergency response activity. WMNs are created by self-organized wireless nodes that use multi-hop wireless relaying for data transfer. In this paper, we describe our experience using a mesh network architecture we developed for homeland security and medical emergency applications. We briefly discuss the architecture and present the traffic behavioral observations made by a client-server medical emergency application tested during a large-scale homeland security drill. We present our traffic measurements, describe lessons learned, and offer functional requirements (based on field testing) for practical 802.11 mesh medical emergency response networks. With certain caveats, the results suggest that 802.11 mesh networks are feasible and scalable systems for field communications in disaster settings. PMID:17238308

U.S. national response assets for radiological incidents.

PubMed

Remick, Alan L; Crapo, John L; Woodruff, Charles R

2005-11-01

The federal government has had the ability to respond to incidents of national significance for decades. Since 11 September 2001, there have been enhancements to existing federal assets and the creation of new federal assets. This presentation will provide an overview of the more significant federal assets. Pivotal to a response of national significance is the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center, which organizes and coordinates federal agency monitoring activities during an emergency. DOE manages the Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center during the emergency phase, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manages the response during the recovery phase once the emergency is terminated. EPA monitoring teams provide support during both the emergency and recovery phases of an emergency. Other DOE teams are available to respond to major nuclear power plant events, transportation accidents, or terrorism events involving the use of radiological materials, including the Radiological Assistance Program, the Aerial Measuring System, the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center, and the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site. For incidents involving a nuclear weapon, an improvised nuclear device, or a radiological dispersal device, DOE assets such as the Nuclear Emergency Support Team and the Accident Response Group could provide capabilities for weapon or device search, recovery, and removal. The Radiological Triage System harnesses the weapons scientists and engineers at the DOE national laboratories to provide gamma spectroscopy interpretation for agencies responding to an incident. In recent years, National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Teams have been created to support state and local response to terrorism events. The Civil Support Teams normally come under direct control of the state and can respond without requiring authorization from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Changes brought about by the events of September 11 also extend to changing federal response policy and planning. Therefore, the Catastrophic Incident Response Annex to the National Response Plan is discussed. DoD also provides specifically designated radiological response capabilities that can be utilized within the guidelines of the National Response Plan. While optimally designed to support military missions, these resources also help provide for a well-equipped set of national assets to temporarily support and augment the local, state, and federal civil agencies that have primary authority and responsibility for domestic disaster assistance. The military's role in domestic emergencies is well defined in military regulations, as well as the national plan.

International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support Emergency Response Verification for Node 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, David E.

2008-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Node 1 Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) System is comprised of five subsystems: Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS), Atmosphere Revitalization (AR), Fire Detection and Suppression (FDS), Temperature and Humidity Control (THC), and Water Recovery and Management (WRM). This paper provides a summary of the Node 1 Emergency Response capability, which includes nominal and off-nominal FDS operation, off nominal ACS operation, and off-nominal THC operation. These subsystems provide the capability to help aid the crew members during an emergency cabin depressurization, a toxic spill, or a fire. The paper will also provide a discussion of the detailed Node 1 ECLS Element Verification methodologies for operation of the Node 1 Emergency Response hardware operations utilized during the Qualification phase.

Short-term emergency response planning and risk assessment via an integrated modeling system for nuclear power plants in complex terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Ni-Bin; Weng, Yu-Chi

2013-03-01

Short-term predictions of potential impacts from accidental release of various radionuclides at nuclear power plants are acutely needed, especially after the Fukushima accident in Japan. An integrated modeling system that provides expert services to assess the consequences of accidental or intentional releases of radioactive materials to the atmosphere has received wide attention. These scenarios can be initiated either by accident due to human, software, or mechanical failures, or from intentional acts such as sabotage and radiological dispersal devices. Stringent action might be required just minutes after the occurrence of accidental or intentional release. To fulfill the basic functions of emergency preparedness and response systems, previous studies seldom consider the suitability of air pollutant dispersion models or the connectivity between source term, dispersion, and exposure assessment models in a holistic context for decision support. Therefore, the Gaussian plume and puff models, which are only suitable for illustrating neutral air pollutants in flat terrain conditional to limited meteorological situations, are frequently used to predict the impact from accidental release of industrial sources. In situations with complex terrain or special meteorological conditions, the proposing emergency response actions might be questionable and even intractable to decisionmakers responsible for maintaining public health and environmental quality. This study is a preliminary effort to integrate the source term, dispersion, and exposure assessment models into a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) to tackle the complex issues for short-term emergency response planning and risk assessment at nuclear power plants. Through a series model screening procedures, we found that the diagnostic (objective) wind field model with the aid of sufficient on-site meteorological monitoring data was the most applicable model to promptly address the trend of local wind field patterns. However, most of the hazardous materials being released into the environment from nuclear power plants are not neutral pollutants, so the particle and multi-segment puff models can be regarded as the most suitable models to incorporate into the output of the diagnostic wind field model in a modern emergency preparedness and response system. The proposed SDSS illustrates the state-of-the-art system design based on the situation of complex terrain in South Taiwan. This system design of SDSS with 3-dimensional animation capability using a tailored source term model in connection with ArcView® Geographical Information System map layers and remote sensing images is useful for meeting the design goal of nuclear power plants located in complex terrain.

Special population planner 4 : an open source release.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuiper, J.; Metz, W.; Tanzman, E.

2008-01-01

Emergencies like Hurricane Katrina and the recent California wildfires underscore the critical need to meet the complex challenge of planning for individuals with special needs and for institutionalized special populations. People with special needs and special populations often have difficulty responding to emergencies or taking protective actions, and emergency responders may be unaware of their existence and situations during a crisis. Special Population Planner (SPP) is an ArcGIS-based emergency planning system released as an open source product. SPP provides for easy production of maps, reports, and analyses to develop and revise emergency response plans. It includes tools to manage amore » voluntary registry of data for people with special needs, integrated links to plans and documents, tools for response planning and analysis, preformatted reports and maps, and data on locations of special populations, facility and resource characteristics, and contacts. The system can be readily adapted for new settings without programming and is broadly applicable. Full documentation and a demonstration database are included in the release.« less

EEG potentials predict upcoming emergency brakings during simulated driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haufe, Stefan; Treder, Matthias S.; Gugler, Manfred F.; Sagebaum, Max; Curio, Gabriel; Blankertz, Benjamin

2011-10-01

Emergency braking assistance has the potential to prevent a large number of car crashes. State-of-the-art systems operate in two stages. Basic safety measures are adopted once external sensors indicate a potential upcoming crash. If further activity at the brake pedal is detected, the system automatically performs emergency braking. Here, we present the results of a driving simulator study indicating that the driver's intention to perform emergency braking can be detected based on muscle activation and cerebral activity prior to the behavioural response. Identical levels of predictive accuracy were attained using electroencephalography (EEG), which worked more quickly than electromyography (EMG), and using EMG, which worked more quickly than pedal dynamics. A simulated assistance system using EEG and EMG was found to detect emergency brakings 130 ms earlier than a system relying only on pedal responses. At 100 km h-1 driving speed, this amounts to reducing the braking distance by 3.66 m. This result motivates a neuroergonomic approach to driving assistance. Our EEG analysis yielded a characteristic event-related potential signature that comprised components related to the sensory registration of a critical traffic situation, mental evaluation of the sensory percept and motor preparation. While all these components should occur often during normal driving, we conjecture that it is their characteristic spatio-temporal superposition in emergency braking situations that leads to the considerable prediction performance we observed.

EEG potentials predict upcoming emergency brakings during simulated driving.

PubMed

Haufe, Stefan; Treder, Matthias S; Gugler, Manfred F; Sagebaum, Max; Curio, Gabriel; Blankertz, Benjamin

2011-10-01

Emergency braking assistance has the potential to prevent a large number of car crashes. State-of-the-art systems operate in two stages. Basic safety measures are adopted once external sensors indicate a potential upcoming crash. If further activity at the brake pedal is detected, the system automatically performs emergency braking. Here, we present the results of a driving simulator study indicating that the driver's intention to perform emergency braking can be detected based on muscle activation and cerebral activity prior to the behavioural response. Identical levels of predictive accuracy were attained using electroencephalography (EEG), which worked more quickly than electromyography (EMG), and using EMG, which worked more quickly than pedal dynamics. A simulated assistance system using EEG and EMG was found to detect emergency brakings 130 ms earlier than a system relying only on pedal responses. At 100 km h(-1) driving speed, this amounts to reducing the braking distance by 3.66 m. This result motivates a neuroergonomic approach to driving assistance. Our EEG analysis yielded a characteristic event-related potential signature that comprised components related to the sensory registration of a critical traffic situation, mental evaluation of the sensory percept and motor preparation. While all these components should occur often during normal driving, we conjecture that it is their characteristic spatio-temporal superposition in emergency braking situations that leads to the considerable prediction performance we observed.

Emerging & re-emerging infections in India: An overview

PubMed Central

Dikid, T.; Jain, S.K.; Sharma, A.; Kumar, A.; Narain, J.P.

2013-01-01

The incidence of emerging infectious diseases in humans has increased within the recent past or threatens to increase in the near future. Over 30 new infectious agents have been detected worldwide in the last three decades; 60 per cent of these are of zoonotic origin. Developing countries such as India suffer disproportionately from the burden of infectious diseases given the confluence of existing environmental, socio-economic, and demographic factors. In the recent past, India has seen outbreaks of eight organisms of emerging and re-emerging diseases in various parts of the country, six of these are of zoonotic origin. Prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases will increasingly require the application of sophisticated epidemiologic and molecular biologic technologies, changes in human behaviour, a national policy on early detection of and rapid response to emerging infections and a plan of action. WHO has made several recommendations for national response mechanisms. Many of these are in various stages of implementation in India. However, for a country of size and population of India, the emerging infections remain a real and present danger. A meaningful response must approach the problem at the systems level. A comprehensive national strategy on infectious diseases cutting across all relevant sectors with emphasis on strengthened surveillance, rapid response, partnership building and research to guide public policy is needed. PMID:24056553

Emerging & re-emerging infections in India: an overview.

PubMed

Dikid, T; Jain, S K; Sharma, A; Kumar, A; Narain, J P

2013-01-01

The incidence of emerging infectious diseases in humans has increased within the recent past or threatens to increase in the near future. Over 30 new infectious agents have been detected worldwide in the last three decades; 60 per cent of these are of zoonotic origin. Developing countries such as India suffer disproportionately from the burden of infectious diseases given the confluence of existing environmental, socio-economic, and demographic factors. In the recent past, India has seen outbreaks of eight organisms of emerging and re-emerging diseases in various parts of the country, six of these are of zoonotic origin. Prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases will increasingly require the application of sophisticated epidemiologic and molecular biologic technologies, changes in human behaviour, a national policy on early detection of and rapid response to emerging infections and a plan of action. WHO has made several recommendations for national response mechanisms. Many of these are in various stages of implementation in India. However, for a country of size and population of India, the emerging infections remain a real and present danger. A meaningful response must approach the problem at the systems level. A comprehensive national strategy on infectious diseases cutting across all relevant sectors with emphasis on strengthened surveillance, rapid response, partnership building and research to guide public policy is needed.

Stennis all-hazards network adopted throughout NASA

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-13

Stennis Space Center employees Mike McKinion (left), with Erica Lane Enterprises, and Luke Scianna, with the Jacobs Facility Operating Services Contract, monitor the facility and surrounding area on the 'all-hazards network' known as HazNet. The HazNet system at Stennis was developed by a local Mississippi company to help facilitate coordinated response during emergency and disaster situations. The system was installed in the new Emergency Operations Center built at Stennis before being implemented throughout NASA. HazNet was designed by NVision Solutions Inc. of Bay St. Louis, Miss., through NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program. In addition to being used at Stennis, it has been installed at other Gulf Coast communities to help coordinate response during emergencies and such natural disasters as hurricanes.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to ICU following activation of the medical emergency team: impact of introducing a two-tier response system.

PubMed

Aneman, Anders; Frost, Steven A; Parr, Michael J; Hillman, Ken M

2015-04-01

To determine the impact of introducing a two-tier system for responding to deteriorating ward patients on ICU admissions after medical emergency team review. Retrospective database review before (2006-2009) and after (2011-2013) the introduction of a two-tier system. Tertiary, university-affiliated hospital. A total of 1,564 ICU admissions. Two-tier rapid response system. The median number of medical emergency team activations/1,000 hospitalizations increased from 22 to 31 (difference [95% CI], 9 [5-10]; p<0.0001) with a decreased rate of medical emergency team activations leading to ICU admission (from median 11 to 8; difference [95% CI], 3 [3-4]; p=0.03). The median proportion of medical emergency team reviews leading to ICU admission increased for those triggered by tachypnoea (from 11% to 15%; difference [95% CI], 4 [3-5]; p<0.0001) and by hypotension (from 27% to 43%; difference [95% CI], 15 [12-19]; p<0.0001) and decreased for those triggered by reduced level of consciousness (from 20% to 17%; difference [95% CI], 3 [2-4]; p<0.0001) and by clinical concern (from 18% to 9%; difference [95% CI], 10 [9-13]; p<0.0001). The proportions of ICU admissions following medical emergency team review did not change significantly for tachycardia, seizure, or cardiorespiratory arrest. The overall ICU mortality for admissions following medical emergency team review for tachypnoea, tachycardia, and clinical concern decreased (from 29% to 9%: difference [95% CI], 20 [11-29]; p<0.0001) but did not change for the other triggers. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation predicted and observed ICU mortality and the proportion of patients dying with a not-for-resuscitation order decreased. The introduction of a two-tier response to clinical deterioration increased ICU admissions triggered by cardiorespiratory criteria, whereas admissions triggered by more subjective criteria decreased. The overall ICU mortality for patients admitted following medical emergency team review decreased, suggesting that the two-tier system led to earlier recognition of reversible pathology or a decision not to escalate the level of care.

A microcomputer-based emergency response system*.

PubMed

Belardo, S; Howell, A; Ryan, R; Wallace, W A

1983-09-01

A microcomputer-based system was developed to provide local officials responsible for disaster management with assistance during the crucial period immediately following a disaster, a period when incorrect decisions could have an adverse impact on the surrounding community. While the paper focuses on a potential disaster resulting from an accident at a commercial nuclear power generating facility, the system can be applied to other disastrous situations. Decisions involving evacuation, shelter and the deployment of resources must be made in response to floods, earthquakes, accidents in the transportation of hazardous materials, and hurricanes to name a few examples. As a decision aid, the system was designed to enhance data display by presenting the data in the form of representations (i.e. road maps, evacuation routes, etc.) as well as in list or tabular form. The potential impact of the event (i.e. the release of radioactive material) was displayed in the form of a cloud, representing the dispersion of the radioactive material. In addition, an algorithm was developed to assist the manager in assigning response resources to demands. The capability for modelling the impact of a disaster is discussed briefly, with reference to a system installed in the communities surrounding the Indian Point nuclear power plant in New York State. Results demonstrate both the technical feasibility of incorporating microcomputers indecision support systems for radiological emergency response, and the acceptance of such systems by those public officials responsible for implementing the response plans.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

over time. Preparedness plans include program initiatives for planning, training, equipping, exercising, and evaluating capability to ensure sustainable ... performance in order to prevent, prepare for and respond to incidents. 4. Response Response refers to the activities necessary to address the

Are hospitals ready to response to disasters? Challenges, opportunities and strategies of Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS).

PubMed

Yarmohammadian, Mohammad Hossein; Atighechian, Golrokh; Shams, Lida; Haghshenas, Abbas

2011-08-01

Applying an effective management system in emergency incidents provides maximum efficiency with using minimum facilities and human resources. Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) is one of the most reliable emergency incident command systems to make hospitals more efficient and to increase patient safety. This research was to study requirements, barriers, and strategies of HEICS in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). This was a qualitative research carried out in Isfahan Province, Iran during 2008-09. The study population included senior hospital managers of IUMS and key informants in emergency incident management across Isfahan Province. Sampling method was in non-random purposeful form and snowball technique was used. The research instrument for data collection was semi-structured interview; collected data was analyzed by Colaizzi Technique. Findings of study were categorized into three general categories including requirements (organizational and sub-organizational), barriers (internal and external) of HEICS establishment, and providing short, mid and long term strategies. These categories are explained in details in the main text. Regarding the existing barriers in establishment of HEICS, it is recommended that responsible authorities in different levels of health care system prepare necessary conditions for implementing such system as soon as possible via encouraging and supporting systems. This paper may help health policy makers to get reasonable framework and have comprehensive view for establishing HEICS in hospitals. It is necessary to consider requirements and viewpoints of stakeholders before any health policy making or planning.

Real-Time Surveillance in Emergencies Using the Early Warning Alert and Response Network.

PubMed

Cordes, Kristina M; Cookson, Susan T; Boyd, Andrew T; Hardy, Colleen; Malik, Mamunur Rahman; Mala, Peter; El Tahir, Khalid; Everard, Marthe; Jasiem, Mohamad; Husain, Farah

2017-11-01

Humanitarian emergencies often result in population displacement and increase the risk for transmission of communicable diseases. To address the increased risk for outbreaks during humanitarian emergencies, the World Health Organization developed the Early Warning Alert and Response Network (EWARN) for early detection of epidemic-prone diseases. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has worked with the World Health Organization, ministries of health, and other partners to support EWARN through the implementation and evaluation of these systems and the development of standardized guidance. Although protocols have been developed for the implementation and evaluation of EWARN, a need persists for standardized training and additional guidance on supporting these systems remotely when access to affected areas is restricted. Continued collaboration between partners and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for surveillance during emergencies is necessary to strengthen capacity and support global health security.

Real-Time Surveillance in Emergencies Using the Early Warning Alert and Response Network

PubMed Central

Cordes, Kristina M.; Cookson, Susan T.; Boyd, Andrew T.; Hardy, Colleen; Malik, Mamunur Rahman; Mala, Peter; El Tahir, Khalid; Everard, Marthe; Jasiem, Mohamad

2017-01-01

Humanitarian emergencies often result in population displacement and increase the risk for transmission of communicable diseases. To address the increased risk for outbreaks during humanitarian emergencies, the World Health Organization developed the Early Warning Alert and Response Network (EWARN) for early detection of epidemic-prone diseases. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has worked with the World Health Organization, ministries of health, and other partners to support EWARN through the implementation and evaluation of these systems and the development of standardized guidance. Although protocols have been developed for the implementation and evaluation of EWARN, a need persists for standardized training and additional guidance on supporting these systems remotely when access to affected areas is restricted. Continued collaboration between partners and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for surveillance during emergencies is necessary to strengthen capacity and support global health security. PMID:29155660

Developing AN Emergency Response Model for Offshore Oil Spill Disaster Management Using Spatial Decision Support System (sdss)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balogun, Abdul-Lateef; Matori, Abdul-Nasir; Wong Toh Kiak, Kelvin

2018-04-01

Environmental resources face severe risks during offshore oil spill disasters and Geographic Information System (GIS) Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps are increasingly being used as response tools to minimize the huge impacts of these spills. However, ESI maps are generally unable to independently harmonize the diverse preferences of the multiple stakeholders' involved in the response process, causing rancour and delay in response time. This paper's Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) utilizes the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model to perform tradeoffs in determining the most significant resources to be secured considering the limited resources and time available to perform the response operation. The AHP approach is used to aggregate the diverse preferences of the stakeholders and reach a consensus. These preferences, represented as priority weights, are incorporated in a GIS platform to generate Environmental sensitivity risk (ESR) maps. The ESR maps provide a common operational platform and consistent situational awareness for the multiple parties involved in the emergency response operation thereby minimizing discord among the response teams and saving the most valuable resources.

Evaluation of the PuSHMe regional mayday system operational test : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-09-01

This report is an independent evaluation of the Puget Sound Emergency Response Operational Test (PuSHMe), a test of regional mayday systems that allow a driver to signal his or her location and need for assistance to a response center.

Design and development of a mobile system for supporting emergency triage.

PubMed

Michalowski, W; Slowinski, R; Wilk, S; Farion, K J; Pike, J; Rubin, S

2005-01-01

Our objective was to design and develop a mobile clinical decision support system for emergency triage of different acute pain presentations. The system should interact with existing hospital information systems, run on mobile computing devices (handheld computers) and be suitable for operation in weak-connectivity conditions (with unstable connections between mobile clients and a server). The MET (Mobile Emergency Triage) system was designed following an extended client-server architecture. The client component, responsible for triage decision support, is built as a knowledge-based system, with domain ontology separated from generic problem solving methods and used for the automatic creation of a user interface. The MET system is well suited for operation in the Emergency Department of a hospital. The system's external interactions are managed by the server, while the MET clients, running on handheld computers are used by clinicians for collecting clinical data and supporting triage at the bedside. The functionality of the MET client is distributed into specialized modules, responsible for triaging specific types of acute pain presentations. The modules are stored on the server, and on request they can be transferred and executed on the mobile clients. The modular design provides for easy extension of the system's functionality. A clinical trial of the MET system validated the appropriateness of the system's design, and proved the usefulness and acceptance of the system in clinical practice. The MET system captures the necessary hospital data, allows for entry of patient information, and provides triage support. By operating on handheld computers, it fits into the regular emergency department workflow without introducing any hindrances or disruptions. It supports triage anytime and anywhere, directly at the point of care, and also can be used as an electronic patient chart, facilitating structured data collection.

Decision support system for the response to infectious disease emergencies based on WebGIS and mobile services in China.

PubMed

Li, Ya-pin; Fang, Li-qun; Gao, Su-qing; Wang, Zhen; Gao, Hong-wei; Liu, Peng; Wang, Ze-Rui; Li, Yan-Li; Zhu, Xu-Guang; Li, Xin-Lou; Xu, Bo; Li, Yin-Jun; Yang, Hong; de Vlas, Sake J; Shi, Tao-Xing; Cao, Wu-Chun

2013-01-01

For years, emerging infectious diseases have appeared worldwide and threatened the health of people. The emergence and spread of an infectious-disease outbreak are usually unforeseen, and have the features of suddenness and uncertainty. Timely understanding of basic information in the field, and the collection and analysis of epidemiological information, is helpful in making rapid decisions and responding to an infectious-disease emergency. Therefore, it is necessary to have an unobstructed channel and convenient tool for the collection and analysis of epidemiologic information in the field. Baseline information for each county in mainland China was collected and a database was established by geo-coding information on a digital map of county boundaries throughout the country. Google Maps was used to display geographic information and to conduct calculations related to maps, and the 3G wireless network was used to transmit information collected in the field to the server. This study established a decision support system for the response to infectious-disease emergencies based on WebGIS and mobile services (DSSRIDE). The DSSRIDE provides functions including data collection, communication and analyses in real time, epidemiological detection, the provision of customized epidemiological questionnaires and guides for handling infectious disease emergencies, and the querying of professional knowledge in the field. These functions of the DSSRIDE could be helpful for epidemiological investigations in the field and the handling of infectious-disease emergencies. The DSSRIDE provides a geographic information platform based on the Google Maps application programming interface to display information of infectious disease emergencies, and transfers information between workers in the field and decision makers through wireless transmission based on personal computers, mobile phones and personal digital assistants. After a 2-year practice and application in infectious disease emergencies, the DSSRIDE is becoming a useful platform and is a useful tool for investigations in the field carried out by response sections and individuals. The system is suitable for use in developing countries and low-income districts.

Mechanisms of innate immune evasion in re-emerging RNA viruses.

PubMed

Ma, Daphne Y; Suthar, Mehul S

2015-06-01

Recent outbreaks of Ebola, West Nile, Chikungunya, Middle Eastern Respiratory and other emerging/re-emerging RNA viruses continue to highlight the need to further understand the virus-host interactions that govern disease severity and infection outcome. As part of the early host antiviral defense, the innate immune system mediates pathogen recognition and initiation of potent antiviral programs that serve to limit virus replication, limit virus spread and activate adaptive immune responses. Concordantly, viral pathogens have evolved several strategies to counteract pathogen recognition and cell-intrinsic antiviral responses. In this review, we highlight the major mechanisms of innate immune evasion by emerging and re-emerging RNA viruses, focusing on pathogens that pose significant risk to public health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advanced Atmospheric Modeling for Emergency Response.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fast, Jerome D.; O'Steen, B. Lance; Addis, Robert P.

1995-03-01

Atmospheric transport and diffusion models are an important part of emergency response systems for industrial facilities that have the potential to release significant quantities of toxic or radioactive material into the atmosphere. An advanced atmospheric transport and diffusion modeling system for emergency response and environmental applications, based upon a three-dimensional mesoscale model, has been developed for the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site so that complex, time-dependent flow fields not explicitly measured can be routinely simulated. To overcome some of the current computational demands of mesoscale models, two operational procedures for the advanced atmospheric transport and diffusion modeling system are described including 1) a semiprognostic calculation to produce high-resolution wind fields for local pollutant transport in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site and 2) a fully prognostic calculation to produce a regional wind field encompassing the southeastern United States for larger-scale pollutant problems. Local and regional observations and large-scale model output are used by the mesoscale model for the initial conditions, lateral boundary conditions, and four-dimensional data assimilation procedure. This paper describes the current status of the modeling system and presents two case studies demonstrating the capabilities of both modes of operation. While the results from the case studies shown in this paper are preliminary and certainly not definitive, they do suggest that the mesoscale model has the potential for improving the prognostic capabilities of atmospheric modeling for emergency response at the Savannah River Site. Long-term model evaluation will be required to determine under what conditions significant forecast errors exist.

Ethical issues raised in addressing the needs of people with serious mental disorders in complex emergencies.

PubMed

Wissow, Lawrence S; Rutkow, Lainie; Kass, Nancy E; Rabins, Peter V; Vernick, Jon S; Hodge, James G

2012-03-01

Recent manmade and natural disasters highlight weaknesses in the public health systems designed to protect populations from harm and minimize disruption of the social and built environments. Emergency planning and response efforts have, as a result, focused largely on ensuring populations' physical well-being during and after a disaster. Many public health authorities, including the World Health Organization, have recognized the importance of addressing both mental and physical health concerns in emergency plans. Individuals with mental disorders represent a notable proportion of the overall population, and anticipating their needs is critical to comprehensive emergency planning and response efforts. Because people with serious mental disorders historically have been stigmatized, and many individuals with mental disorders may be unable to care for themselves, ethical guidance may be of assistance to those engaged in emergency planning and response. This article considers several broad categories of ethical issues that arise during emergencies for people with serious mental disorders and offers recommendations for ways in which emergency planners and other stakeholders can begin to address these ethical challenges.

A secure 2G-RFID-Sys mechanism for applying to the medical emergency system.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Yi; Wang, Yao-Jen; Jan, Jinn-Ke

2013-06-01

In the Medical Emergency System, any moment of delay in an emergency such as ambulance dispatch, ambulance diversion and clinical handover communication can significantly reduce a patient's chance of survival. Without the disadvantage of centralized management, a new type of RFID application named 2G-RFID-Sys will be more efficient. It is suitable for the tagged ambulance dispatch management in a huge range. In this article, the prototype of 2G-RFID-Sys and the responsibility of each participant are refined. We take an example of applying the 2G-RFID-Sys to the Medical Emergency System, the traffic condition of the ambulance will be able to ensure.

BEARS: a multi-mission anomaly response system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Bryce A.

2009-05-01

The Mission Operations Group at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory operates a highly automated ground station and presently a fleet of seven satellites, each with its own associated command and control console. However, the requirement for prompt anomaly detection and resolution is shared commonly between the ground segment and all spacecraft. The efficient, low-cost operation and "lights-out" staffing of the Mission Operations Group requires that controllers and engineers be notified of spacecraft and ground system problems around the clock. The Berkeley Emergency Anomaly and Response System (BEARS) is an in-house developed web- and paging-based software system that meets this need. BEARS was developed as a replacement for an existing emergency reporting software system that was too closedsource, platform-specific, expensive, and antiquated to expand or maintain. To avoid these limitations, the new system design leverages cross-platform, open-source software products such as MySQL, PHP, and Qt. Anomaly notifications and responses make use of the two-way paging capabilities of modern smart phones.

Using Geo-Data Corporately on the Response Phase of Emergency Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir Ozbek, E.; Ates, S.; Aydinoglu, A. C.

2015-08-01

Response phase of emergency management is the most complex phase in the entire cycle because it requires cooperation between various actors relating to emergency sectors. A variety of geo-data is needed at the emergency response such as; existing data provided by different institutions and dynamic data collected by different sectors at the time of the disaster. Disaster event is managed according to elaborately defined activity-actor-task-geodata cycle. In this concept, every activity of emergency response is determined with Standard Operation Procedure that enables users to understand their tasks and required data in any activity. In this study, a general conceptual approach for disaster and emergency management system is developed based on the regulations to serve applications in Istanbul Governorship Provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorate. The approach is implemented to industrial facility explosion example. In preparation phase, optimum ambulance locations are determined according to general response time of the ambulance to all injury cases in addition to areas that have industrial fire risk. Management of the industrial fire case is organized according to defined actors, activities, and working cycle that describe required geo-data. A response scenario was prepared and performed for an industrial facility explosion event to exercise effective working cycle of actors. This scenario provides using geo-data corporately between different actors while required data for each task is defined to manage the industrial facility explosion event. Following developing web technologies, this scenario based approach can be effective to use geo-data on the web corporately.

Implementing the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System: an integrated delivery system's experience.

PubMed

Zane, Richard D; Prestipino, Ann L

2004-01-01

Hospital disaster manuals and response plans often lack formal command structure; instead, they rely on the presence of key individuals who are familiar with hospital operations, or who are in leadership positions during routine, day-to-day operations. Although this structure occasionally may prove to be successful, it is unreliable, as this leadership may be unavailable at the time of the crisis, and may not be sustainable during a prolonged event. The Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) provides a command structure that does not rely on specific individuals, is flexible and expandable, and is ubiquitous in the fire service, emergency medical services, military, and police agencies, thus allowing for ease of communication during event management. A descriptive report of the implementation of the HEICS throughout a large healthcare network is reviewed. Implementation of the HEICS provides a consistent command structure for hospitals that enables consistency and commonality with other hospitals and disaster response entities.

Telemedicine and its transformation of emergency care: a case study of one of the largest US integrated healthcare delivery systems.

PubMed

Sharma, Rahul; Fleischut, Peter; Barchi, Daniel

2017-12-01

Innovative methods for delivering healthcare via the use of technology are rapidly growing. Despite the passage of the Affordable Care Act, emergency department visits have continued to rise nationally. Healthcare systems must devise solutions to face these increasing volumes and also deliver high quality care. In response to the changing healthcare landscape, New York Presbyterian Hospital has implemented a comprehensive enterprise wide digital health portfolio which includes the first mobile stroke treatment unit on the east coast and the first emergency department-based digital emergency care program in New York City.

Remote Sensing Decision Support System for Optimal Access Restoration in Post Disaster Environments

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-01-01

Access restoration is an extremely important part of disaster response. Without access to the site, critically important emergency functions like search and rescue, emergency evacuation, and relief distribution, cannot commence. Frequently, roads are...

OEM Emergency Response Information

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Office of Emergency Management retains records of all incident responses in which it participates. This data asset includes three major sources of information: (1) records maintained by the Regional Office On-Scene Coordinators, principally at the EPAOSC.org web site, (2) all records of incidents managed at the EPA National Response Center (NRC) at EPA Headquarters in Washington, DC and (3) records of responses to oil spills under the Clean Water Act, for which EPA is the oil spill response lead for inland waters. Regional response information is available through EPAOSC.org, but may also be stored elsewhere if the incident is of national significance. EPAOSC.org is a resource for On-Scene Coordinators to access, track and share information with OSCs throughout the country, but it also contains information open to the public.Incident-related environmental sampling data is maintained by the regional offices in the SCRIBE system.NRC records have been maintained in the Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS). This information is available to the public through the Right to Know Network (RTKnet.ombwatch.org). Incidents reported to NRC range from minor to serious, from an oil-sheen on water to a release of thousands of gallons. NRC reports are extensive, but also known to be incomplete, as many incidents are never reported, and those that are reported generally are not subject to verification.

Development of a Core Clinical Dataset to Characterize Serious Illness, Injuries, and Resource Requirements for Acute Medical Responses to Public Health Emergencies.

PubMed

Murphy, David J; Rubinson, Lewis; Blum, James; Isakov, Alexander; Bhagwanjee, Statish; Cairns, Charles B; Cobb, J Perren; Sevransky, Jonathan E

2015-11-01

In developed countries, public health systems have become adept at rapidly identifying the etiology and impact of public health emergencies. However, within the time course of clinical responses, shortfalls in readily analyzable patient-level data limit capabilities to understand clinical course, predict outcomes, ensure resource availability, and evaluate the effectiveness of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for seriously ill and injured patients. To be useful in the timeline of a public health emergency, multi-institutional clinical investigation systems must be in place to rapidly collect, analyze, and disseminate detailed clinical information regarding patients across prehospital, emergency department, and acute care hospital settings, including ICUs. As an initial step to near real-time clinical learning during public health emergencies, we sought to develop an "all-hazards" core dataset to characterize serious illness and injuries and the resource requirements for acute medical response across the care continuum. A multidisciplinary panel of clinicians, public health professionals, and researchers with expertise in public health emergencies. Group consensus process. The consensus process included regularly scheduled conference calls, electronic communications, and an in-person meeting to generate candidate variables. Candidate variables were then reviewed by the group to meet the competing criteria of utility and feasibility resulting in the core dataset. The 40-member panel generated 215 candidate variables for potential dataset inclusion. The final dataset includes 140 patient-level variables in the domains of demographics and anthropometrics (7), prehospital (11), emergency department (13), diagnosis (8), severity of illness (54), medications and interventions (38), and outcomes (9). The resulting all-hazard core dataset for seriously ill and injured persons provides a foundation to facilitate rapid collection, analyses, and dissemination of information necessary for clinicians, public health officials, and policymakers to optimize public health emergency response. Further work is needed to validate the effectiveness of the dataset in a variety of emergency settings.

Family Child Care Homes Need Health and Safety Training and an Emergency Rescue System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shallcross, Mary Ann

1999-01-01

Argues that current training in child safety, health, and emergency response are not adequate for family childcare providers. Concludes that preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), preventing injury, providing safe outdoor play areas, controlling the spread of illness, and being prepared for emergencies must be of major concern and ongoing…

Human resources for health: lessons from the cholera outbreak in Papua New Guinea

PubMed Central

Bieb, Sibauk; Clark, Geoff; Miller, Geoff; MacIntyre, Raina; Zwi, Anthony

2013-01-01

Issue Papua New Guinea is striving to achieve the minimum core requirements under the International Health Regulations in surveillance and outbreak response, and has experienced challenges in the availability and distribution of health professionals. Context Since mid-2009, a large cholera outbreak spread across lowland regions of the country and has been associated with more than 15 500 notifications at a case fatality ratio of 3.2%. The outbreak placed significant pressure on clinical and public health services. Action We describe some of the challenges to cholera preparedness and response in this human resource-limited setting, the strategies used to ensure effective cholera management and lessons learnt. Outcome Cholera task forces were useful to establish a clear system of leadership and accountability for cholera outbreak response and ensure efficiencies in each technical area. Cholera outbreak preparedness and response was strongest when human resource and health systems functioned well before the outbreak. Communication relied on coordination of existing networks and methods for empowering local leaders and villagers to modify behaviours of the population. Discussion In line with the national health emergencies plan, the successes of human resource strategies during the cholera outbreak should be built upon through emergency exercises, especially in non-affected provinces. Population needs for all public health professionals involved in health emergency preparedness and response should be mapped, and planning should be implemented to increase the numbers in relevant areas. Human resource planning should be integrated with health emergency planning. It is essential to maintain and strengthen the human resource capacities and experiences gained during the cholera outbreak to ensure a more effective response to the next health emergency. PMID:24319607

Human resources for health: lessons from the cholera outbreak in Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Rosewell, Alexander; Bieb, Sibauk; Clark, Geoff; Miller, Geoff; MacIntyre, Raina; Zwi, Anthony

2013-01-01

Papua New Guinea is striving to achieve the minimum core requirements under the International Health Regulations in surveillance and outbreak response, and has experienced challenges in the availability and distribution of health professionals. Since mid-2009, a large cholera outbreak spread across lowland regions of the country and has been associated with more than 15 500 notifications at a case fatality ratio of 3.2%. The outbreak placed significant pressure on clinical and public health services. We describe some of the challenges to cholera preparedness and response in this human resource-limited setting, the strategies used to ensure effective cholera management and lessons learnt. Cholera task forces were useful to establish a clear system of leadership and accountability for cholera outbreak response and ensure efficiencies in each technical area. Cholera outbreak preparedness and response was strongest when human resource and health systems functioned well before the outbreak. Communication relied on coordination of existing networks and methods for empowering local leaders and villagers to modify behaviours of the population. In line with the national health emergencies plan, the successes of human resource strategies during the cholera outbreak should be built upon through emergency exercises, especially in non-affected provinces. Population needs for all public health professionals involved in health emergency preparedness and response should be mapped, and planning should be implemented to increase the numbers in relevant areas. Human resource planning should be integrated with health emergency planning. It is essential to maintain and strengthen the human resource capacities and experiences gained during the cholera outbreak to ensure a more effective response to the next health emergency.

The design and implementation of urban earthquake disaster loss evaluation and emergency response decision support systems based on GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Kun; Xu, Quan-li; Peng, Shuang-yun; Cao, Yan-bo

2008-10-01

Based on the necessity analysis of GIS applications in earthquake disaster prevention, this paper has deeply discussed the spatial integration scheme of urban earthquake disaster loss evaluation models and visualization technologies by using the network development methods such as COM/DCOM, ActiveX and ASP, as well as the spatial database development methods such as OO4O and ArcSDE based on ArcGIS software packages. Meanwhile, according to Software Engineering principles, a solution of Urban Earthquake Emergency Response Decision Support Systems based on GIS technologies have also been proposed, which include the systems logical structures, the technical routes,the system realization methods and function structures etc. Finally, the testing systems user interfaces have also been offered in the paper.

Evaluation of 6 and 10 Year-Old Child Human Body Models in Emergency Events.

PubMed

Gras, Laure-Lise; Stockman, Isabelle; Brolin, Karin

2017-01-01

Emergency events can influence a child's kinematics prior to a car-crash, and thus its interaction with the restraint system. Numerical Human Body Models (HBMs) can help understand the behaviour of children in emergency events. The kinematic responses of two child HBMs-MADYMO 6 and 10 year-old models-were evaluated and compared with child volunteers' data during emergency events-braking and steering-with a focus on the forehead and sternum displacements. The response of the 6 year-old HBM was similar to the response of the 10 year-old HBM, however both models had a different response compared with the volunteers. The forward and lateral displacements were within the range of volunteer data up to approximately 0.3 s; but then, the HBMs head and sternum moved significantly downwards, while the volunteers experienced smaller displacement and tended to come back to their initial posture. Therefore, these HBMs, originally intended for crash simulations, are not too stiff and could be able to reproduce properly emergency events thanks, for instance, to postural control.

Evaluation of 6 and 10 Year-Old Child Human Body Models in Emergency Events

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Emergency events can influence a child’s kinematics prior to a car-crash, and thus its interaction with the restraint system. Numerical Human Body Models (HBMs) can help understand the behaviour of children in emergency events. The kinematic responses of two child HBMs–MADYMO 6 and 10 year-old models–were evaluated and compared with child volunteers’ data during emergency events–braking and steering–with a focus on the forehead and sternum displacements. The response of the 6 year-old HBM was similar to the response of the 10 year-old HBM, however both models had a different response compared with the volunteers. The forward and lateral displacements were within the range of volunteer data up to approximately 0.3 s; but then, the HBMs head and sternum moved significantly downwards, while the volunteers experienced smaller displacement and tended to come back to their initial posture. Therefore, these HBMs, originally intended for crash simulations, are not too stiff and could be able to reproduce properly emergency events thanks, for instance, to postural control. PMID:28099505

2007 Western States Fire Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howell, Kathleen

2008-01-01

A general overview of the Ikhana Uninhabited Air System (UAS) is presented. The contents include: 1) Ikhana UAS; 2) Ikhana UAS / Ground Control Station (GCS); 3) Ikhana UAS / Antennas; 4) Western States Fire Mission 2007 Partners; 5) FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA); 6) Western States Fire Missions (WSFM) 2007; 7) WSFM 1-4 2007; 8) California Wildfire Emergency Response 2007; 9) WSFM 5-8 Emergency Response 2007; 10) WSFM Achievements; and 11) WSFM Challenges.

Development of an automated speech recognition interface for personal emergency response systems

PubMed Central

Hamill, Melinda; Young, Vicky; Boger, Jennifer; Mihailidis, Alex

2009-01-01

Background Demands on long-term-care facilities are predicted to increase at an unprecedented rate as the baby boomer generation reaches retirement age. Aging-in-place (i.e. aging at home) is the desire of most seniors and is also a good option to reduce the burden on an over-stretched long-term-care system. Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERSs) help enable older adults to age-in-place by providing them with immediate access to emergency assistance. Traditionally they operate with push-button activators that connect the occupant via speaker-phone to a live emergency call-centre operator. If occupants do not wear the push button or cannot access the button, then the system is useless in the event of a fall or emergency. Additionally, a false alarm or failure to check-in at a regular interval will trigger a connection to a live operator, which can be unwanted and intrusive to the occupant. This paper describes the development and testing of an automated, hands-free, dialogue-based PERS prototype. Methods The prototype system was built using a ceiling mounted microphone array, an open-source automatic speech recognition engine, and a 'yes' and 'no' response dialog modelled after an existing call-centre protocol. Testing compared a single microphone versus a microphone array with nine adults in both noisy and quiet conditions. Dialogue testing was completed with four adults. Results and discussion The microphone array demonstrated improvement over the single microphone. In all cases, dialog testing resulted in the system reaching the correct decision about the kind of assistance the user was requesting. Further testing is required with elderly voices and under different noise conditions to ensure the appropriateness of the technology. Future developments include integration of the system with an emergency detection method as well as communication enhancement using features such as barge-in capability. Conclusion The use of an automated dialog-based PERS has the potential to provide users with more autonomy in decisions regarding their own health and more privacy in their own home. PMID:19583876

Role of educational institutions in identifying and responding to emerging health human resources needs.

PubMed

Tzountzouris, John-Paul; Gilbert, John H V

2009-01-01

The healthcare system continues to evolve, requiring innovation to promote patient-centred, fiscally responsible healthcare delivery. This evolution includes changes to the skills and competencies required of the health human resources (HHR), both regulated and unregulated, who are central supports to healthcare delivery. This has become a priority agenda item at the international, national, provincial, regional and local levels. This paper describes the system factors that drive the emergence of HHR skill and competency needs, and explores the roles of various institutions in the identification of and response to HHR needs. Educational institutions play an important role in responding to emerging HHR needs. Their actual response to HHR skill and competency needs will ultimately depend on the risk posed to the organizations of either addressing, or not addressing, these needs. These decisions are complex and are balanced against strategic, operational and educational risks, benefits and realities within each given educational institution. Educational institutions - through their linkages with the workplace, industry, professional organizations and government - have a unique view and understanding of many facets of the complexity of HHR planning. This paper proposes that educational institutions play a pivotal role as levers in a more coordinated response to emerging HHR needs and, as such, should be intimately involved in comprehensive HHR planning.

Metropolitan Medical Response System Act of 2010

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA-7

2010-02-03

House - 02/24/2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

National Characteristics of Emergency Medical Services Responses for Older Adults in the United States.

PubMed

Duong, Hieu V; Herrera, Lauren Nicholas; Moore, Justin Xavier; Donnelly, John; Jacobson, Karen E; Carlson, Jestin N; Mann, N Clay; Wang, Henry E

2018-01-01

Older adults, those aged 65 and older, frequently require emergency care. However, only limited national data describe the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) care provided to older adults. We sought to determine the characteristics of EMS care provided to older adults in the United States. We used data from the 2014 National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS), encompassing EMS response data from 46 States and territories. We excluded EMS responses for children <18 years, interfacility transports, intercepts, non-emergency medical transports, and standby responses. We defined older adults as age ≥65 years. We compared patient demographics (age, sex, race, primary payer), response characteristics (dispatch time, location type, time intervals), and clinical course (clinical impression, injury, procedures, medications) between older and younger adult EMS emergency 9-1-1 responses. During the study period there were 20,212,245 EMS emergency responses. Among the 16,116,219 adult EMS responses, there were 6,569,064 (40.76%) older and 9,547,155 (59.24%) younger adults. Older EMS patients were more likely to be white and the EMS incident to be located in healthcare facilities (clinic, hospital, nursing home). Compared with younger patients, older EMS patients were more likely to present with syncope (5.68% vs. 3.40%; OR 1.71; CI: 1.71-1.72), cardiac arrest/rhythm disturbance (3.27% vs. 1.69%; OR 1.97; CI: 1.96-1.98), stroke (2.18% vs. 0.74%; OR 2.99; CI: 2.96-3.02) and shock (0.77% vs. 0.38%; OR 2.02; CI: 2.00-2.04). Common EMS interventions performed on older persons included intravenous access (32.02%), 12-lead ECG (14.37%), CPR (0.87%), and intubation (2.00%). The most common EMS drugs administered to older persons included epinephrine, atropine, furosemide, amiodarone, and albuterol or ipratropium. One of every three U.S. EMS emergency responses involves older adults. EMS personnel must be prepared to care for the older patient.

Experiential effects on mirror systems and social learning: implications for social intelligence.

PubMed

Reader, Simon M

2014-04-01

Investigations of biases and experiential effects on social learning, social information use, and mirror systems can usefully inform one another. Unconstrained learning is predicted to shape mirror systems when the optimal response to an observed act varies, but constraints may emerge when immediate error-free responses are required and evolutionary or developmental history reliably predicts the optimal response. Given the power of associative learning, such constraints may be rare.

48 CFR 26.201 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PROGRAMS OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS Disaster or Emergency Assistance Activities 26.201 Definitions. Emergency response contract means a contract with private entities that supports assistance activities in a... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Definitions. 26.201...

TU-D-201-07: Severity Indication in High Dose Rate Brachytherapy Emergency Response Procedure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, K; Rustad, F

Purpose: Understanding the corresponding dose to different staff during the High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy emergency response procedure could help to develop a strategy in efficiency and effective action. In this study, the variation and risk analysis methodology was developed to simulation the HDR emergency response procedure based on severity indicator. Methods: A GammaMedplus iX HDR unit from Varian Medical System was used for this simulation. The emergency response procedure was decomposed based on risk management methods. Severity indexes were used to identify the impact of a risk occurrence on the step including dose to patient and dose to operationmore » staff by varying the time, HDR source activity, distance from the source to patient and staff and the actions. These actions in 7 steps were to press the interrupt button, press emergency shutoff switch, press emergency button on the afterloader keypad, turn emergency hand-crank, remove applicator from the patient, disconnect transfer tube and move afterloader from the patient, and execute emergency surgical recovery. Results: Given the accumulated time in second at the assumed 7 steps were 15, 5, 30, 15, 180, 120, 1800, and the dose rate of HDR source is 10 Ci, the accumulated dose in cGy to patient at 1cm distance were 188, 250, 625, 813, 3063, 4563 and 27063, and the accumulated exposure in rem to operator at outside the vault, 1m and 10cm distance were 0.0, 0.0, 0.1, 0.1, 22.6, 37.6 and 262.6. The variation was determined by the operators in action at different time and distance from the HDR source. Conclusion: The time and dose were estimated for a HDR unit emergency response procedure. It provided information in making optimal decision during the emergency procedure. Further investigation would be to optimize and standardize the responses for other emergency procedure by time-spatial-dose severity function.« less

Emergency Response Capability Baseline Needs Assessment Compliance Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharry, John A.

2013-09-16

This document is the second of a two-part analysis of Emergency Response Capabilities of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The first part, 2013 Baseline Needs Assessment Requirements Document established the minimum performance criteria necessary to meet mandatory requirements. This second part analyses the performance of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Emergency Management Department to the contents of the Requirements Document. The document was prepared based on an extensive review of information contained in the 2009 BNA, the 2012 BNA document, a review of Emergency Planning Hazards Assessments, a review of building construction, occupancy, fire protection features, dispatch records, LLNL alarm system records, firemore » department training records, and fire department policies and procedures.« less

Request for Information Response for the Flight Validation of Adaptive Control to Prevent Loss-of-Control Events. Overview of RFI Responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosworth, John T.

2009-01-01

Adaptive control should be integrated with a baseline controller and only used when necessary (5 responses). Implementation as an emergency system. Immediately re-stabilize and return to controlled flight. Forced perturbation (excitation) for fine-tuning system a) Check margins; b) Develop requirements for amplitude of excitation. Adaptive system can improve performance by eating into margin constraints imposed on the non-adaptive system. Nonlinear effects due to multi-string voting.

Critical systems for public health management of floods, North Dakota.

PubMed

Wiedrich, Tim W; Sickler, Juli L; Vossler, Brenda L; Pickard, Stephen P

2013-01-01

Availability of emergency preparedness funding between 2002 and 2009 allowed the North Dakota Department of Health to build public health response capabilities. Five of the 15 public health preparedness capability areas identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2011 have been thoroughly tested by responses to flooding in North Dakota in 2009, 2010, and 2011; those capability areas are information sharing, emergency operations coordination, medical surge, material management and distribution, and volunteer management. Increasing response effectiveness has depended on planning, implementation of new information technology, changes to command and control procedures, containerized response materials, and rapid contract procedures. Continued improvement in response and maintenance of response capabilities is dependent on ongoing funding.

Prototyping and validating requirements of radiation and nuclear emergency plan simulator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamid, AHA., E-mail: amyhamijah@nm.gov.my; Faculty of Computing, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia; Rozan, MZA.

2015-04-29

Organizational incapability in developing unrealistic, impractical, inadequate and ambiguous mechanisms of radiological and nuclear emergency preparedness and response plan (EPR) causing emergency plan disorder and severe disasters. These situations resulting from 65.6% of poor definition and unidentified roles and duties of the disaster coordinator. Those unexpected conditions brought huge aftermath to the first responders, operators, workers, patients and community at large. Hence, in this report, we discuss prototyping and validating of Malaysia radiation and nuclear emergency preparedness and response plan simulation model (EPRM). A prototyping technique was required to formalize the simulation model requirements. Prototyping as systems requirements validation wasmore » carried on to endorse the correctness of the model itself against the stakeholder’s intensions in resolving those organizational incapability. We have made assumptions for the proposed emergency preparedness and response model (EPRM) through the simulation software. Those assumptions provided a twofold of expected mechanisms, planning and handling of the respective emergency plan as well as in bringing off the hazard involved. This model called RANEPF (Radiation and Nuclear Emergency Planning Framework) simulator demonstrated the training emergency response perquisites rather than the intervention principles alone. The demonstrations involved the determination of the casualties’ absorbed dose range screening and the coordination of the capacity planning of the expected trauma triage. Through user-centred design and sociotechnical approach, RANEPF simulator was strategized and simplified, though certainly it is equally complex.« less

Prototyping and validating requirements of radiation and nuclear emergency plan simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamid, AHA.; Rozan, MZA.; Ibrahim, R.; Deris, S.; Selamat, A.

2015-04-01

Organizational incapability in developing unrealistic, impractical, inadequate and ambiguous mechanisms of radiological and nuclear emergency preparedness and response plan (EPR) causing emergency plan disorder and severe disasters. These situations resulting from 65.6% of poor definition and unidentified roles and duties of the disaster coordinator. Those unexpected conditions brought huge aftermath to the first responders, operators, workers, patients and community at large. Hence, in this report, we discuss prototyping and validating of Malaysia radiation and nuclear emergency preparedness and response plan simulation model (EPRM). A prototyping technique was required to formalize the simulation model requirements. Prototyping as systems requirements validation was carried on to endorse the correctness of the model itself against the stakeholder's intensions in resolving those organizational incapability. We have made assumptions for the proposed emergency preparedness and response model (EPRM) through the simulation software. Those assumptions provided a twofold of expected mechanisms, planning and handling of the respective emergency plan as well as in bringing off the hazard involved. This model called RANEPF (Radiation and Nuclear Emergency Planning Framework) simulator demonstrated the training emergency response perquisites rather than the intervention principles alone. The demonstrations involved the determination of the casualties' absorbed dose range screening and the coordination of the capacity planning of the expected trauma triage. Through user-centred design and sociotechnical approach, RANEPF simulator was strategized and simplified, though certainly it is equally complex.

Progress and challenges of disaster health management in China: a scoping review

PubMed Central

Zhong, Shuang; Clark, Michele; Hou, Xiang-Yu; Zang, Yuli; FitzGerald, Gerard

2014-01-01

Background Despite the importance of an effective health system response to various disasters, relevant research is still in its infancy, especially in middle- and low-income countries. Objective This paper provides an overview of the status of disaster health management in China, with its aim to promote the effectiveness of the health response for reducing disaster-related mortality and morbidity. Design A scoping review method was used to address the recent progress of and challenges to disaster health management in China. Major health electronic databases were searched to identify English and Chinese literature that were relevant to the research aims. Results The review found that since 2003 considerable progress has been achieved in the health disaster response system in China. However, there remain challenges that hinder effective health disaster responses, including low standards of disaster-resistant infrastructure safety, the lack of specific disaster plans, poor emergency coordination between hospitals, lack of portable diagnostic equipment and underdeveloped triage skills, surge capacity, and psychological interventions. Additional challenges include the fragmentation of the emergency health service system, a lack of specific legislation for emergencies, disparities in the distribution of funding, and inadequate cost-effective considerations for disaster rescue. Conclusions One solution identified to address these challenges appears to be through corresponding policy strategies at multiple levels (e.g. community, hospital, and healthcare system level). PMID:25215910

Metropolitan Medical Response System Program Act of 2009

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-9

2010-01-21

House - 01/28/2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

International recommendations for outpatient palliative care and prehospital palliative emergencies – a prospective questionnaire-based investigation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To determine the international recommendations and current practices for the treatment and prevention of palliative emergencies. The primary goal of the study was to gather information from experts on their nationally practised concepts. Methods One hundred and fifty self-report surveys were distributed by email to selected leading experts (palliative and emergency medical care) in Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. An expert in this context was defined as an author of an article that was ranked by three reviewers as relevant to outpatient palliative and emergency medical . Results The total response rate was 61% (n = 92 experts). Survey responses were obtained from 35 different countries. The following standards in the treatment of palliative emergencies were recommended: (1) early integration of “Palliative Care Teams” (PCTs) and basic outpatient palliative care systems, (2) end-of-life discussions, (3) defined emergency medical documents, drug boxes, and “Do not attempt resuscitation” orders and (4) emergency medical training (physicians and paramedics). Conclusions This study detected structurally and nationally differences in outpatient palliative care regarding the treatment of palliative emergencies. Accordingly, these differences should be discussed and adapted to the respective specifications of individual single countries. A single established outpatient palliative emergency medical care concept may be the basis for an overall out-of-hospital palliative care system. PMID:23432905

Emergence of scale-free characteristics in socio-ecological systems with bounded rationality

PubMed Central

Kasthurirathna, Dharshana; Piraveenan, Mahendra

2015-01-01

Socio–ecological systems are increasingly modelled by games played on complex networks. While the concept of Nash equilibrium assumes perfect rationality, in reality players display heterogeneous bounded rationality. Here we present a topological model of bounded rationality in socio-ecological systems, using the rationality parameter of the Quantal Response Equilibrium. We argue that system rationality could be measured by the average Kullback–-Leibler divergence between Nash and Quantal Response Equilibria, and that the convergence towards Nash equilibria on average corresponds to increased system rationality. Using this model, we show that when a randomly connected socio-ecological system is topologically optimised to converge towards Nash equilibria, scale-free and small world features emerge. Therefore, optimising system rationality is an evolutionary reason for the emergence of scale-free and small-world features in socio-ecological systems. Further, we show that in games where multiple equilibria are possible, the correlation between the scale-freeness of the system and the fraction of links with multiple equilibria goes through a rapid transition when the average system rationality increases. Our results explain the influence of the topological structure of socio–ecological systems in shaping their collective cognitive behaviour, and provide an explanation for the prevalence of scale-free and small-world characteristics in such systems. PMID:26065713

Emergence of scale-free characteristics in socio-ecological systems with bounded rationality.

PubMed

Kasthurirathna, Dharshana; Piraveenan, Mahendra

2015-06-11

Socio-ecological systems are increasingly modelled by games played on complex networks. While the concept of Nash equilibrium assumes perfect rationality, in reality players display heterogeneous bounded rationality. Here we present a topological model of bounded rationality in socio-ecological systems, using the rationality parameter of the Quantal Response Equilibrium. We argue that system rationality could be measured by the average Kullback--Leibler divergence between Nash and Quantal Response Equilibria, and that the convergence towards Nash equilibria on average corresponds to increased system rationality. Using this model, we show that when a randomly connected socio-ecological system is topologically optimised to converge towards Nash equilibria, scale-free and small world features emerge. Therefore, optimising system rationality is an evolutionary reason for the emergence of scale-free and small-world features in socio-ecological systems. Further, we show that in games where multiple equilibria are possible, the correlation between the scale-freeness of the system and the fraction of links with multiple equilibria goes through a rapid transition when the average system rationality increases. Our results explain the influence of the topological structure of socio-ecological systems in shaping their collective cognitive behaviour, and provide an explanation for the prevalence of scale-free and small-world characteristics in such systems.

Use of a Novel Airway Kit and Simulation in Resident Training on Emergent Pediatric Airways.

PubMed

Melzer, Jonathan M; Hamersley, Erin R S; Gallagher, Thomas Q

2017-06-01

Objective Development of a novel pediatric airway kit and implementation with simulation to improve resident response to emergencies with the goal of improving patient safety. Methods Prospective study with 9 otolaryngology residents (postgraduate years 1-5) from our tertiary care institution. Nine simulated pediatric emergency airway drills were carried out with the existing system and a novel portable airway kit. Response times and time to successful airway control were noted with both the extant airway system and the new handheld kit. Results were analyzed to ensure parametric data and compared with t tests. A Bonferroni adjustment indicated that an alpha of 0.025 was needed for significance. Results Use of the airway kit significantly reduced the mean time of resident arrival by 47% ( P = .013) and mean time of successful intubation by 50% ( P = .007). Survey data indicated 100% improved resident comfort with emergent airway scenarios with use of the kit. Discussion Times to response and meaningful intervention were significantly reduced with implementation of the handheld airway kit. Use of simulation training to implement the new kit improved residents' comfort and airway skills. This study describes an affordable novel mobile airway kit and demonstrates its ability to improve response times. Implications for Practice The low cost of this airway kit makes it a tenable option even for smaller hospitals. Simulation provides a safe and effective way to familiarize oneself with novel equipment, and, when possible, realistic emergent airway simulations should be used to improve provider performance.

The Spacecraft Emergency Response System (SERS) for Autonomous Mission Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breed, Julia; Chu, Kai-Dee; Baker, Paul; Starr, Cynthia; Fox, Jeffrey; Baitinger, Mick

1998-01-01

Today, most mission operations are geared toward lowering cost through unmanned operations. 7-day/24-hour operations are reduced to either 5-day/8-hour operations or become totally autonomous, especially for deep-space missions. Proper and effective notification during a spacecraft emergency could mean success or failure for an entire mission. The Spacecraft Emergency Response System (SERS) is a tool designed for autonomous mission operations. The SERS automatically contacts on-call personnel as needed when crises occur, either on-board the spacecraft or within the automated ground systems. Plus, the SERS provides a group-ware solution to facilitate the work of the person(s) contacted. The SERS is independent of the spacecraft's automated ground system. It receives and catalogues reports for various ground system components in near real-time. Then, based on easily configurable parameters, the SERS determines whom, if anyone, should be alerted. Alerts may be issued via Sky-Tel 2-way pager, Telehony, or e-mail. The alerted personnel can then review and respond to the spacecraft anomalies through the Netscape Internet Web Browser, or directly review and respond from the Sky-Tel 2-way pager.

Leadership and the emergency department.

PubMed

LaSalle, Gar

2004-02-01

Emergency medicine, as the nation's health care system's safety net, is facing ever increasing demands on its resources and infrastructure. Classic and modern theories of leadership, which include broader based models that in corporate team responsibilities, should be studied by anyone wearing the mantle of leadership in emergency medicine, and the Realpolitik of the modern hospital must be accommodated if leadership efforts are to succeed.

EEG-Based Detection of Braking Intention Under Different Car Driving Conditions

PubMed Central

Hernández, Luis G.; Mozos, Oscar Martinez; Ferrández, José M.; Antelis, Javier M.

2018-01-01

The anticipatory recognition of braking is essential to prevent traffic accidents. For instance, driving assistance systems can be useful to properly respond to emergency braking situations. Moreover, the response time to emergency braking situations can be affected and even increased by different driver's cognitive states caused by stress, fatigue, and extra workload. This work investigates the detection of emergency braking from driver's electroencephalographic (EEG) signals that precede the brake pedal actuation. Bioelectrical signals were recorded while participants were driving in a car simulator while avoiding potential collisions by performing emergency braking. In addition, participants were subjected to stress, workload, and fatigue. EEG signals were classified using support vector machines (SVM) and convolutional neural networks (CNN) in order to discriminate between braking intention and normal driving. Results showed significant recognition of emergency braking intention which was on average 71.1% for SVM and 71.8% CNN. In addition, the classification accuracy for the best participant was 80.1 and 88.1% for SVM and CNN, respectively. These results show the feasibility of incorporating recognizable driver's bioelectrical responses into advanced driver-assistance systems to carry out early detection of emergency braking situations which could be useful to reduce car accidents. PMID:29910722

Managing multiple-casualty incidents: a rural medical preparedness training assessment.

PubMed

Glow, Steven D; Colucci, Vincent J; Allington, Douglas R; Noonan, Curtis W; Hall, Earl C

2013-08-01

The objectives of this study were to develop a novel training model for using mass-casualty incident (MCI) scenarios that trained hospital and prehospital staff together using Microsoft Visio, images from Google Earth and icons representing first responders, equipment resources, local hospital emergency department bed capacity, and trauma victims. The authors also tested participants' knowledge in the areas of communications, incident command systems (ICS), and triage. Participants attended Managing Multiple-Casualty Incidents (MCIs), a one-day training which offered pre- and post-tests, two one-hour functional exercises, and four distinct, one-hour didactic instructional periods. Two MCI functional exercises were conducted. The one-hour trainings focused on communications, National Incident Management Systems/Incident Command Systems (NIMS/ICS) and professional roles and responsibilities in NIMS and triage. The trainings were offered throughout communities in western Montana. First response resource inventories and general manpower statistics for fire, police, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and emergency department hospital bed capacity were determined prior to MCI scenario construction. A test was given prior to and after the training activities. A total of 175 firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, hospital personnel or other first-responders completed the pre- and post-test. Firefighters produced higher baseline scores than all other disciplines during pre-test analysis. At the end of the training all disciplines demonstrated significantly higher scores on the post-test when compared with their respective baseline averages. Improvements in post-test scores were noted for participants from all disciplines and in all didactic areas: communications, NIMS/ICS, and triage. Mass-casualty incidents offer significant challenges for prehospital and emergency room workers. Fire, Police and EMS personnel must secure the scene, establish communications, define individuals' roles and responsibilities, allocate resources, triage patients, and assign transport priorities. After emergency department notification and in advance of arrival, emergency department personnel must assess available physical resources and availability and type of manpower, all while managing patients already under their care. Mass-casualty incident trainings should strengthen the key, individual elements essential to well-coordinated response such as communications, incident management system and triage. The practice scenarios should be matched to the specific resources of the community. The authors also believe that these trainings should be provided with all disciplines represented to eliminate training "silos," to allow for discussion of overlapping jurisdictional or organizational responsibilities, and to facilitate team building.

Federal Emergency Management Information System (FEMIS) System Administration Guide for FEMIS Version 1.4.6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arp, J.A.; Bower, J.C.; Burnett, R.A.

The Federal Emergency Management Information System (FEMIS) is an emergency management planning and response tool that was developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) under the direction of the U.S. Army Chemical Biological Defense Command. The FEMIS System Administration Guide provides information necessary for the system administrator to maintain the FEMIS system. The FEMIS system is designed for a single Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) site that has multiple Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Each EOC has personal computers (PCs) that emergency planners and operations personnel use to do their jobs. These PCs are corrected via a local areamore » network (LAN) to servers that provide EOC-wide services. Each EOC is interconnected to other EOCs via a Wide Area Network (WAN). Thus, FEMIS is an integrated software product that resides on client/server computer architecture. The main body of FEMIS software, referred to as the FEMIS Application Software, resides on the PC client(s) and is directly accessible to emergency management personnel. The remainder of the FEMIS software, referred to as the FEMIS Support Software, resides on the UNIX server. The Support Software provides the communication data distribution and notification functionality necessary to operate FEMIS in a networked, client/server environment.« less

Two New Pieces of Emergency Response Equipment for use in Confined Space Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graf, John

2011-01-01

NASA is developing two new pieces of emergency response equipment that recognize and address the constraints of a confined space environment. One piece of equipment is a respirator designed for use in a post fire environment. Traditional first responders generally use supplied air respirators - they provide cool, dry, safe breathing air to the first responder, and because they are supplied at above ambient pressure, the system is tolerant to a loose-fitting mask. Supplied air respirators have a limited supply of air, but because the traditional first responder intends to address the emergency from outside and then retreat, this limited air supply does not pose a serious problem. NASA uses a supplied oxygen respirator for first response to an emergency affecting air quality on the International Space Station. The air supply is rated for 15 minutes - ISS program managers sponsored a hardware development activity to provide the astronauts up to 8 hours of breathing protection after the supplied air system is exhausted. Size and weight limitations prevent the use of a supplied air system for 8 hours for six crew members. A trade study resulted in the selection of a filtering respirator system over a re-breather system; due to design simplicity, operational simplicity, and likely threats to air quality on ISS. The respirator cartridge that filters smoke particles, adsorbs organics and acid gases, and catalytically converts carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide has been qualified for use on ISS, and was delivered on STS-135, the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program.

dLOGIS: Disaster Logistics Information System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koesuma, Sorja; Riantana, Rio; Siswanto, Budi; Aji Purnomo, Fendi; Lelono, Sarjoko

2017-11-01

There are three timing of disaster mitigation which is pre-disaster, emergency response and post-disaster. All of those is important in disaster mitigation, but emergency response is important when we are talking about time. Emergency response has limited time when we should give help. Rapid assessment of kind of logistic, the number of survivors, number children and old people, their gender and also for difable person. It should be done in emergency response time. Therefore we make a mobile application for logistics management system. The name of application is dLOGIS, i.e. Disaster Logistics Information System. The application is based on Android system for mobile phone. Otherwise there is also website version. The website version is for maintenance, data input and registration. So the people or government can use it directly when there is a disaster. After login in dLOGIS, there is five main menus. The first main menu shows disaster information, refugees conditions, logistics needed, available logistics stock and already accepted logistics. In the second menu is used for entering survivors data. The field coordinator can enter survivors data based on the rapid assessment in disaster location. The third menu is used for entering kind of logistic. Number and kind of logistics are based on the BNPB needed standard for the survivor. The fourth menu displays the logistics stock available in field coordinator. And the last menu displays the logistics help that already accepted and sent by donation. By using this application when a disaster happened, field coordinator or local government can use maintenance distribution of logistics base on their needs. Also for donor people who will give help to survivor, they can give logistics with the corresponding of survivor needs.

49 CFR 234.109 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.109 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.106 - Partial activation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.101 - Employee notification rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

....101 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at...

49 CFR 234.107 - False activation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.105 - Activation failure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.101 - Employee notification rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

....101 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at...

49 CFR 234.107 - False activation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.107 - False activation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.106 - Partial activation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.101 - Employee notification rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

....101 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at...

49 CFR 234.105 - Activation failure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.109 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.106 - Partial activation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

49 CFR 234.105 - Activation failure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRADE CROSSING SAFETY, INCLUDING SIGNAL SYSTEMS, STATE ACTION PLANS, AND EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Response to Credible Reports of Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail...

[Organisation of emergency medicine in France].

PubMed

Braun, Françis

2015-01-01

The French emergency medicine infrastructure (structures de médecine d'urgence) ensures patients care from the very location of the distress to the appropriate hospital department: medical care in the field, by hospital clinical teams (the services mobiles d'urgence et de réanimation [SMUR]), is a key characteristic of our medical emergency response system. Response to medical distress revolves around information about not only the location and characteristics of the medical need, but also the availability of adapted hospital services. Gathering and transmitting this information is the prerogative of the service d'aide médicale d'urgence (SAMU) and its telephone dispatch center (Centre 15). For patients coming directly to the hospital, the emergency room (ER), a former underfunded and neglected hospital service, has become a key point of access. The ER is now responsible, after providing immediate first line care, to guide the patient through the care system. As such they are equipped with short term hospitalization units designed to enable up to 24h patient observation before orientation. This ensemble, networked at the level of a health territory, ensures the quality, safety, and efficacy that the population is entitled to demand.

Changing the paradigm of emergency response: The need for first-care providers.

PubMed

Bobko, Joshua P; Kamin, Richard

2015-01-01

There is a major gap in the security of the critical infrastructure - civilian medical response to atypical emergencies. Clear evidence demonstrates that, despite ongoing improvements to the first-responder system, there exists an inherent delay in the immediate medical care at the scene of an emergency. This delay can only be reduced through a societal shift in reliance on police and fire response and by extending the medical system into all communities. Additionally, through analysis of military data, it is known that immediately addressing the common injury patterns following a traumatic event will save lives. The predictable nature of these injuries, coupled with an unavoidable delay in the arrival of first responders, necessitates the need for immediate care on scene. Initial care is often rendered by bystanders, typically armed only with basic first-aid training based on medical emergencies and does not adequately address the traumatic injury patterns seen in disasters. Implementing an approach similar to the American Cardiac Arrest Act can improve outcomes to traumatic events. This paper analyses the latest data on active shooter incidents and proposes that the creation of a network of trauma-trained medic extenders would improve all communities' resilience to catastrophic disaster.

Inter-association task force recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of sudden cardiac arrest in high school and college athletic programs: a consensus statement.

PubMed

Drezner, Jonathan A; Courson, Ron W; Roberts, William O; Mosesso, Vincent N; Link, Mark S; Maron, Barry J

2007-03-01

To assist high school and college athletic programs prepare for and respond to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This consensus statement summarizes our current understanding of SCA in young athletes, defines the necessary elements for emergency preparedness, and establishes uniform treatment protocols for the management of SCA. SCA is the leading cause of death in young athletes. The increasing presence of and timely access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at sporting events provides a means of early defibrillation and the potential for effective secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. An Inter-Association Task Force was sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers' Association to develop consensus recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of SCA in athletes. Comprehensive emergency planning is needed for high school and college athletic programs to ensure an efficient and structured response to SCA. Essential elements of an emergency action plan include establishing an effective communication system, training of anticipated responders in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED use, access to an AED for early defibrillation, acquisition of necessary emergency equipment, coordination and integration of onsite responder and AED programs with the local emergency medical services system, and practice and review of the response plan. Prompt recognition of SCA, early activation of the emergency medical services system, the presence of a trained rescuer to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and access to early defibrillation are critical in the management of SCA. In any collapsed and unresponsive athlete, SCA should be suspected and an AED applied as soon as possible for rhythm analysis and defibrillation if indicated.

IMPRESS: medical location-aware decision making during emergencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gkotsis, I.; Eftychidis, G.; Leventakis, G.; Mountzouris, M.; Diagourtas, D.; Kostaridis, A.; Hedel, R.; Olunczek, A.; Hahmann, S.

2017-09-01

Emergency situations and mass casualties involve several agencies and public authorities, which need to gather data from the incident scene and exchange geo-referenced information to provide fast and accurate first aid to the people in need. Tracking patients on their way to the hospitals can prove critical in taking lifesaving decisions. Increased and continuous flow of information combined by vital signs and geographic location of emergency victims can greatly reduce the response time of the medical emergency chain and improve the efficiency of disaster medicine activity. Recent advances in mobile positioning systems and telecommunications are providing the technology needed for the development of location-aware medical applications. IMPRESS is an advanced ICT platform based on adequate technologies for developing location-aware medical response during emergencies. The system incorporates mobile and fixed components that collect field data from diverse sources, support medical location and situation-based services and share information on the patient's transport from the field to the hospitals. In IMPRESS platform tracking of victims, ambulances and emergency services vehicles is integrated with medical, traffic and crisis management information into a common operational picture. The Incident Management component of the system manages operational resources together with patient tracking data that contain vital sign values and patient's status evolution. Thus, it can prioritize emergency transport decisions, based on medical and location-aware information. The solution combines positioning and information gathered and owned by various public services involved in MCIs or large-scale disasters. IMPRESS solution, were validated in field and table top exercises in cooperation with emergency services and hospitals.

A two-stage optimization model for emergency material reserve layout planning under uncertainty in response to environmental accidents.

PubMed

Liu, Jie; Guo, Liang; Jiang, Jiping; Jiang, Dexun; Liu, Rentao; Wang, Peng

2016-06-05

In the emergency management relevant to pollution accidents, efficiency emergency rescues can be deeply influenced by a reasonable assignment of the available emergency materials to the related risk sources. In this study, a two-stage optimization framework is developed for emergency material reserve layout planning under uncertainty to identify material warehouse locations and emergency material reserve schemes in pre-accident phase coping with potential environmental accidents. This framework is based on an integration of Hierarchical clustering analysis - improved center of gravity (HCA-ICG) model and material warehouse location - emergency material allocation (MWL-EMA) model. First, decision alternatives are generated using HCA-ICG to identify newly-built emergency material warehouses for risk sources which cannot be satisfied by existing ones with a time-effective manner. Second, emergency material reserve planning is obtained using MWL-EMA to make emergency materials be prepared in advance with a cost-effective manner. The optimization framework is then applied to emergency management system planning in Jiangsu province, China. The results demonstrate that the developed framework not only could facilitate material warehouse selection but also effectively provide emergency material for emergency operations in a quick response. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Revised fire safety system cuts emergency response time.

PubMed

Keir, D C

1979-03-01

As Margaret R. Pardee Memorial Hospital, Hendersonville, NC. expanded, fire safety plans had to be reevaluated. With each new addition, fire safety responsibilities for hospital personnel multiplied and overlapped. Confusion resulted, and a revised, simplified, and coordinated fire safety system was devised. Seventeen false alarms within one year, caused by a faulty sprinkler system, gave hospital personnel ample opportunity to test the system and iron out unexpected problems.

Emergency Response Planning to Reduce the Impact of Contaminated Drinking Water during Natural Disasters

EPA Science Inventory

Natural disasters can be devastating to local water supplies affecting millions of people. Disaster recovery plans and water industry collaboration during emergencies protect consumers from contaminated drinking water supplies and help facilitate the repair of public water system...

The evolution of Earth Observation satellites in Europe and its impact on the performance of emergency response services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denis, Gil; de Boissezon, Hélène; Hosford, Steven; Pasco, Xavier; Montfort, Bruno; Ranera, Franck

2016-10-01

The paper reviews the evolution of Earth Observation systems in Europe and Worldwide and analyses the potential impact of their performance in support of emergency response services. Earth Observation satellites play already a significant role in supporting the action of first responders in case of major disasters. The main principle is the coordinated use of satellites in order to ensure a rapid response and the timely delivery of images and geospatial information of the area affected by the event. The first part of the paper reviews the main instruments and evaluates their current performance. The International Charter ;Space and Major Disasters;, signed in October 2000, was the first international initiative aimed at establishing a unified system for the acquisition of space data. The charter is a cooperation agreement between space agencies and operators of space systems. At regional level, a similar instrument exists in Asia: Sentinel-Asia. In the frame of the European programme Copernicus, the emergency management service was launched in 2009. Geo-information products derived from space imagery are delivered during all phases of the emergency management cycle, in either rush or non-rush mode, free of charge for the users. In both cases, the capacities were historically drawn from national missions, funded with public money and directly operated by the space agencies or by national operators.

The application of mobile satellite services to emergency response communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freibaum, J.

1980-01-01

The application of an integrated satellite/terrestrial emergency response communications system in disaster relief operations is discussed. Large area coverage communications capability, full-time availability, a high degree of mobility, plus reliability, are pointed out as criteria for an effective emergency communications system. Response time is seen as a major factor determining the possible survival and/or protection of property. These criteria, can not be met by existing communications systems and complete blackouts were experienced during the past decades caused by either interruption or destruction of existing power lines, and overload or inadequacy of remaining lines. Several emergency cases, caused by either hurricanes, tornados, or floods, during which communication via satellite was instrumental to inform rescue and relief teams, are described in detail. Seismic Risk Maps and charts of Major Tectonic Plates Earthquake Epicenters are given, and it is noted that, 35 percent of the U.S. population is living in critical areas. National and international agreements for the implementation of a satellite-aided global Search and Rescue Program is mentioned. Technological and economic breakthroughs are still needed in large multibeam antennas, switching circuits, and low cost mobile ground terminals. A pending plan of NASA to initiate a multiservice program in 1982/83, with a Land Mobile Satellite capability operating in the 806 - 890 MHz band as a major element, may help to accelerate the needed breakthroughs.

Surveillance for pneumonic plague in the United States during an international emergency: a model for control of imported emerging diseases.

PubMed Central

Fritz, C. L.; Dennis, D. T.; Tipple, M. A.; Campbell, G. L.; McCance, C. R.; Gubler, D. J.

1996-01-01

In September 1994, in response to a reported epidemic of plague in India, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) enhanced surveillance in the United States for imported pneumonic plague. Plague information materials were rapidly developed and distributed to U.S. public health officials by electronic mail, facsimile, and expedited publication. Information was also provided to medical practitioners and the public by recorded telephone messages and facsimile transmission. Existing quarantine protocols were modified to effect active surveillance for imported plague cases at U.S. airports. Private physicians and state and local health departments were relied on in a passive surveillance system to identify travelers with suspected plague not detected at airports. From September 27 to October 27, the surveillance system identified 13 persons with suspected plague; no case was confirmed. This coordinated response to an international health emergency may serve as a model for detecting other emerging diseases and preventing their importation. PMID:8964057

Surveillance for pneumonic plague in the United States during an international emergency: a model for control of imported emerging diseases.

PubMed

Fritz, C L; Dennis, D T; Tipple, M A; Campbell, G L; McCance, C R; Gubler, D J

1996-01-01

In September 1994, in response to a reported epidemic of plague in India, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) enhanced surveillance in the United States for imported pneumonic plague. Plague information materials were rapidly developed and distributed to U.S. public health officials by electronic mail, facsimile, and expedited publication. Information was also provided to medical practitioners and the public by recorded telephone messages and facsimile transmission. Existing quarantine protocols were modified to effect active surveillance for imported plague cases at U.S. airports. Private physicians and state and local health departments were relied on in a passive surveillance system to identify travelers with suspected plague not detected at airports. From September 27 to October 27, the surveillance system identified 13 persons with suspected plague; no case was confirmed. This coordinated response to an international health emergency may serve as a model for detecting other emerging diseases and preventing their importation.

Fight or Flight - Regulation of Emergency Hematopoiesis by Pyroptosis and Necroptosis

PubMed Central

Croker, Ben A.; Silke, John; Gerlic, Motti

2015-01-01

Purpose of review A feature of the innate immune response that is conserved across kingdoms is the induction of cell death. In this review, we discuss the direct and indirect effects of increased inflammatory cell death, including pyroptosis, a caspase-1-dependent cell death, and necroptosis, a RIPK3/MLKL-dependent, caspase-independent cell death, on emergency hematopoiesis. Recent findings Activation of non-apoptotic cell death pathways during infection can trigger release of cytokines and/or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-18, IL-33, HMGB1 and mtDNA to promote emergency hematopoiesis. During systemic infection, pyroptosis and necroptosis can directly kill hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, which results in impaired hematopoiesis, cytopenia and immunosuppression. Although originally described as discrete entities, there now appears to be more intimate connections between the non-apoptotic and death receptor signaling pathways. Summary The choice to undergo pyroptotic and necroptotic cell death constitutes a rapid response system serving to eliminate infected cells, including hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. This system has the potential to be detrimental to emergency hematopoiesis during severe infection. We discuss the potential of pharmacological intervention for the pyroptosis and necroptosis pathways that may be beneficial during periods of infection and emergency hematopoiesis. PMID:26049749

Consequence reduction : response and recovery

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-01-01

Because of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, there is a heightened awareness of both the importance and vulnerability of transportation systems and the need for improved emergency response planning. This article reviews the work of the Volpe ...

Defining Requirements and Applying Information Modeling for Protecting Enterprise Assets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortier, Stephen C.; Volk, Jennifer H.

The advent of terrorist threats has heightened local, regional, and national governments' interest in emergency response and disaster preparedness. The threat of natural disasters also challenges emergency responders to act swiftly and in a coordinated fashion. When a disaster occurs, an ad hoc coalition of pre-planned groups usually forms to respond to the incident. History has shown that these “system of systems” do not interoperate very well. Communications between fire, police and rescue components either do not work or are inefficient. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private industry use a wide array of software platforms for managing data about emergency conditions, resources and response activities. Most of these are stand-alone systems with very limited capability for data sharing with other agencies or other levels of government. Information technology advances have facilitated the movement towards an integrated and coordinated approach to emergency management. Other communication mechanisms, such as video teleconferencing, digital television and radio broadcasting, are being utilized to combat the challenges of emergency information exchange. Recent disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in Indonesia, have illuminated the weaknesses in emergency response. This paper will discuss the need for defining requirements for components of ad hoc coalitions which are formed to respond to disasters. A goal of our effort was to develop a proof of concept that applying information modeling to the business processes used to protect and mitigate potential loss of an enterprise was feasible. These activities would be modeled both pre- and post-incident.

Modeling-Enabled Systems Nutritional Immunology

PubMed Central

Verma, Meghna; Hontecillas, Raquel; Abedi, Vida; Leber, Andrew; Tubau-Juni, Nuria; Philipson, Casandra; Carbo, Adria; Bassaganya-Riera, Josep

2016-01-01

This review highlights the fundamental role of nutrition in the maintenance of health, the immune response, and disease prevention. Emerging global mechanistic insights in the field of nutritional immunology cannot be gained through reductionist methods alone or by analyzing a single nutrient at a time. We propose to investigate nutritional immunology as a massively interacting system of interconnected multistage and multiscale networks that encompass hidden mechanisms by which nutrition, microbiome, metabolism, genetic predisposition, and the immune system interact to delineate health and disease. The review sets an unconventional path to apply complex science methodologies to nutritional immunology research, discovery, and development through “use cases” centered around the impact of nutrition on the gut microbiome and immune responses. Our systems nutritional immunology analyses, which include modeling and informatics methodologies in combination with pre-clinical and clinical studies, have the potential to discover emerging systems-wide properties at the interface of the immune system, nutrition, microbiome, and metabolism. PMID:26909350

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems for Disaster Relief: Tornado Alley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeBusk, Wesley M.

2009-01-01

Unmanned aerial vehicle systems are currently in limited use for public service missions worldwide. Development of civil unmanned technology in the United States currently lags behind military unmanned technology development in part because of unresolved regulatory and technological issues. Civil unmanned aerial vehicle systems have potential to augment disaster relief and emergency response efforts. Optimal design of aerial systems for such applications will lead to unmanned vehicles which provide maximum potentiality for relief and emergency response while accounting for public safety concerns and regulatory requirements. A case study is presented that demonstrates application of a civil unmanned system to a disaster relief mission with the intent on saving lives. The concept utilizes unmanned aircraft to obtain advanced warning and damage assessments for tornados and severe thunderstorms. Overview of a tornado watch mission architecture as well as commentary on risk, cost, need for, and design tradeoffs for unmanned aerial systems are provided.

Implementation of Emergency Medical Text Classifier for Syndromic Surveillance

PubMed Central

Travers, Debbie; Haas, Stephanie W.; Waller, Anna E.; Schwartz, Todd A.; Mostafa, Javed; Best, Nakia C.; Crouch, John

2013-01-01

Public health officials use syndromic surveillance systems to facilitate early detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks. Emergency department clinical notes are becoming more available for surveillance but present the challenge of accurately extracting concepts from these text data. The purpose of this study was to implement a new system, Emergency Medical Text Classifier (EMT-C), into daily production for syndromic surveillance and evaluate system performance and user satisfaction. The system was designed to meet user preferences for a syndromic classifier that maximized positive predictive value and minimized false positives in order to provide a manageable workload. EMT-C performed better than the baseline system on all metrics and users were slightly more satisfied with it. It is vital to obtain user input and test new systems in the production environment. PMID:24551413

Implementation of Emergency Medical Text Classifier for syndromic surveillance.

PubMed

Travers, Debbie; Haas, Stephanie W; Waller, Anna E; Schwartz, Todd A; Mostafa, Javed; Best, Nakia C; Crouch, John

2013-01-01

Public health officials use syndromic surveillance systems to facilitate early detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks. Emergency department clinical notes are becoming more available for surveillance but present the challenge of accurately extracting concepts from these text data. The purpose of this study was to implement a new system, Emergency Medical Text Classifier (EMT-C), into daily production for syndromic surveillance and evaluate system performance and user satisfaction. The system was designed to meet user preferences for a syndromic classifier that maximized positive predictive value and minimized false positives in order to provide a manageable workload. EMT-C performed better than the baseline system on all metrics and users were slightly more satisfied with it. It is vital to obtain user input and test new systems in the production environment.

Dual Logic and Cerebral Coordinates for Reciprocal Interaction in Eye Contact

PubMed Central

Lee, Ray F.

2015-01-01

In order to scientifically study the human brain’s response to face-to-face social interaction, the scientific method itself needs to be reconsidered so that both quantitative observation and symbolic reasoning can be adapted to the situation where the observer is also observed. In light of the recent development of dyadic fMRI which can directly observe dyadic brain interacting in one MRI scanner, this paper aims to establish a new form of logic, dual logic, which provides a theoretical platform for deductive reasoning in a complementary dual system with emergence mechanism. Applying the dual logic in the dfMRI experimental design and data analysis, the exogenous and endogenous dual systems in the BOLD responses can be identified; the non-reciprocal responses in the dual system can be suppressed; a cerebral coordinate for reciprocal interaction can be generated. Elucidated by dual logic deductions, the cerebral coordinate for reciprocal interaction suggests: the exogenous and endogenous systems consist of the empathy network and the mentalization network respectively; the default-mode network emerges from the resting state to activation in the endogenous system during reciprocal interaction; the cingulate plays an essential role in the emergence from the exogenous system to the endogenous system. Overall, the dual logic deductions are supported by the dfMRI experimental results and are consistent with current literature. Both the theoretical framework and experimental method set the stage to formally apply the scientific method in studying complex social interaction. PMID:25885446

Puerto Rico Seismic Network Operations During and After the Hurricane Maria: Response, Continuity of Operations, and Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanacore, E. A.; Baez-Sanchez, G.; Huerfano, V.; Lopez, A. M.; Lugo, J.

2017-12-01

The Puerto Rico Seismic Network (PRSN) is an integral part of earthquake and tsunami monitoring in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The PRSN conducts scientific research as part of the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, conducts the earthquake monitoring for the region, runs extensive earthquake and tsunami education and outreach programs, and acts as a Tsunami Warning Focal Point Alternate for Puerto Rico. During and in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the PRSN duties and responsibilities evolved from a seismic network to a major information and communications center for the western side of Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria effectively destroyed most communications on island, critically between the eastern side of the island where Puerto Rico's Emergency Management's (PREMA) main office and the National Weather Service (NWS) is based and the western side of the island. Additionally, many local emergency management agencies on the western side of the island lost a satellite based emergency management information system called EMWIN which provides critical tsunami and weather information. PRSN's EMWIN system remained functional and consequently via this system and radio communications PRSN became the only information source for NWS warnings and bulletins, tsunami alerts, and earthquake information for western Puerto Rico. Additionally, given the functional radio and geographic location of the PRSN, the network became a critical communications relay for local emergency management. Here we will present the PRSN response in relation to Hurricane Maria including the activation of the PRSN devolution plan, adoption of duties, experiences and lessons learned for continuity of operations and adoption of responsibilities during future catastrophic events.

Personal Protective Equipment Supply Chain: Lessons Learned from Recent Public Health Emergency Responses.

PubMed

Patel, Anita; D'Alessandro, Maryann M; Ireland, Karen J; Burel, W Greg; Wencil, Elaine B; Rasmussen, Sonja A

Personal protective equipment (PPE) that protects healthcare workers from infection is a critical component of infection control strategies in healthcare settings. During a public health emergency response, protecting healthcare workers from infectious disease is essential, given that they provide clinical care to those who fall ill, have a high risk of exposure, and need to be assured of occupational safety. Like most goods in the United States, the PPE market supply is based on demand. The US PPE supply chain has minimal ability to rapidly surge production, resulting in challenges to meeting large unexpected increases in demand that might occur during a public health emergency. Additionally, a significant proportion of the supply chain is produced off-shore and might not be available to the US market during an emergency because of export restrictions or nationalization of manufacturing facilities. Efforts to increase supplies during previous public health emergencies have been challenging. During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic, the commercial supply chain of pharmaceutical and healthcare products quickly became critical response components. This article reviews lessons learned from these responses from a PPE supply chain and systems perspective and examines ways to improve PPE readiness for future responses.

Spatiotemporal Detection of Unusual Human Population Behavior Using Mobile Phone Data

PubMed Central

Dobra, Adrian; Williams, Nathalie E.; Eagle, Nathan

2015-01-01

With the aim to contribute to humanitarian response to disasters and violent events, scientists have proposed the development of analytical tools that could identify emergency events in real-time, using mobile phone data. The assumption is that dramatic and discrete changes in behavior, measured with mobile phone data, will indicate extreme events. In this study, we propose an efficient system for spatiotemporal detection of behavioral anomalies from mobile phone data and compare sites with behavioral anomalies to an extensive database of emergency and non-emergency events in Rwanda. Our methodology successfully captures anomalous behavioral patterns associated with a broad range of events, from religious and official holidays to earthquakes, floods, violence against civilians and protests. Our results suggest that human behavioral responses to extreme events are complex and multi-dimensional, including extreme increases and decreases in both calling and movement behaviors. We also find significant temporal and spatial variance in responses to extreme events. Our behavioral anomaly detection system and extensive discussion of results are a significant contribution to the long-term project of creating an effective real-time event detection system with mobile phone data and we discuss the implications of our findings for future research to this end. PMID:25806954

Federal Emergency Management Information System (FEMIS), Installation Guide for FEMIS 1.4.6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arp, J.A.; Burnett, R.A.; Carter, R.J.

The Federal Emergency Management Information System (FEMIS) is an emergency management planning and response tool that was developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) under the direction of the U.S. Army Chemical Biological Defense Command. The FEMIS System Administration Guide provides information necessary for the system administrator to maintain the FEMIS system. The FEMIS system is designed for a single Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) site that has multiple Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Each EOC has personal computers (PCs) that emergency planners and operations personnel use to do their jobs. These PCs are corrected via a local areamore » network (LAN) to servers that provide EOC-wide services. Each EOC is interconnected to other EOCs via a Wide Area Network (WAN). Thus, FEMIS is an integrated software product that resides on client/server computer architecture. The main body of FEMIS software, referred to as the FEMIS Application Software, resides on the PC client(s) and is directly accessible to emergency management personnel. The remainder of the FEMIS software, referred to as the FEMIS Support Software, resides on the UNIX server. The Support Software provides the communication data distribution and notification functionality necessary to operate FEMIS in a networked, client/server environment.« less

Federal Emergency Management Information System (FEMIS) Data Management Guide for FEMIS Version 1.4.6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Angel, L.K.; Bower, J.C.; Burnett, R.A.

1999-06-29

The Federal Emergency Management Information System (FEMIS) is an emergency management planning and response tool that was developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) under the direction of the U.S. Army Chemical Biological Defense Command. The FEMIS System Administration Guide provides information necessary for the system administrator to maintain the FEMIS system. The FEMIS system is designed for a single Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) site that has multiple Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Each EOC has personal computers (PCs) that emergency planners and operations personnel use to do their jobs. These PCs are corrected via a local areamore » network (LAN) to servers that provide EOC-wide services. Each EOC is interconnected to other EOCs via a Wide Area Network (WAN). Thus, FEMIS is an integrated software product that resides on client/server computer architecture. The main body of FEMIS software, referred to as the FEMIS Application Software, resides on the PC client(s) and is directly accessible to emergency management personnel. The remainder of the FEMIS software, referred to as the FEMIS Support Software, resides on the UNIX server. The Support Software provides the communication data distribution and notification functionality necessary to operate FEMIS in a networked, client/server environment.« less

After Action Report: Advanced Test Reactor Complex 2015 Evaluated Drill October 6, 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holmes, Forest Howard

2015-11-01

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Complex, operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) conducted an evaluated drill on October 6, 2015, to allow the ATR Complex emergency response organization (ERO) to demonstrate the ability to respond to and mitigate an emergency by implementing the requirements of DOE O 151.1C, “Comprehensive Emergency Management System.”

Decision Support System for the Response to Infectious Disease Emergencies Based on WebGIS and Mobile Services in China

PubMed Central

Gao, Su-qing; Wang, Zhen; Gao, Hong-wei; Liu, Peng; Wang, Ze-rui; Li, Yan-li; Zhu, Xu-guang; Li, Xin-lou; Xu, Bo; Li, Yin-jun; Yang, Hong; de Vlas, Sake J.; Shi, Tao-xing; Cao, Wu-chun

2013-01-01

Background For years, emerging infectious diseases have appeared worldwide and threatened the health of people. The emergence and spread of an infectious-disease outbreak are usually unforeseen, and have the features of suddenness and uncertainty. Timely understanding of basic information in the field, and the collection and analysis of epidemiological information, is helpful in making rapid decisions and responding to an infectious-disease emergency. Therefore, it is necessary to have an unobstructed channel and convenient tool for the collection and analysis of epidemiologic information in the field. Methodology/Principal Findings Baseline information for each county in mainland China was collected and a database was established by geo-coding information on a digital map of county boundaries throughout the country. Google Maps was used to display geographic information and to conduct calculations related to maps, and the 3G wireless network was used to transmit information collected in the field to the server. This study established a decision support system for the response to infectious-disease emergencies based on WebGIS and mobile services (DSSRIDE). The DSSRIDE provides functions including data collection, communication and analyses in real time, epidemiological detection, the provision of customized epidemiological questionnaires and guides for handling infectious disease emergencies, and the querying of professional knowledge in the field. These functions of the DSSRIDE could be helpful for epidemiological investigations in the field and the handling of infectious-disease emergencies. Conclusions/Significance The DSSRIDE provides a geographic information platform based on the Google Maps application programming interface to display information of infectious disease emergencies, and transfers information between workers in the field and decision makers through wireless transmission based on personal computers, mobile phones and personal digital assistants. After a 2-year practice and application in infectious disease emergencies, the DSSRIDE is becoming a useful platform and is a useful tool for investigations in the field carried out by response sections and individuals. The system is suitable for use in developing countries and low-income districts. PMID:23372780

Data access and dissemination for emergency response and long-term recovery efforts related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Chapter 4B in Science and the storms-the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Scott; Cretini, Chris

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) responded to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by providing geospatial support to Federal, State, and local partners. The NWRC used its data and information management systems to deliver aerial photography and maps to emergency responders in a time of critical need.

ASTER and USGS EROS disaster response: emergency imaging after Hurricane Katrina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duda, Kenneth A.; Abrams, Michael

2005-01-01

The value of remotely sensed imagery during times of crisis is well established, and the increasing spatial and spectral resolution in newer systems provides ever greater utility and ability to discriminate features of interest (International Charter, Space and Major Disasters, 2005). The existing suite of sensors provides an abundance of data, and enables warning alerts to be broadcast for many situations in advance. In addition, imagery acquired soon after an event occurs can be used to assist response and remediation teams in identifying the extent of the affected area and the degree of damage. The data characteristics of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Refl ection Radiometer (ASTER) are well-suited for monitoring natural hazards and providing local and regional views after disaster strikes. For this reason, and because of the system fl exibility in scheduling high-priority observations, ASTER is often tasked to support emergency situations. The Emergency Response coordinators at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) work closely with staff at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) at EROS and the ASTER Science Team as they fulfi ll their mission to acquire and distribute data during critical situations. This article summarizes the role of the USGS/EROS Emergency Response coordinators, and provides further discussion of ASTER data and the images portrayed on the cover of this issue

Report: EPA Has Not Fully Implemented a National Emergency Response Equipment Tracking System

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #11-P-0616, September 13, 2011. Although EPA spent $2.8 million as of October 2010 to develop and implement an EMP emergency equipment tracking module, EPA has not fully implemented the module, and the module suffers from operational issues.

41 CFR 102-74.240 - What are Federal agencies' occupant emergency responsibilities?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 74-FACILITY MANAGEMENT Facility Management Occupant Emergency Program § 102-74.240 What are... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are Federal...

Development and clinical study of mobile 12-lead electrocardiography based on cloud computing for cardiac emergency.

PubMed

Fujita, Hideo; Uchimura, Yuji; Waki, Kayo; Omae, Koji; Takeuchi, Ichiro; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2013-01-01

To improve emergency services for accurate diagnosis of cardiac emergency, we developed a low-cost new mobile electrocardiography system "Cloud Cardiology®" based upon cloud computing for prehospital diagnosis. This comprises a compact 12-lead ECG unit equipped with Bluetooth and Android Smartphone with an application for transmission. Cloud server enables us to share ECG simultaneously inside and outside the hospital. We evaluated the clinical effectiveness by conducting a clinical trial with historical comparison to evaluate this system in a rapid response car in the real emergency service settings. We found that this system has an ability to shorten the onset to balloon time of patients with acute myocardial infarction, resulting in better clinical outcome. Here we propose that cloud-computing based simultaneous data sharing could be powerful solution for emergency service for cardiology, along with its significant clinical outcome.

Idaho National Laboratory Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan - Fiscal Year 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farmer, Carl J.

Department of Energy Order 151.1C, Comprehensive Emergency Management System requires that each Department of Energy field element documents readiness assurance activities, addressing emergency response planning and preparedness. Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, as prime contractor at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has compiled this Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan to provide this assurance to the Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office. Stated emergency capabilities at the INL are sufficient to implement emergency plans. Summary tables augment descriptive paragraphs to provide easy access to data. Additionally, the plan furnishes budgeting, personnel, and planning forecasts for the next 5 years.

Emergency EDAPTS retainer support.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-06-01

The Efficient Deployment of Advanced Transportation Systems (EDAPTS) Smart Transit System Project : required various quick-response deployment support activities over the 26-month period from April 18, 2005 : to June 30, 2007. These activities requir...

Putting Out Fires.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dondero, Tom

1998-01-01

Examines school fire-prevention and emergency-response systems. Advises how administrators can help to protect lives and property, and select the detection and alarm systems that can provide the best protection. Discusses types of extinguishing systems to consider. Provides advice for stopping arson, (GR)

Derivation and Validation of a Biomarker-Based Clinical Algorithm to Rule Out Sepsis From Noninfectious Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome at Emergency Department Admission: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

PubMed

Mearelli, Filippo; Fiotti, Nicola; Giansante, Carlo; Casarsa, Chiara; Orso, Daniele; De Helmersen, Marco; Altamura, Nicola; Ruscio, Maurizio; Castello, Luigi Mario; Colonetti, Efrem; Marino, Rossella; Barbati, Giulia; Bregnocchi, Andrea; Ronco, Claudio; Lupia, Enrico; Montrucchio, Giuseppe; Muiesan, Maria Lorenza; Di Somma, Salvatore; Avanzi, Gian Carlo; Biolo, Gianni

2018-05-07

To derive and validate a predictive algorithm integrating a nomogram-based prediction of the pretest probability of infection with a panel of serum biomarkers, which could robustly differentiate sepsis/septic shock from noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Multicenter prospective study. At emergency department admission in five University hospitals. Nine-hundred forty-seven adults in inception cohort and 185 adults in validation cohort. None. A nomogram, including age, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, recent antimicrobial therapy, hyperthermia, leukocytosis, and high C-reactive protein values, was built in order to take data from 716 infected patients and 120 patients with noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome to predict pretest probability of infection. Then, the best combination of procalcitonin, soluble phospholypase A2 group IIA, presepsin, soluble interleukin-2 receptor α, and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell-1 was applied in order to categorize patients as "likely" or "unlikely" to be infected. The predictive algorithm required only procalcitonin backed up with soluble phospholypase A2 group IIA determined in 29% of the patients to rule out sepsis/septic shock with a negative predictive value of 93%. In a validation cohort of 158 patients, predictive algorithm reached 100% of negative predictive value requiring biomarker measurements in 18% of the population. We have developed and validated a high-performing, reproducible, and parsimonious algorithm to assist emergency department physicians in distinguishing sepsis/septic shock from noninfectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Emergency management training program: Guide to good practice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-07-01

The Emergency Management Training Program Guide to Good Practice is a project of the Training Resources and Data Exchange (TRADE) Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group (EMI SIG). EMI SIG members expressed interest in a resource to assist in development of a comprehensive emergency management training program. This publication provides guidelines, methods, and materials for EMI SIG members to use, assisting in complete and effective emergency management programs. The purposes of the Emergency Management Training Program Guide to Good Practice are: Provide guidance in the development and management of Emergency Management (EM) training programs; Assist EM trainers to incorporate componentsmore » of the DOE Emergency Management System philosophy of planning, preparedness, readiness assurance, and response into EM training programs; Help EM training managers meet EM training requirements and conditions established by current regulations and policies; Supplement other TRADE EMI SIG documents and complement individual facility training documents. This program is designed for emergency management personnel who are responsible for providing or overseeing EM training but who do not necessarily possess expertise in developing training. It provides good practices from the manager's point of view on how to produce, administer, and document facility EM training programs in the spirit of the DOE EM system philosophy. Basic guidance is also included for personnel who design, develop, deliver, and/or evaluate EM training programs or parts. This guidance includes key points of EM training programs and identifies other documents that contain useful and/or more detailed training information.« less

Emergency management training program: Guide to good practice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-07-01

The Emergency Management Training Program Guide to Good Practice is a project of the Training Resources and Data Exchange (TRADE) Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group (EMI SIG). EMI SIG members expressed interest in a resource to assist in development of a comprehensive emergency management training program. This publication provides guidelines, methods, and materials for EMI SIG members to use, assisting in complete and effective emergency management programs. The purposes of the Emergency Management Training Program Guide to Good Practice are: Provide guidance in the development and management of Emergency Management (EM) training programs; Assist EM trainers to incorporate componentsmore » of the DOE Emergency Management System philosophy of planning, preparedness, readiness assurance, and response into EM training programs; Help EM training managers meet EM training requirements and conditions established by current regulations and policies; Supplement other TRADE EMI SIG documents and complement individual facility training documents. This program is designed for emergency management personnel who are responsible for providing or overseeing EM training but who do not necessarily possess expertise in developing training. It provides good practices from the manager`s point of view on how to produce, administer, and document facility EM training programs in the spirit of the DOE EM system philosophy. Basic guidance is also included for personnel who design, develop, deliver, and/or evaluate EM training programs or parts. This guidance includes key points of EM training programs and identifies other documents that contain useful and/or more detailed training information.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnes, Scott V.

On August 1, 2014, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), in coordination with the State of Idaho, local jurisdictions, Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office, and DOE Headquarters (DOE-HQ), conducted the annual emergency exercise to demonstrate the ability to implement the requirements of DOE O 151.1C, “Comprehensive Emergency Management System.” The INL contractor, Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), in coordination with other INL contractors, conducted operations and demonstrated appropriate response measures to mitigate an event and protect the health and safety of personnel, the environment, and property. Offsite response organizations participated to demonstrate appropriate response measures. Report data were collected frommore » multiple sources, which included documentation generated during exercise response, player critiques conducted immediately after terminating the exercise, personnel observation sheets, and evaluation critiques. Evaluation of this exercise served as a management assessment of the performance of the INL Emergency Management Program (IAS141618).« less

Re-emerging Lassa fever outbreaks in Nigeria: Re-enforcing "One Health" community surveillance and emergency response practice.

PubMed

Tambo, Ernest; Adetunde, Oluwasegun T; Olalubi, Oluwasogo A

2018-04-28

We evaluated the impact of man-made conflict events and climate change impact in guiding evidence-based community "One Health" epidemiology and emergency response practice against re-/emerging epidemics. Increasing evidence of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases including recent Lassa fever outbreaks in almost 20 states in Nigeria led to 101 deaths and 175 suspected and confirmed cases since August 2015. Of the 75 laboratory confirmed cases, 90 deaths occurred representing 120% laboratory-confirmed case fatality. The outbreak has been imported into neighbouring country such as Benin, where 23 deaths out of 68 cases has also been reported. This study assesses the current trends in re-emerging Lassa fever outbreak in understanding spatio-geographical reservoir(s), risk factors pattern and Lassa virus incidence mapping, inherent gaps and raising challenges in health systems. It is shown that Lassa fever peak endemicity incidence and prevalence overlap the dry season (within January to March) and reduced during the wet season (of May to November) annually in Sierra Leone, Senegal to Eastern Nigeria. We documented a scarcity of consistent data on rodent (reservoirs)-linked Lassa fever outbreak, weak culturally and socio-behavioural effective prevention and control measures integration, weak or limited community knowledge and awareness to inadequate preparedness capacity and access to affordable case management in affected countries. Hence, robust sub/regional leadership commitment and investment in Lassa fever is urgently needed in building integrated and effective community "One Health" surveillance and rapid response approach practice coupled with pest management and phytosanitation measures against Lassa fever epidemic. This offers new opportunities in understanding human-animal interactions in strengthening Lassa fever outbreak early detection and surveillance, warning alerts and rapid response implementation in vulnerable settings. Leveraging on Africa CDC centre, advances in cloud-sourcing and social media tools and solutions is core in developing and integrating evidence-based and timely risk communication, and reporting systems in improving contextual community-based immunization and control decision making policy to effectively defeat Lassa fever outbreak and other emerging pandemics public health emergencies in Africa and worldwide.

The Engagement of Academic Institutions in Community Disaster Response: A Comparative Analysis

PubMed Central

Dunlop, Anne L.; Logue, Kristi M.

2014-01-01

Objective Using comparative analysis, we examined the factors that influence the engagement of academic institutions in community disaster response. Methods We identified colleges and universities located in counties affected by four Federal Emergency Management Agency-declared disasters (Kentucky ice storms, Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, California wildfires, and the Columbia space shuttle disintegration) and performed key informant interviews with officials from public health, emergency management, and academic institutions in those counties. We used a comparative case study approach to explore particular resources provided by academic institutions, processes for engagement, and reasons for engagement or lack thereof in the community disaster response. Results Academic institutions contribute a broad range of resources to community disaster response. Their involvement and the extent of their engagement is variable and influenced by (1) their resources, (2) preexisting relationships with public health and emergency management organizations, (3) the structure and organizational placement of the school's disaster planning and response office, and (4) perceptions of liability and lines of authority. Facilitators of engagement include (1) the availability of faculty expertise or special training programs, (2) academic staff presence on public health and emergency management planning boards, (3) faculty contracts and student practica, (4) incident command system or emergency operations training of academic staff, and (5) the existence of mutual aid or memoranda of agreements. Conclusion While a range of relationships exist between academic institutions that engage with public health and emergency management agencies in community disaster response, recurrent win-win themes include co-appointed faculty and staff; field experience opportunities for students; and shared planning and training for academic, public health, and emergency management personnel. PMID:25355979

Public Health Response Systems In-Action: Learning from Local Health Departments’ Experiences with Acute and Emergency Incidents

PubMed Central

Hunter, Jennifer C.; Yang, Jane E.; Crawley, Adam W.; Biesiadecki, Laura; Aragón, Tomás J.

2013-01-01

As part of their core mission, public health agencies attend to a wide range of disease and health threats, including those that require routine, acute, and emergency responses. While each incident is unique, the number and type of response activities are finite; therefore, through comparative analysis, we can learn about commonalities in the response patterns that could improve predictions and expectations regarding the resources and capabilities required to respond to future acute events. In this study, we interviewed representatives from more than 120 local health departments regarding their recent experiences with real-world acute public health incidents, such as infectious disease outbreaks, severe weather events, chemical spills, and bioterrorism threats. We collected highly structured data on key aspects of the incident and the public health response, particularly focusing on the public health activities initiated and community partners engaged in the response efforts. As a result, we are able to make comparisons across event types, create response profiles, and identify functional and structural response patterns that have import for future public health preparedness and response. Our study contributes to clarifying the complexity of public health response systems and our analysis reveals the ways in which these systems are adaptive to the character of the threat, resulting in differential activation of functions and partners based on the type of incident. Continued and rigorous examination of the experiences of health departments throughout the nation will refine our very understanding of what the public health response system is, will enable the identification of organizational and event inputs to performance, and will allow for the construction of rich, relevant, and practical models of response operations that can be employed to strengthen public health systems. PMID:24236137

The Predictive Validity of a Gender-Responsive Needs Assessment: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salisbury, Emily J.; Van Voorhis, Patricia; Spiropoulos, Georgia V.

2009-01-01

Risk assessment and classification systems for women have been largely derived from male-based systems. As a result, many of the needs unique to women are not formally assessed or treated. Emerging research advocating a gender-responsive approach to the supervision and treatment of women offenders suggests that needs such as abuse, mental health,…

Challenges and constraints of dynamically emerged source and sink in atomtronic circuits: From closed-system to open-system approaches

PubMed Central

Lai, Chen-Yen; Chien, Chih-Chun

2016-01-01

While batteries offer electronic source and sink for electronic devices, atomic analogues of source and sink and their theoretical descriptions have been a challenge in cold-atom systems. Here we consider dynamically emerged local potentials as controllable source and sink for bosonic atoms. Although a sink potential can collect bosons in equilibrium and indicate its usefulness in the adiabatic limit, sudden switching of the potential exhibits low effectiveness in pushing bosons into it. This is due to conservation of energy and particle in isolated systems such as cold atoms. By varying the potential depth and interaction strength, the systems can further exhibit averse response, where a deeper emerged potential attracts less bosonic atoms into it. To explore possibilities for improving the effectiveness, we investigate what types of system-environment coupling can help bring bosons into a dynamically emerged sink, and a Lindblad operator corresponding to local cooling is found to serve the purpose. PMID:27849034

32 CFR 185.5 - Responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... development of an MSCA data base and emergency reporting system, as described in paragraph (j) of this section... parameters of the DoD Resources Data Base (DODRDB) for MSCA, which is described in paragraph (n) of this section. Facilitate use of that data base to support decentralized management of MSCA in time of emergency...

48 CFR 26.203 - Transition of work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Transition of work. 26.203... PROGRAMS OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS Disaster or Emergency Assistance Activities 26.203 Transition of work... emergency response work to local firms (e.g., unnecessarily broad scopes of work or long periods of...

48 CFR 26.203 - Transition of work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Transition of work. 26.203... PROGRAMS OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS Disaster or Emergency Assistance Activities 26.203 Transition of work... emergency response work to local firms (e.g., unnecessarily broad scopes of work or long periods of...

Prototype development and demonstration for response, emergency staging, communications, uniform management, and evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E.) : information broker framework analysis.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

Through the Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) Program, U.S. DOT desires to improve current operational practices and transform management of future surface transportation systems. The DMA program is designed to enhance deployment of emerging techno...

76 FR 9039 - Emergency Responder Field Operations Guide

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-16

... Command System during incident operations. DATES: Comments must be received by March 18, 2011. ADDRESSES... (ER FOG) is intended for use when implementing the Incident Command System (ICS) in response to an...

Inter-association Task Force recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of sudden cardiac arrest in high school and college athletic programs: a consensus statement.

PubMed

Drezner, Jonathan A; Courson, Ron W; Roberts, William O; Mosesso, Vincent N; Link, Mark S; Maron, Barry J

2007-01-01

To assist high school and college athletic programs prepare for and respond to a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This consensus statement summarizes our current understanding of SCA in young athletes, defines the necessary elements for emergency preparedness, and establishes uniform treatment protocols for the management of SCA. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes. The increasing presence of and timely access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at sporting events provides a means of early defibrillation and the potential for effective secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. An Inter-Association Task Force was sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers' Association to develop consensus recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of SCA in athletes. Comprehensive emergency planning is needed for high school and college athletic programs to ensure an efficient and structured response to SCA. Essential elements of an emergency action plan include establishment of an effective communication system, training of anticipated responders in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED use, access to an AED for early defibrillation, acquisition of necessary emergency equipment, coordination and integration of on-site responder and AED programs with the local emergency medical services system, and practice and review of the response plan. Prompt recognition of SCA, early activation of the emergency medical services system, the presence of a trained rescuer to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and access to early defibrillation are critical in the management of SCA. In any collapsed and unresponsive athlete, SCA should be suspected and an AED applied as soon as possible for rhythm analysis and defibrillation if indicated.

Inter Association Task Force recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of sudden cardiac arrest in high school and college athletic programs: a consensus statement.

PubMed

Drezner, Jonathan A; Courson, Ron W; Roberts, William O; Mosesso, Vincent N; Link, Mark S; Maron, Barry J

2007-01-01

To assist high school and college athletic programs prepare for and respond to a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This consensus statement summarizes our current understanding of SCA in young athletes, defines the necessary elements for emergency preparedness, and establishes uniform treatment protocols for the management of SCA. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes. The increasing presence of and timely access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at sporting events provides a means of early defibrillation and the potential for effective secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. An Inter-Association Task Force was sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers' Association to develop consensus recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of SCA in athletes. Comprehensive emergency planning is needed for high school and college athletic programs to ensure an efficient and structured response to SCA. Essential elements of an emergency action plan include establishing an effective communication system, training of anticipated responders in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED use, access to an AED for early defibrillation, acquisition of necessary emergency equipment, coordination, and integration of on-site responder and AED programs with the local emergency medical services system, and practice and review of the response plan. Prompt recognition of SCA, early activation of the emergency medical services system, the presence of a trained rescuer to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and access to early defibrillation are critical in the management of SCA. In any collapsed and unresponsive athlete, SCA should be suspected and an AED applied as soon as possible for rhythm analysis and defibrillation if indicated.

Inter-association task force recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of sudden cardiac arrest in high school and college athletic programs: a consensus statement.

PubMed

Drezner, Jonathan A; Courson, Ron W; Roberts, William O; Mosesso, Vincent N; Link, Mark S; Maron, Barry J

2007-04-01

To assist high school and college athletic programs prepare for and respond to a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This consensus statement summarizes our current understanding of SCA in young athletes, defines the necessary elements for emergency preparedness, and establishes uniform treatment protocols for the management of SCA. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes. The increasing presence of and timely access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at sporting events provides a means of early defibrillation and the potential for effective secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. An Inter-Association Task Force was sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers' Association to develop consensus recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of SCA in athletes. Comprehensive emergency planning is needed for high school and college athletic programs to ensure an efficient and structured response to SCA. Essential elements of an emergency action plan include establishing an effective communication system, training of anticipated responders in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED use, access to an AED for early defibrillation, acquisition of necessary emergency equipment, coordination and integration of onsite responder and AED programs with the local emergency medical services system, and practice and review of the response plan. Prompt recognition of SCA, early activation of the emergency medical services system, the presence of a trained rescuer to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and access to early defibrillation are critical in the management of SCA. In any collapsed and unresponsive athlete, SCA should be suspected and an AED applied as soon as possible for rhythm analysis and defibrillation if indicated.

Inter-Association Task Force Recommendations on Emergency Preparedness and Management of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in High School and College Athletic Programs: A Consensus Statement

PubMed Central

Drezner, Jonathan A; Courson, Ron W; Roberts, William O; Mosesso, Vincent N; Link, Mark S; Maron, Barry J

2007-01-01

Objective: To assist high school and college athletic programs prepare for and respond to a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This consensus statement summarizes our current understanding of SCA in young athletes, defines the necessary elements for emergency preparedness, and establishes uniform treatment protocols for the management of SCA. Background: Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes. The increasing presence of and timely access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at sporting events provides a means of early defibrillation and the potential for effective secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. An Inter-Association Task Force was sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers' Association to develop consensus recommendations on emergency preparedness and management of SCA in athletes. Recommendations: Comprehensive emergency planning is needed for high school and college athletic programs to ensure an efficient and structured response to SCA. Essential elements of an emergency action plan include establishment of an effective communication system, training of anticipated responders in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED use, access to an AED for early defibrillation, acquisition of necessary emergency equipment, coordination and integration of on-site responder and AED programs with the local emergency medical services system, and practice and review of the response plan. Prompt recognition of SCA, early activation of the emergency medical services system, the presence of a trained rescuer to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and access to early defibrillation are critical in the management of SCA. In any collapsed and unresponsive athlete, SCA should be suspected and an AED applied as soon as possible for rhythm analysis and defibrillation if indicated. PMID:17597956

A dynamic vulnerability evaluation model to smart grid for the emergency response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhen; Wu, Xiaowei; Fang, Diange

2018-01-01

Smart grid shows more significant vulnerability to natural disasters and external destroy. According to the influence characteristics of important facilities suffered from typical kinds of natural disaster and external destroy, this paper built a vulnerability evaluation index system of important facilities in smart grid based on eight typical natural disasters, including three levels of static and dynamic indicators, totally forty indicators. Then a smart grid vulnerability evaluation method was proposed based on the index system, including determining the value range of each index, classifying the evaluation grade standard and giving the evaluation process and integrated index calculation rules. Using the proposed evaluation model, it can identify the most vulnerable parts of smart grid, and then help adopting targeted emergency response measures, developing emergency plans and increasing its capacity of disaster prevention and mitigation, which guarantee its safe and stable operation.

Assistive Technologies and Issues Relating to Privacy, Ethics and Security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Suzanne; Bengtsson, Johan E.; Dröes, Rose-Marie

Emerging technologies provide the opportunity to develop innovative sustainable service models, capable of supporting adults with dementia at home. Devices range from simple stand-alone components that can generate a responsive alarm call to complex interoperable systems that even can be remotely controlled. From these complex systems the paradigm of the ubiquitous or ambient smart home has emerged, integrating technology, environmental design and traditional care provision. The service context is often complex, involving a variety of stakeholders and a range of interested agencies. Against this backdrop, as anecdotal evidence and government policies spawn further innovation it is critical that due consideration is given to the potential ethical ramifications at an individual, organisational and societal level. Well-grounded ethical thinking and proactive ethical responses to this innovation are required. Explicit policy and practice should therefore emerge which engenders confidence in existing supported living option schemes for adults with dementia and informs further innovation.

Public Health System Research in Public Health Emergency Preparedness in the United States (2009–2015): Actionable Knowledge Base

PubMed Central

Lin, Leesa; Bernard, Dottie; Klein, Noah; James, Lyndon P.; Guicciardi, Stefano

2017-01-01

Background. In 2008, the Institute of Medicine released a letter report identifying 4 research priority areas for public health emergency preparedness in public health system research: (1) enhancing the usefulness of training, (2) improving timely emergency communications, (3) creating and maintaining sustainable response systems, and (4) generating effectiveness criteria and metrics. Objectives. To (1) identify and characterize public health system research in public health emergency preparedness produced in the United States from 2009 to 2015, (2) synthesize research findings and assess the level of confidence in these findings, and (3) describe the evolution of knowledge production in public health emergency preparedness system research. Search Methods and Selection Criteria. We reviewed and included the titles and abstracts of 1584 articles derived from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and gray literature databases that focused on the organizational or financial aspects of public health emergency preparedness activities and were grounded on empirical studies. Data Collection and Analysis. We included 156 articles. We appraised the quality of the studies according to the study design. We identified themes during article analysis and summarized overall findings by theme. We determined level of confidence in the findings with the GRADE-CERQual tool. Main Results. Thirty-one studies provided evidence on how to enhance the usefulness of training. Results demonstrated the utility of drills and exercises to enhance decision-making capabilities and coordination across organizations, the benefit of cross-sector partnerships for successfully implementing training activities, and the value of integrating evaluation methods to support training improvement efforts. Thirty-six studies provided evidence on how to improve timely communications. Results supported the use of communication strategies that address differences in access to information, knowledge, attitudes, and practices across segments of the population as well as evidence on specific communication barriers experienced by public health and health care personnel. Forty-eight studies provided evidence on how to create and sustain preparedness systems. Results included how to build social capital across organizations and citizens and how to develop sustainable and useful planning efforts that maintain flexibility and rely on available medical data. Twenty-six studies provided evidence on the usefulness of measurement efforts, such as community and organizational needs assessments, and new methods to learn from the response to critical incidents. Conclusions: In the United States, the field of public health emergency preparedness system research has been supported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since the release of the 2008 Institute of Medicine letter report. The first definition of public health emergency preparedness appeared in 2007, and before 2008 there was a lack of research and empirical evidence across all 4 research areas identified by the Institute of Medicine. This field can be considered relatively new compared with other research areas in public health; for example, tobacco control research can rely on more than 70 years of knowledge production. However, this review demonstrates that, during the past 7 years, public health emergency preparedness system research has evolved from generic inquiry to the analysis of specific interventions with more empirical studies. Public Health Implications: The results of this review provide an evidence base for public health practitioners responsible for enhancing key components of preparedness and response such as communication, training, and planning efforts. PMID:28892437

Public Health System Research in Public Health Emergency Preparedness in the United States (2009-2015): Actionable Knowledge Base.

PubMed

Savoia, Elena; Lin, Leesa; Bernard, Dottie; Klein, Noah; James, Lyndon P; Guicciardi, Stefano

2017-09-01

In 2008, the Institute of Medicine released a letter report identifying 4 research priority areas for public health emergency preparedness in public health system research: (1) enhancing the usefulness of training, (2) improving timely emergency communications, (3) creating and maintaining sustainable response systems, and (4) generating effectiveness criteria and metrics. To (1) identify and characterize public health system research in public health emergency preparedness produced in the United States from 2009 to 2015, (2) synthesize research findings and assess the level of confidence in these findings, and (3) describe the evolution of knowledge production in public health emergency preparedness system research. Search Methods and Selection Criteria. We reviewed and included the titles and abstracts of 1584 articles derived from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and gray literature databases that focused on the organizational or financial aspects of public health emergency preparedness activities and were grounded on empirical studies. We included 156 articles. We appraised the quality of the studies according to the study design. We identified themes during article analysis and summarized overall findings by theme. We determined level of confidence in the findings with the GRADE-CERQual tool. Thirty-one studies provided evidence on how to enhance the usefulness of training. Results demonstrated the utility of drills and exercises to enhance decision-making capabilities and coordination across organizations, the benefit of cross-sector partnerships for successfully implementing training activities, and the value of integrating evaluation methods to support training improvement efforts. Thirty-six studies provided evidence on how to improve timely communications. Results supported the use of communication strategies that address differences in access to information, knowledge, attitudes, and practices across segments of the population as well as evidence on specific communication barriers experienced by public health and health care personnel. Forty-eight studies provided evidence on how to create and sustain preparedness systems. Results included how to build social capital across organizations and citizens and how to develop sustainable and useful planning efforts that maintain flexibility and rely on available medical data. Twenty-six studies provided evidence on the usefulness of measurement efforts, such as community and organizational needs assessments, and new methods to learn from the response to critical incidents. In the United States, the field of public health emergency preparedness system research has been supported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since the release of the 2008 Institute of Medicine letter report. The first definition of public health emergency preparedness appeared in 2007, and before 2008 there was a lack of research and empirical evidence across all 4 research areas identified by the Institute of Medicine. This field can be considered relatively new compared with other research areas in public health; for example, tobacco control research can rely on more than 70 years of knowledge production. However, this review demonstrates that, during the past 7 years, public health emergency preparedness system research has evolved from generic inquiry to the analysis of specific interventions with more empirical studies. Public Health Implications: The results of this review provide an evidence base for public health practitioners responsible for enhancing key components of preparedness and response such as communication, training, and planning efforts.

Government's Role in Reducing "Year-2000" Risks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kappelman, Leon A.; Johnson, Jerry L.; Rosmond, Kathy

1999-01-01

Outlines initiatives for government agencies to help mitigate risks of the year-2000 computer problem. Highlights include courts; criminal justice systems; electric power generation and distribution systems; emergency response systems; environmental agencies; financial institutions; insurance industry; petrochemical refineries and oil/gas-line…

Water Systems Project 1: Current Systems and Regulatory Support

EPA Science Inventory

Water Systems Project 1 objectives: 1) Supply research results to support federal regulations and guidance; 2) provide strategies to regions, states, and communities for improved regulatory compliance, and 3) provide rapid and effective emergency response where appropriate (e.g. ...

Flood-tracking chart for the Chattahoochee River Basin in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

LaFontaine, Jacob H.; McCallum, Brian E.; Stamey, Timothy C.; Wipperfurth, Caryl J.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)—in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local agencies—operates a flood monitoring system in the Chattahoochee River Basin. This system is a network of 35 automated river stage stations that transmit stage data through satellite telemetry to the USGS Georgia Water Science Center in Atlanta. During floods, the public and emergency response agencies use this information to make decisions about road closures, evacuations, and other public safety issues. The emergency phone number for your area is listed under “Local flood emergency phone numbers.”

E-DECIDER Disaster Response and Decision Support Cyberinfrastructure: Technology and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glasscoe, M. T.; Parker, J. W.; Pierce, M. E.; Wang, J.; Eguchi, R. T.; Huyck, C. K.; Hu, Z.; Chen, Z.; Yoder, M. R.; Rundle, J. B.; Rosinski, A.

2014-12-01

Timely delivery of critical information to decision makers during a disaster is essential to response and damage assessment. Key issues to an efficient emergency response after a natural disaster include rapidly processing and delivering this critical information to emergency responders and reducing human intervention as much as possible. Essential elements of information necessary to achieve situational awareness are often generated by a wide array of organizations and disciplines, using any number of geospatial and non-geospatial technologies. A key challenge is the current state of practice does not easily support information sharing and technology interoperability. NASA E-DECIDER (Emergency Data Enhanced Cyber-Infrastructure for Disaster Evaluation and Response) has worked with the California Earthquake Clearinghouse and its partners to address these issues and challenges by adopting the XChangeCore Web Service Data Orchestration technology and participating in several earthquake response exercises. The E-DECIDER decision support system provides rapid delivery of advanced situational awareness data products to operations centers and emergency responders in the field. Remote sensing and hazard data, model-based map products, information from simulations, damage detection, and crowdsourcing is integrated into a single geospatial view and delivered through a service oriented architecture for improved decision-making and then directly to mobile devices of responders. By adopting a Service Oriented Architecture based on Open Geospatial Consortium standards, the system provides an extensible, comprehensive framework for geospatial data processing and distribution on Cloud platforms and other distributed environments. While the Clearinghouse and its partners are not first responders, they do support the emergency response community by providing information about the damaging effects earthquakes. It is critical for decision makers to maintain a situational awareness that is knowledgeable of potential and current conditions, possible impacts on populations and infrastructure, and other key information. E-DECIDER and the Clearinghouse have worked together to address many of these issues and challenges to deliver interoperable, authoritative decision support products.

Benchmark requirements for the the Energy Emergency Management Information System (EEMIS). Phase 1: Work plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-09-01

The energy emergency management information system (EEMIS) has responsibility for providing special information and communication services to government officials at Federal and state levels, who must deal with energy emergencies. Because of proprietary information residing in the data base used for federal purposes, a special system (EEMIS-S) must be established for use by the states. It is planned to acquire teleprocessing services for EEMIS-S from a time-sharing commercial vendor, and the process for procurement must meet guidelines for approval. The work plan and schedule for meeting these guidelines are discussed. Tasks to be included contain estimates of time, cost, and resources required, all of which are briefly described.

44 CFR 208.11 - Federal status of System Members.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Federal status of System..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DISASTER ASSISTANCE NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM General § 208.11 Federal status of System Members. The Assistant Administrator will appoint all Activated System...

44 CFR 208.11 - Federal status of System Members.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Federal status of System..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DISASTER ASSISTANCE NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM General § 208.11 Federal status of System Members. The Assistant Administrator will appoint all Activated System...

44 CFR 208.11 - Federal status of System Members.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2012-10-01 2011-10-01 true Federal status of System..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DISASTER ASSISTANCE NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM General § 208.11 Federal status of System Members. The Assistant Administrator will appoint all Activated System...

44 CFR 208.11 - Federal status of System Members.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Federal status of System..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DISASTER ASSISTANCE NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM General § 208.11 Federal status of System Members. The Assistant Administrator will appoint all Activated System...

44 CFR 208.11 - Federal status of System Members.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Federal status of System..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DISASTER ASSISTANCE NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM General § 208.11 Federal status of System Members. The Assistant Administrator will appoint all Activated System...

Willingness of the Local Health Department Workforce to Respond to Infectious Disease Events: Empirical, Ethical, and Legal Considerations

PubMed Central

Rutkow, Lainie; Barnett, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

According to the Institute of Medicine, the local health department workforce is at the hub of the public health emergency preparedness system. A growing body of research has pointed to troubling attitudinal gaps among local health department workers, a vital response cohort, regarding willingness to respond to emergent infectious disease threats, ranging from naturally occurring pandemics to bioterrorism events. A summary of relevant literature on the empirical evidence, ethical norms, and legal standards applicable to the willingness of public health professionals to respond to an infectious disease emergency is presented. Recommendations are proposed for future work to be done to bring the relevant empirical, ethical, and legal considerations together to develop practical guidance for the local response to infectious disease emergencies. PMID:24963648

IoT based mobile health hub

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Diljo; Vineeth, V. L.; Siddharth, P. G.; Shanmugasundaram, M.

2017-11-01

Technological innovations have a great influence on bio medical field. Even in this advanced era people are struggling due to lack of medical attention or delay in arranging adequate health care. Most of the hospitals have emergency vehicle facility and they are successful in providing emergency response to the needy patient. But the delay in arranging medical attention in hospital is still a big issue. One solution to the above problem is to provide a channel of communication between the emergency vehicle and hospital such that the patient information along with the vitals can be made available to the hospital prior to the arrival of emergency vehicle. This paper proposes such a system where the patient information and vitals are measured and uploaded to a cloud facility. This information helps the doctor to arrange quick medical response.

Using a discrete-event simulation to balance ambulance availability and demand in static deployment systems.

PubMed

Wu, Ching-Han; Hwang, Kevin P

2009-12-01

To improve ambulance response time, matching ambulance availability with the emergency demand is crucial. To maintain the standard of 90% of response times within 9 minutes, the authors introduce a discrete-event simulation method to estimate the threshold for expanding the ambulance fleet when demand increases and to find the optimal dispatching strategies when provisional events create temporary decreases in ambulance availability. The simulation model was developed with information from the literature. Although the development was theoretical, the model was validated on the emergency medical services (EMS) system of Tainan City. The data are divided: one part is for model development, and the other for validation. For increasing demand, the effect was modeled on response time when call arrival rates increased. For temporary availability decreases, the authors simulated all possible alternatives of ambulance deployment in accordance with the number of out-of-routine-duty ambulances and the durations of three types of mass gatherings: marathon races (06:00-10:00 hr), rock concerts (18:00-22:00 hr), and New Year's Eve parties (20:00-01:00 hr). Statistical analysis confirmed that the model reasonably represented the actual Tainan EMS system. The response-time standard could not be reached when the incremental ratio of call arrivals exceeded 56%, which is the threshold for the Tainan EMS system to expand its ambulance fleet. When provisional events created temporary availability decreases, the Tainan EMS system could spare at most two ambulances from the standard configuration, except between 20:00 and 01:00, when it could spare three. The model also demonstrated that the current Tainan EMS has two excess ambulances that could be dropped. The authors suggest dispatching strategies to minimize the response times in routine daily emergencies. Strategies of capacity management based on this model improved response times. The more ambulances that are out of routine duty, the better the performance of the optimal strategies that are based on this model.

Engineering risk assessment for emergency disposal projects of sudden water pollution incidents.

PubMed

Shi, Bin; Jiang, Jiping; Liu, Rentao; Khan, Afed Ullah; Wang, Peng

2017-06-01

Without an engineering risk assessment for emergency disposal in response to sudden water pollution incidents, responders are prone to be challenged during emergency decision making. To address this gap, the concept and framework of emergency disposal engineering risks are reported in this paper. The proposed risk index system covers three stages consistent with the progress of an emergency disposal project. Fuzzy fault tree analysis (FFTA), a logical and diagrammatic method, was developed to evaluate the potential failure during the process of emergency disposal. The probability of basic events and their combination, which caused the failure of an emergency disposal project, were calculated based on the case of an emergency disposal project of an aniline pollution incident in the Zhuozhang River, Changzhi, China, in 2014. The critical events that can cause the occurrence of a top event (TE) were identified according to their contribution. Finally, advices on how to take measures using limited resources to prevent the failure of a TE are given according to the quantified results of risk magnitude. The proposed approach could be a potential useful safeguard for the implementation of an emergency disposal project during the process of emergency response.

The challenge of measuring emergency preparedness: integrating component metrics to build system-level measures for strategic national stockpile operations.

PubMed

Jackson, Brian A; Faith, Kay Sullivan

2013-02-01

Although significant progress has been made in measuring public health emergency preparedness, system-level performance measures are lacking. This report examines a potential approach to such measures for Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) operations. We adapted an engineering analytic technique used to assess the reliability of technological systems-failure mode and effects analysis-to assess preparedness. That technique, which includes systematic mapping of the response system and identification of possible breakdowns that affect performance, provides a path to use data from existing SNS assessment tools to estimate likely future performance of the system overall. Systems models of SNS operations were constructed and failure mode analyses were performed for each component. Linking data from existing assessments, including the technical assistance review and functional drills, to reliability assessment was demonstrated using publicly available information. The use of failure mode and effects estimates to assess overall response system reliability was demonstrated with a simple simulation example. Reliability analysis appears an attractive way to integrate information from the substantial investment in detailed assessments for stockpile delivery and dispensing to provide a view of likely future response performance.

Emergency Response Capability Baseline Needs Assessment - Compliance Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharry, John A.

This document was prepared by John A. Sharry, LLNL Fire Marshal and Division Leader for Fire Protection and was reviewed by LLNL Emergency Management Department Head, James Colson. This document is the second of a two-part analysis on Emergency Response Capabilities of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The first part, 2016 Baseline Needs Assessment Requirements Document established the minimum performance criteria necessary to meet mandatory requirements. This second part analyses the performance of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Emergency Management Department to the contents of the Requirements Document. The document was prepared based on an extensive review of information contained in the 2016more » BNA, a review of Emergency Planning Hazards Assessments, a review of building construction, occupancy, fire protection features, dispatch records, LLNL alarm system records, fire department training records, and fire department policies and procedures. The 2013 BNA was approved by NNSA’s Livermore Field Office on January 22, 2014.« less

CDC's Emergency Management Program activities - worldwide, 2003-2012.

PubMed

2013-09-06

In 2003, recognizing the increasing frequency and complexity of disease outbreaks and disasters and a greater risk for terrorism, CDC established the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), bringing together CDC staff members who respond to public health emergencies to enhance communication and coordination. To complement the physical EOC environment, CDC implemented the Incident Management System (IMS), a staffing structure and set of standard operational protocols and services to support and monitor CDC program-led responses to complex public health emergencies. The EOC and IMS are key components of CDC's Emergency Management Program (EMP), which applies emergency management principles to public health practice. To enumerate activities conducted by the EMP during 2003-2012, CDC analyzed data from daily reports and activity logs. The results of this analysis determined that, during 2003-2012, the EMP fully activated the EOC and IMS on 55 occasions to support responses to infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, national security events (e.g., conventions, presidential addresses, and international summits), mass gatherings (e.g., large sports and social events), and man-made disasters. On 109 other occasions, the EMP was used to support emergency responses that did not require full EOC activation, and the EMP also conducted 30 exercises and drills. This report provides an overview of those 194 EMP activities.

Flood-tracking chart for the Withlacoochee and Little River Basins in south-central Georgia and northern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gotvald, Anthony J.; McCallum, Brian E.; Painter, Jaime A.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local agencies, operates a flood-monitoring system in the Withlacoochee and Little River Basins. This system is a network of automated river stage stations (ten are shown on page 2 of this publication) that transmit stage data through satellite telemetry to the USGS in Atlanta, Georgia and the National Weather Service (NWS) in Peachtree City, Georgia. During floods, the public and emergency response agencies use this information to make decisions about road closures, evacuations, and other public safety issues. This Withlacoochee and Little River Basins flood-tracking chart can be used by local citizens and emergency response personnel to record the latest river stage and predicted flood-crest information along the Withlacoochee River, Little River, and Okapilco Creek in south-central Georgia and northern Florida. By comparing the current stage (water-surface level above a datum) and predicted flood crest to the recorded peak stages of previous floods, emergency response personnel and residents can make informed decisions concerning the threat to life and property.

Emergency medical rescue efforts after a major earthquake: lessons from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.

PubMed

Zhang, Lulu; Liu, Xu; Li, Youping; Liu, Yuan; Liu, Zhipeng; Lin, Juncong; Shen, Ji; Tang, Xuefeng; Zhang, Yi; Liang, Wannian

2012-03-03

Major earthquakes often result in incalculable environmental damage, loss of life, and threats to health. Tremendous progress has been made in response to many medical challenges resulting from earthquakes. However, emergency medical rescue is complicated, and great emphasis should be placed on its organisation to achieve the best results. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake was one of the most devastating disasters in the past 10 years and caused more than 370,000 casualties. The lessons learnt from the medical disaster relief effort and the subsequent knowledge gained about the regulation and capabilities of medical and military back-up teams should be widely disseminated. In this Review we summarise and analyse the emergency medical rescue efforts after the Wenchuan earthquake. Establishment of a national disaster medical response system, an active and effective commanding system, successful coordination between rescue forces and government agencies, effective treatment, a moderate, timely and correct public health response, and long-term psychological support are all crucial to reduce mortality and morbidity and promote overall effectiveness of rescue efforts after a major earthquake. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

WMD first response: requirements, emerging technologies, and policy implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vergino, E S; Hoehn, W E

2000-06-19

In the US today, efforts are underway to defend against the possible terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against US cities. These efforts include the development and adaptation of technologies to support prevention and detection, to defend against a possible attack, and, if these fail, to provide both mitigation responses and attribution for a WMD incident. Technologies under development span a range of systems, from early detection and identification of an agent or explosive, to diagnostic and systems analysis tools; and to forensic analysis for law enforcement. Also, many techniques and tools that have been developed for othermore » applications are being examined to determine whether, with some modification, they could be of use by the emergency preparedness, public health, and law enforcement communities. However, anecdotal evidence suggests the existence of a serious disconnect between the technology development communities and these user communities. This disconnect arises because funding for technology development is derived primarily from sources (principally federal agencies) distant from the emergency response communities, which are predominantly state, county, or local entities. Moreover, the first responders with whom we have worked candidly admit that their jurisdictions have been given, or have purchased for them, a variety of technological devices, typically without consulting the emergency responders about their utility. In private discussions, emergency responders derisively refer to these as a closet full of useless toys. Technology developers have many new and relevant technologies currently in the development pipeline, but most have not been adequately vetted against the field needs or validated for field use. The Center for Global Security Research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology recently sponsored a two-day workshop to bring together some 50 representatives of the emergency response, technology development, and policy communities. Participating in this workshop were first responders (representing law enforcement, public health, and emergency response personnel from Los Angeles County, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and London, England), technology developers from US government laboratories and universities, and policymakers from both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. The workshop had several objectives. First, we wanted the emergency responders to define the utility of various technologies and tools currently available for first response to a WMD event. Second, we expected the workshop to provide input to the technologists directly from the field users, regarding their special requirements for, and constraints on the use of, new emergency response technologies. Third, we planned to expose the first responders to the types of new technologies under development and allow them the opportunity to ask questions and voice their needs. Finally, we planned to provide recommendations to policymakers for new directions for development and investment of technology.« less

Safeguarding production agriculture and natural ecosystems against biological terrorism. A U.S. Department of Agriculture emergency response framework.

PubMed

Sequeira, R

1999-01-01

Foreign pest introductions and outbreaks represent threats to agricultural productivity and ecosystems, and, thus, to the health and national security of the United States. It is advisable to identify relevant techniques and bring all appropriate strategies to bear on the problem of controlling accidentally and intentionally introduced pest outbreaks. Recent political shifts indicate that the U.S. may be at increased risk for biological terrorism. The existing emergency-response strategies of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) will evolve to expand activities in coordination with other emergency management agencies. APHIS will evolve its information superstructure to include extensive application of simulation models for forecasting, meteorological databases and analysis, systems analysis, geographic information systems, satellite image analysis, remote sensing, and the training of specialized cadres within the emergency-response framework capable of managing the necessary information processing and analysis. Finally, the threat of key pests ranked according to perceived risk will be assessed with mathematical models and "what-if" scenarios analyzed to determine impact and mitigation practices. An infrastructure will be maintained that periodically surveys ports and inland regions for the presence of exotic pest threats and will identify trend abnormalities. This survey and monitoring effort will include cooperation from industry groups, federal and state organizations, and academic institutions.

A priority dispatch system for emergency medical services.

PubMed

Slovis, C M; Carruth, T B; Seitz, W J; Thomas, C M; Elsea, W R

1985-11-01

A decision tree priority dispatch system for emergency medical services (EMS) was developed and implemented in Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia. The dispatch system shortened the average response time from 14.2 minutes to 10.4 minutes for the 30% of patients deemed most urgent (P less than or equal to .05); resulted in a significant increase in the use of advanced life support units for this group (P less than or equal to .02); decreased the number of calls that required a backup ambulance service; and significantly increased conformity to national EMS response time standards for critically ill and injured patients (P less than or equal to .0009). Due to dispatch error, 0.3% of calls were dispatched as least severe but subsequently were found to be most urgent.

Implementation of Enhanced Propulsion Control Modes for Emergency Flight Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Csank, Jeffrey T.; Chin, Jeffrey C.; May, Ryan D.; Litt, Jonathan S.; Guo, Ten-Huei

2011-01-01

Aircraft engines can be effective actuators to help pilots avert or recover from emergency situations. Emergency control modes are being developed to enhance the engines performance to increase the probability of recovery under these circumstances. This paper discusses a proposed implementation of an architecture that requests emergency propulsion control modes, allowing the engines to deliver additional performance in emergency situations while still ensuring a specified safety level. In order to determine the appropriate level of engine performance enhancement, information regarding the current emergency scenario (including severity) and current engine health must be known. This enables the engine to operate beyond its nominal range while minimizing overall risk to the aircraft. In this architecture, the flight controller is responsible for determining the severity of the event and the level of engine risk that is acceptable, while the engine controller is responsible for delivering the desired performance within the specified risk range. A control mode selector specifies an appropriate situation-specific enhanced mode, which the engine controller then implements. The enhanced control modes described in this paper provide additional engine thrust or response capabilities through the modification of gains, limits, and the control algorithm, but increase the risk of engine failure. The modifications made to the engine controller to enable the use of the enhanced control modes are described, as are the interaction between the various subsystems and importantly, the interaction between the flight controller/pilot and the propulsion control system. Simulation results demonstrate how the system responds to requests for enhanced operation and the corresponding increase in performance.

40 CFR 265.32 - Required equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... equipment, or automatic sprinklers, or water spray systems. ... of equipment specified below: (a) An internal communications or alarm system capable of providing... assistance from local police departments, fire departments, or State or local emergency response teams; (c...

40 CFR 265.32 - Required equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... equipment, or automatic sprinklers, or water spray systems. ... of equipment specified below: (a) An internal communications or alarm system capable of providing... assistance from local police departments, fire departments, or State or local emergency response teams; (c...

40 CFR 265.32 - Required equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... equipment, or automatic sprinklers, or water spray systems. ... of equipment specified below: (a) An internal communications or alarm system capable of providing... assistance from local police departments, fire departments, or State or local emergency response teams; (c...

40 CFR 265.32 - Required equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... equipment, or automatic sprinklers, or water spray systems. ... of equipment specified below: (a) An internal communications or alarm system capable of providing... assistance from local police departments, fire departments, or State or local emergency response teams; (c...

40 CFR 265.32 - Required equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... equipment, or automatic sprinklers, or water spray systems. ... of equipment specified below: (a) An internal communications or alarm system capable of providing... assistance from local police departments, fire departments, or State or local emergency response teams; (c...

Decision Support for Emergency Operations Centers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, Craig; Lawhead, Joel; Watts, Zack

2005-01-01

The Flood Disaster Mitigation Decision Support System (DSS) is a computerized information system that allows regional emergency-operations government officials to make decisions regarding the dispatch of resources in response to flooding. The DSS implements a real-time model of inundation utilizing recently acquired lidar elevation data as well as real-time data from flood gauges, and other instruments within and upstream of an area that is or could become flooded. The DSS information is updated as new data become available. The model generates realtime maps of flooded areas and predicts flood crests at specified locations. The inundation maps are overlaid with information on population densities, property values, hazardous materials, evacuation routes, official contact information, and other information needed for emergency response. The program maintains a database and a Web portal through which real-time data from instrumentation are gathered into the database. Also included in the database is a geographic information system, from which the program obtains the overlay data for areas of interest as needed. The portal makes some portions of the database accessible to the public. Access to other portions of the database is restricted to government officials according to various levels of authorization. The Flood Disaster Mitigation DSS has been integrated into a larger DSS named REACT (Real-time Emergency Action Coordination Tool), which also provides emergency operations managers with data for any type of impact area such as floods, fires, bomb

Modulation for emergent networks: serotonin and dopamine.

PubMed

Weng, Juyang; Paslaski, Stephen; Daly, James; VanDam, Courtland; Brown, Jacob

2013-05-01

In autonomous learning, value-sensitive experiences can improve the efficiency of learning. A learning network needs be motivated so that the limited computational resources and the limited lifetime are devoted to events that are of high value for the agent to compete in its environment. The neuromodulatory system of the brain is mainly responsible for developing such a motivation system. Although reinforcement learning has been extensively studied, many existing models are symbolic whose internal nodes or modules have preset meanings. Neural networks have been used to automatically generate internal emergent representations. However, modeling an emergent motivational system for neural networks is still a great challenge. By emergent, we mean that the internal representations emerge autonomously through interactions with the external environments. This work proposes a generic emergent modulatory system for emergent networks, which includes two subsystems - the serotonin system and the dopamine system. The former signals a large class of stimuli that are intrinsically aversive (e.g., stress or pain). The latter signals a large class of stimuli that are intrinsically appetitive (e.g., pleasure or sweet). We experimented with this motivational system for two settings. The first is a visual recognition setting to investigate how such a system can learn through interactions with a teacher, who does not directly give answers, but only punishments and rewards. The second is a setting for wandering in the presence of a friend and a foe. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New insights into flood warning reception and emergency response by affected parties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreibich, Heidi; Müller, Meike; Schröter, Kai; Thieken, Annegret H.

2017-11-01

Flood damage can be mitigated if the parties at risk are reached by flood warnings and if they know how to react appropriately. To gain more knowledge about warning reception and emergency response of private households and companies, surveys were undertaken after the August 2002 and the June 2013 floods in Germany. Despite pronounced regional differences, the results show a clear overall picture: in 2002, early warnings did not work well; e.g. many households (27 %) and companies (45 %) stated that they had not received any flood warnings. Additionally, the preparedness of private households and companies was low in 2002, mainly due to a lack of flood experience. After the 2002 flood, many initiatives were launched and investments undertaken to improve flood risk management, including early warnings and an emergency response in Germany. In 2013, only a small share of the affected households (5 %) and companies (3 %) were not reached by any warnings. Additionally, private households and companies were better prepared. For instance, the share of companies which have an emergency plan in place has increased from 10 % in 2002 to 34 % in 2013. However, there is still room for improvement, which needs to be triggered mainly by effective risk and emergency communication. The challenge is to continuously maintain and advance an integrated early warning and emergency response system even without the occurrence of extreme floods.

[Terrorism, public health and health services].

PubMed

Arcos González, Pedro; Castro Delgado, Rafael; Cuartas Alvarez, Tatiana; Pérez-Berrocal Alonso, Jorge

2009-01-01

Today the terrorism is a problem of global distribution and increasing interest for the international public health. The terrorism related violence affects the public health and the health care services in an important way and in different scopes, among them, increase mortality, morbidity and disability, generates a context of fear and anxiety that makes the psychopathological diseases very frequent, seriously alters the operation of the health care services and produces important social, political and economic damages. These effects are, in addition, especially intense when the phenomenon takes place on a chronic way in a community. The objective of this paper is to examine the relation between terrorism and public health, focusing on its effects on public health and the health care services, as well as to examine the possible frames to face the terrorism as a public health concern, with special reference to the situation in Spain. To face this problem, both the public health systems and the health care services, would have to especially adapt their approaches and operational methods in six high-priority areas related to: (1) the coordination between the different health and non health emergency response agencies; (2) the reinforcement of the epidemiological surveillance systems; (3) the improvement of the capacities of the public health laboratories and response emergency care systems to specific types of terrorism as the chemical or biological terrorism; (3) the mental health services; (4) the planning and coordination of the emergency response of the health services; (5) the relations with the population and mass media and, finally; (6) a greater transparency in the diffusion of the information and a greater degree of analysis of the carried out health actions in the scope of the emergency response.

The Systemic Impacts of New York's Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program: A Response to Ackerman, Apple, Barnett, and Goffin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrissey, Taryn W.; Lekies, Kristi S.; Cochran, Moncrieff M.

2007-01-01

We thank Debra J. Ackerman, Peggy L. Apple, W. Steven Barnett, and Stacie G. Goffin for their thoughtful commentaries on our article "Implementing New York's Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program: An Exploratory Study of Systemic Impacts" (this issue). Our response focuses on two main themes that emerged from the commentaries: (a) the…

Selected resources for emergency and disaster preparedness and response from the United States National Library of Medicine.

PubMed

Hochstein, Colette; Arnesen, Stacey; Goshorn, Jeanne; Szczur, Marti

2008-01-01

The Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP) of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) works to organize and provide access to a wide range of environmental health and toxicology resources. In recent years, the demand for, and availability of, information on health issues related to natural and man-made emergencies and disasters has increased. Recognizing that access to information is essential in disaster preparedness, a new focus of NLM's 2006-2016 Long Range Plan calls for the establishment of a Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) that will aid in collecting, disseminating, and sharing information related to health and disasters. This paper introduces several of TEHIP's resources for emergency/disaster preparedness and response, such as the Radiation Event Medical Management Web site (REMM) and the Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) . Several of NLM's other disaster preparedness and response resources will also be reviewed.

Prehospital care in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lo, C B; Lai, K K; Mak, K P

2000-09-01

A quick and efficient prehospital emergency response depends on immediate ambulance dispatch, patient assessment, triage, and transport to hospital. During 1999, the Ambulance Command of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department responded to 484,923 calls, which corresponds to 1329 calls each day. Cooperation between the Fire Services Department and the Hospital Authority exists at the levels of professional training of emergency medical personnel, quality assurance, and a coordinated disaster response. In response to the incident at the Hong Kong International Airport in the summer of 1999, when an aircraft overturned during landing, the pre-set quota system was implemented to send patients to designated accident and emergency departments. Furthermore, the 'first crew at the scene' model has been adopted, whereby the command is established and triage process started by the first ambulance crew members to reach the scene. The development of emergency protocols should be accompanied by good field-to-hospital and interhospital communication, the upgrading of decision-making skills, a good monitoring and auditing structure, and commitment to training and skills maintenance.

A synthetic method for atmospheric diffusion simulation and environmental impact assessment of accidental pollution in the chemical industry in a WEBGIS context.

PubMed

Ni, Haochen; Rui, Yikang; Wang, Jiechen; Cheng, Liang

2014-09-05

The chemical industry poses a potential security risk to factory personnel and neighboring residents. In order to mitigate prospective damage, a synthetic method must be developed for an emergency response. With the development of environmental numeric simulation models, model integration methods, and modern information technology, many Decision Support Systems (DSSs) have been established. However, existing systems still have limitations, in terms of synthetic simulation and network interoperation. In order to resolve these limitations, the matured simulation model for chemical accidents was integrated into the WEB Geographic Information System (WEBGIS) platform. The complete workflow of the emergency response, including raw data (meteorology information, and accident information) management, numeric simulation of different kinds of accidents, environmental impact assessments, and representation of the simulation results were achieved. This allowed comprehensive and real-time simulation of acute accidents in the chemical industry. The main contribution of this paper is that an organizational mechanism of the model set, based on the accident type and pollutant substance; a scheduling mechanism for the parallel processing of multi-accident-type, multi-accident-substance, and multi-simulation-model; and finally a presentation method for scalar and vector data on the web browser on the integration of a WEB Geographic Information System (WEBGIS) platform. The outcomes demonstrated that this method could provide effective support for deciding emergency responses of acute chemical accidents.

A Synthetic Method for Atmospheric Diffusion Simulation and Environmental Impact Assessment of Accidental Pollution in the Chemical Industry in a WEBGIS Context

PubMed Central

Ni, Haochen; Rui, Yikang; Wang, Jiechen; Cheng, Liang

2014-01-01

The chemical industry poses a potential security risk to factory personnel and neighboring residents. In order to mitigate prospective damage, a synthetic method must be developed for an emergency response. With the development of environmental numeric simulation models, model integration methods, and modern information technology, many Decision Support Systems (DSSs) have been established. However, existing systems still have limitations, in terms of synthetic simulation and network interoperation. In order to resolve these limitations, the matured simulation model for chemical accidents was integrated into the WEB Geographic Information System (WEBGIS) platform. The complete workflow of the emergency response, including raw data (meteorology information, and accident information) management, numeric simulation of different kinds of accidents, environmental impact assessments, and representation of the simulation results were achieved. This allowed comprehensive and real-time simulation of acute accidents in the chemical industry. The main contribution of this paper is that an organizational mechanism of the model set, based on the accident type and pollutant substance; a scheduling mechanism for the parallel processing of multi-accident-type, multi-accident-substance, and multi-simulation-model; and finally a presentation method for scalar and vector data on the web browser on the integration of a WEB Geographic Information System (WEBGIS) platform. The outcomes demonstrated that this method could provide effective support for deciding emergency responses of acute chemical accidents. PMID:25198686

Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers. Final rule.

PubMed

2016-09-16

This final rule establishes national emergency preparedness requirements for Medicare- and Medicaid-participating providers and suppliers to plan adequately for both natural and man-made disasters, and coordinate with federal, state, tribal, regional, and local emergency preparedness systems. It will also assist providers and suppliers to adequately prepare to meet the needs of patients, residents, clients, and participants during disasters and emergency situations. Despite some variations, our regulations will provide consistent emergency preparedness requirements, enhance patient safety during emergencies for persons served by Medicare- and Medicaid-participating facilities, and establish a more coordinated and defined response to natural and man-made disasters.

Volcanic risk and tourism in southern Iceland: Implications for hazard, risk and emergency response education and training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bird, Deanne K.; Gisladottir, Gudrun; Dominey-Howes, Dale

2010-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between volcanic risk and the tourism sector in southern Iceland and the complex challenge emergency management officials face in developing effective volcanic risk mitigation strategies. An early warning system and emergency response procedures were developed for communities surrounding Katla, the volcano underlying the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. However, prior to and during the 2007 tourist season these mitigation efforts were not effectively communicated to stakeholders located in the tourist destination of Þórsmörk despite its location within the hazard zone of Katla. The hazard zone represents the potential extent of a catastrophic jökulhlaup (glacial outburst flood). Furthermore, volcanic risk mitigation efforts in Þórsmörk were based solely on information derived from physical investigations of volcanic hazards. They did not consider the human dimension of risk. In order to address this gap and provide support to current risk mitigation efforts, questionnaire surveys were used to investigate tourists' and tourism employees' hazard knowledge, risk perception, adoption of personal preparedness measures, predicted behaviour if faced with a Katla eruption and views on education. Results indicate that tourists lack hazard knowledge and they do not adopt preparedness measures to deal with the consequences of an eruption. Despite a high level of risk perception, tourism employees lack knowledge about the early warning system and emergency response procedures. Results show that tourists are positive about receiving information concerning Katla and its hazards and therefore, the reticence of tourism employees with respect to disseminating hazard information is unjustified. In order to improve the tourism sector's collective capacity to positively respond during a future eruption, recommendations are made to ensure adequate dissemination of hazard, risk and emergency response information. Most importantly education campaigns should focus on: (a) increasing tourists' knowledge of Katla, jökulhlaup and other volcanic hazards and (b) increasing tourist and employee awareness of the early warning and information system and appropriate behavioural response if a warning is issued. Further, tourism employees should be required to participate in emergency training and evacuation exercises annually. These efforts are timely given that Katla is expected to erupt in the near future and international tourism is an expanding industry in Þórsmörk.

Assessment of hospital emergency management in the Beijing area.

PubMed

Yantao, Xin

2011-06-01

In recent years, the number of public health emergencies has increased. Improving hospital emergency management is an important challenge. This is a pilot study intended to assess hospital emergency management in the Beijing area, make recommendations to government health authorities and hospital managers, and offer references for similar studies. This was an observational, cross-sectional survey. Forty-five hospitals in the Beijing area were selected randomly. A self-administered questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. It comprised of three sections: (1) Section A was the introduction; (2) Section B asked for the respondent's personal information; and (3) Section C comprised the major part of the questionnaire and was intended to gather information regarding the hospital's general emergency management situation. The survey response rate was 44%, accounting for 29% of total hospitals that the study targeted. No hospital had an established emergency management department or full-time staff for emergency management. A total of 15-45% of the hospitals had established a hospital emergency management committee, performed a vulnerability analysis, or evaluated emergency management regularly. Twenty-five percent of respondents thought that the local government health authority had established an integrated hospital incident command system. A total of 40%-55% of hospitals contracted with outside institutions for supplements, backup of key functional systems and professional support. After the occurrence of the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, Chinese hospital managers took many measures to improve hospital resilience. However, most of these efforts lacked the guidance of theories, concepts, principles, and methods. An integrated, standardized, operational hospital emergency management model has not been established. Although the survey response rate was relatively low, some clues for further study were discovered, and suggestions to the health authority for hospital emergency management improvement were revealed.

A scalable healthcare information system based on a service-oriented architecture.

PubMed

Yang, Tzu-Hsiang; Sun, Yeali S; Lai, Feipei

2011-06-01

Many existing healthcare information systems are composed of a number of heterogeneous systems and face the important issue of system scalability. This paper first describes the comprehensive healthcare information systems used in National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) and then presents a service-oriented architecture (SOA)-based healthcare information system (HIS) based on the service standard HL7. The proposed architecture focuses on system scalability, in terms of both hardware and software. Moreover, we describe how scalability is implemented in rightsizing, service groups, databases, and hardware scalability. Although SOA-based systems sometimes display poor performance, through a performance evaluation of our HIS based on SOA, the average response time for outpatient, inpatient, and emergency HL7Central systems are 0.035, 0.04, and 0.036 s, respectively. The outpatient, inpatient, and emergency WebUI average response times are 0.79, 1.25, and 0.82 s. The scalability of the rightsizing project and our evaluation results show that the SOA HIS we propose provides evidence that SOA can provide system scalability and sustainability in a highly demanding healthcare information system.

Acceptance and utilisation of the Incident Command System in first response and allied disciplines: an Ohio study.

PubMed

Decker, Russell J

2011-10-01

In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, an effort was made to establish a common and uniform command structure for use by the nation's first responder organisations, as well as those disciplines generally expected to assist first responders during a major incident or disaster. The result was the issuance of the National Incident Management System1 or NIMS by the US Department of Homeland Security in 2004. Included in the NIMS document was an embracing of the Incident Command System or ICS, long utilised in the fire service for the effective management of emergency response. The NIMS doctrine also identified certain allied disciplines that needed to adopt this new system for responding to major events. Some of these disciplines included specialised first response units, such as, bomb squads and hazardous materials teams. Other partner disciplines not usually associated with emergency response to include public health and public works were also included. This study will attempt to look at a single component of NIMS, specifically the Incident Command System, and measure its acceptance and utilisation by first responder organisations and selected allied disciplines in the state of Ohio. This is particularly important at this time since the US government is being forced to reduce budgets significantly and determine which laudable policies and programmes will be cut.

An Update on the Surgeons Scope and Depth of Practice to All Hazards Emergency Response

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

initiatives that are designed to react to and deal effectively with acts of terrorism. All aspects of the surgeon’s role in response to mass casualty...endpoint in terrorism’s designs. Increasingly frequent and effective terrorist acts have forced public health systems worldwide to examine and im...prove their abilities to care for mass casualties. Frykberg and Tepas noted that the most efficient and effective medical response systems have been

The Electronic Intrusion Threat to National Security and Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) Telecommunications. An Awareness Document

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-03-01

Responsibilities, a national security emergency is “any occurrence, including natural disaster, military attack, technological emergency, or other...in information systems increase in Russia, “the growing role of information- technology warfare is rapidly lowering the barrier between war and peace...waging war. As one Russian military theorist stated, “it is necessary to place paramount importance on technological indicators of new weapons, which are

RTSTEP regional transportation simulation tool for emergency planning - final report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ley, H.; Sokolov, V.; Hope, M.

2012-01-20

Large-scale evacuations from major cities during no-notice events - such as chemical or radiological attacks, hazardous material spills, or earthquakes - have an obvious impact on large regions rather than on just the directly affected area. The scope of impact includes the accommodation of emergency evacuation traffic throughout a very large area; the planning of resources to respond appropriately to the needs of the affected population; the placement of medical supplies and decontamination equipment; and the assessment and determination of primary escape routes, as well as routes for incoming emergency responders. Compared to events with advance notice, such as evacuationsmore » based on hurricanes approaching an affected area, the response to no-notice events relies exclusively on pre-planning and general regional emergency preparedness. Another unique issue is the lack of a full and immediate understanding of the underlying threats to the population, making it even more essential to gain extensive knowledge of the available resources, the chain of command, and established procedures. Given the size of the area affected, an advanced understanding of the regional transportation systems is essential to help with the planning for such events. The objectives of the work described here (carried out by Argonne National Laboratory) is the development of a multi-modal regional transportation model that allows for the analysis of different evacuation scenarios and emergency response strategies to build a wealth of knowledge that can be used to develop appropriate regional emergency response plans. The focus of this work is on the effects of no-notice evacuations on the regional transportation network, as well as the response of the transportation network to the sudden and unusual demand. The effects are dynamic in nature, with scenarios changing potentially from minute to minute. The response to a radiological or chemical hazard will be based on the time-delayed dispersion of such materials over a large area, with responders trying to mitigate the immediate danger to the population in a variety of ways that may change over time (e.g., in-place evacuation, staged evacuations, and declarations of growing evacuation zones over time). In addition, available resources will be marshaled in unusual ways, such as the repurposing of transit vehicles to support mass evacuations. Thus, any simulation strategy will need to be able to address highly dynamic effects and will need to be able to handle any mode of ground transportation. Depending on the urgency and timeline of the event, emergency responders may also direct evacuees to leave largely on foot, keeping roadways as clear as possible for emergency responders, logistics, mass transport, and law enforcement. This RTSTEP project developed a regional emergency evacuation modeling tool for the Chicago Metropolitan Area that emergency responders can use to pre-plan evacuation strategies and compare different response strategies on the basis of a rather realistic model of the underlying complex transportation system. This approach is a significant improvement over existing response strategies that are largely based on experience gained from small-scale events, anecdotal evidence, and extrapolation to the scale of the assumed emergency. The new tool will thus add to the toolbox available to emergency response planners to help them design appropriate generalized procedures and strategies that lead to an improved outcome when used during an actual event.« less

Puget Sound Operational Forecast System - A Real-time Predictive Tool for Marine Resource Management and Emergency Responses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Zhaoqing; Khangaonkar, Tarang; Chase, Jared M.

2009-12-01

To support marine ecological resource management and emergency response and to enhance scientific understanding of physical and biogeochemical processes in Puget Sound, a real-time Puget Sound Operational Forecast System (PS-OFS) was developed by the Coastal Ocean Dynamics & Ecosystem Modeling group (CODEM) of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). PS-OFS employs the state-of-the-art three-dimensional coastal ocean model and closely follows the standards and procedures established by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service (NOS). PS-OFS consists of four key components supporting the Puget Sound Circulation and Transport Model (PS-CTM): data acquisition, model execution and product archive, model skill assessment,more » and model results dissemination. This paper provides an overview of PS-OFS and its ability to provide vital real-time oceanographic information to the Puget Sound community. PS-OFS supports pacific northwest region’s growing need for a predictive tool to assist water quality management, fish stock recovery efforts, maritime emergency response, nearshore land-use planning, and the challenge of climate change and sea level rise impacts. The structure of PS-OFS and examples of the system inputs and outputs, forecast results are presented in details.« less

Wireless monitoring of the biological object state at microwave frequencies: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vendik, I. B.; Vendik, O. G.; Kozlov, D. S.; Munina, I. V.; Pleskachev, V. V.; Rusakov, A. S.; Tural'chuk, P. A.

2016-01-01

Radio-frequency identification systems used for the remote diagnostics of diseases and contactless monitoring and assessment of human health are reviewed. The propagation of electromagnetic waves inside a biological medium and along interfaces between different media, as well as the problem of telemetry data acquisition from implanted systems or system on the human body surface using wireless sensors, is considered. Emphasis is on radio-frequency identification systems that use far-field electromagnetic radiation, since they are necessary in emergency situations to find injured people in hard-to-reach places and assess the state of emergency response workers.

14 CFR § 1216.311 - Emergency responses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... would collect extraterrestrial materials from solar system bodies and return them to Earth. 3. NASA Senior Environmental Official—The Senior NASA Headquarters Official responsible for providing executive... Projects/Programs—Those NASA actions that develop products intended for use in space and/or that support...

44 CFR 352.26 - Arrangements for Federal response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Federal response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan. Federal agencies may be called upon to assist the licensee in developing a licensee offsite emergency response plan in areas such as: (a... response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan. 352.26 Section 352.26 Emergency Management and...

44 CFR 352.26 - Arrangements for Federal response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Federal response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan. Federal agencies may be called upon to assist the licensee in developing a licensee offsite emergency response plan in areas such as: (a... response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan. 352.26 Section 352.26 Emergency Management and...

44 CFR 352.26 - Arrangements for Federal response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Federal response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan. Federal agencies may be called upon to assist the licensee in developing a licensee offsite emergency response plan in areas such as: (a... response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan. 352.26 Section 352.26 Emergency Management and...

44 CFR 352.26 - Arrangements for Federal response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Federal response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan. Federal agencies may be called upon to assist the licensee in developing a licensee offsite emergency response plan in areas such as: (a... response in the licensee offsite emergency response plan. 352.26 Section 352.26 Emergency Management and...

Systems Biology Approaches for Discovering Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Feala, Jacob D.; AbdulHameed, Mohamed Diwan M.; Yu, Chenggang; Dutta, Bhaskar; Yu, Xueping; Schmid, Kara; Dave, Jitendra; Tortella, Frank

2013-01-01

Abstract The rate of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in service members with wartime injuries has risen rapidly in recent years, and complex, variable links have emerged between TBI and long-term neurological disorders. The multifactorial nature of TBI secondary cellular response has confounded attempts to find cellular biomarkers for its diagnosis and prognosis or for guiding therapy for brain injury. One possibility is to apply emerging systems biology strategies to holistically probe and analyze the complex interweaving molecular pathways and networks that mediate the secondary cellular response through computational models that integrate these diverse data sets. Here, we review available systems biology strategies, databases, and tools. In addition, we describe opportunities for applying this methodology to existing TBI data sets to identify new biomarker candidates and gain insights about the underlying molecular mechanisms of TBI response. As an exemplar, we apply network and pathway analysis to a manually compiled list of 32 protein biomarker candidates from the literature, recover known TBI-related mechanisms, and generate hypothetical new biomarker candidates. PMID:23510232

A national survey of emergency pharmacy practice in the United States.

PubMed

Thomas, Michael C; Acquisto, Nicole M; Shirk, Mary Beth; Patanwala, Asad E

2016-03-15

The results of a survey to characterize pharmacy practice in emergency department (ED) settings are reported. An electronic survey was sent to all members of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' Emergency Medicine Connect group and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy's Emergency Medicine Practice and Research Network. Approximately 400 nontrainee pharmacy practitioners were invited to participate in the survey, which was open for 30 days. Descriptive statistics were used for all analyses. Two hundred thirty-three responses to the survey that were at least partially completed were received. After the removal of duplicate responses and null records, 187 survey responses were retained. The majority of respondents were from community hospitals (59.6%) or academic medical centers (36.1%). A pharmacist's presence in the ED of more than eight hours per day on weekdays and weekends was commonly reported (68.7% of respondents); 49.4% of institutions provided more than eight hours of coverage daily. Nearly one in three institutions (34.8%) provided no weekend ED staffing. The most frequently reported hours of coverage were during the 1 p.m.-midnight time frame. The distribution of ED pharmacist activities, by category, was as follows (data are median reported time commitments): clinical, 25% (interquartile range [IQR], 15-40%); emergency response, 15% (IQR, 10-20%); order processing, 15% (IQR, 5-25%); medication reconciliation/history-taking, 10% (IQR, 5-25%); teaching, 10% (IQR, 5-15%); administrative, 5% (IQR, 3-10%); and scholarly endeavors, 0% (IQR, 0-5%). Pharmacists from academic and community EDs perform a variety of clinical, educational, and administrative activities. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Parsing interindividual drug variability: an emerging role for systems pharmacology

PubMed Central

Turner, Richard M; Park, B Kevin; Pirmohamed, Munir

2015-01-01

There is notable interindividual heterogeneity in drug response, affecting both drug efficacy and toxicity, resulting in patient harm and the inefficient utilization of limited healthcare resources. Pharmacogenomics is at the forefront of research to understand interindividual drug response variability, but although many genotype-drug response associations have been identified, translation of pharmacogenomic associations into clinical practice has been hampered by inconsistent findings and inadequate predictive values. These limitations are in part due to the complex interplay between drug-specific, human body and environmental factors influencing drug response and therefore pharmacogenomics, whilst intrinsically necessary, is by itself unlikely to adequately parse drug variability. The emergent, interdisciplinary and rapidly developing field of systems pharmacology, which incorporates but goes beyond pharmacogenomics, holds significant potential to further parse interindividual drug variability. Systems pharmacology broadly encompasses two distinct research efforts, pharmacologically-orientated systems biology and pharmacometrics. Pharmacologically-orientated systems biology utilizes high throughput omics technologies, including next-generation sequencing, transcriptomics and proteomics, to identify factors associated with differential drug response within the different levels of biological organization in the hierarchical human body. Increasingly complex pharmacometric models are being developed that quantitatively integrate factors associated with drug response. Although distinct, these research areas complement one another and continual development can be facilitated by iterating between dynamic experimental and computational findings. Ultimately, quantitative data-derived models of sufficient detail will be required to help realize the goal of precision medicine. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2015, 7:221–241. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1302 PMID:25950758

After Action Report: Idaho National Laboratory Annual Exercise June 10, 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnes, Vernon Scott

On June 10, 2015, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), in coordination with the State of Idaho, local jurisdictions, Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID), and DOE Headquarters (DOE HQ), conducted the annual emergency exercise to demonstrate the ability to implement the requirements of DOE O 151.1C, “Comprehensive Emergency Management System.” The INL contractor, Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), in coordination with other INL contractors, conducted operations and demonstrated appropriate response measures to mitigate an event and protect the health and safety of personnel, the environment, and property. Offsite response organizations participated to demonstrate appropriate response measures.

Systems Biology-Based Platforms to Accelerate Research of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

PubMed

Oh, Soo Jin; Choi, Young Ki; Shin, Ok Sarah

2018-03-01

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) pose a major threat to public health and security. Given the dynamic nature and significant impact of EIDs, the most effective way to prevent and protect against them is to develop vaccines in advance. Systems biology approaches provide an integrative way to understand the complex immune response to pathogens. They can lead to a greater understanding of EID pathogenesis and facilitate the evaluation of newly developed vaccine-induced immunity in a timely manner. In recent years, advances in high throughput technologies have enabled researchers to successfully apply systems biology methods to analyze immune responses to a variety of pathogens and vaccines. Despite recent advances, computational and biological challenges impede wider application of systems biology approaches. This review highlights recent advances in the fields of systems immunology and vaccinology, and presents ways that systems biology-based platforms can be applied to accelerate a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of immunity against EIDs. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2018.

Systems Biology-Based Platforms to Accelerate Research of Emerging Infectious Diseases

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) pose a major threat to public health and security. Given the dynamic nature and significant impact of EIDs, the most effective way to prevent and protect against them is to develop vaccines in advance. Systems biology approaches provide an integrative way to understand the complex immune response to pathogens. They can lead to a greater understanding of EID pathogenesis and facilitate the evaluation of newly developed vaccine-induced immunity in a timely manner. In recent years, advances in high throughput technologies have enabled researchers to successfully apply systems biology methods to analyze immune responses to a variety of pathogens and vaccines. Despite recent advances, computational and biological challenges impede wider application of systems biology approaches. This review highlights recent advances in the fields of systems immunology and vaccinology, and presents ways that systems biology-based platforms can be applied to accelerate a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of immunity against EIDs. PMID:29436184

Redox modulation of cellular stress response and lipoxin A4 expression by Hericium Erinaceus in rat brain: relevance to Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis.

PubMed

Trovato, A; Siracusa, R; Di Paola, R; Scuto, M; Ontario, M L; Bua, Ornella; Di Mauro, Paola; Toscano, M A; Petralia, C C T; Maiolino, L; Serra, A; Cuzzocrea, S; Calabrese, Vittorio

2016-01-01

There has been a recent upsurge of interest in complementary medicine, especially dietary supplements and foods functional in delaying the onset of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases. Mushrooms have long been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, being now increasingly recognized as antitumor, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial and hepatoprotective agent also capable to stimulate host immune responses. Here we provide evidence of neuroprotective action of Hericium Herinaceus when administered orally to rat. Expression of Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) was measured in different brain regions after oral administration of a biomass Hericium preparation, given for 3 month. LXA4 up-regulation was associated with an increased content of redox sensitive proteins involved in cellular stress response, such as Hsp72, Heme oxygenase -1 and Thioredoxin. In the brain of rats receiving Hericium, maximum induction of LXA4 was observed in cortex, and hippocampus followed by substantia Nigra, striatum and cerebellum. Increasing evidence supports the notion that oxidative stress-driven neuroinflammation is a fundamental cause in neurodegenerative diseases. As prominent intracellular redox system involved in neuroprotection, the vitagene system is emerging as a neurohormetic potential target for novel cytoprotective interventions. Vitagenes encode for cytoprotective heat shock proteins 70, heme oxygenase-1, thioredoxin and Lipoxin A4. Emerging interest is now focussing on molecules capable of activating the vitagene system as novel therapeutic target to minimize deleterious consequences associated with free radical-induced cell damage, such as in neurodegeneration. LXA4 is an emerging endogenous eicosanoid able to promote resolution of inflammation, acting as an endogenous "braking signal" in the inflammatory process. In addition, Hsp system is emerging as key pathway for modulation to prevent neuronal dysfunction, caused by protein misfolding. Conceivably, activation of LXA4 signaling and modulation of stress responsive vitagene proteins could serve as a potential therapeutic target for AD-related inflammation and neurodegenerative damage.

An organized, comprehensive, and security-enabled strategic response to the Haiti earthquake: a description of pre-deployment readiness preparation and preliminary experience from an academic anesthesiology department with no preexisting international disaster response program.

PubMed

McCunn, Maureen; Ashburn, Michael A; Floyd, Thomas F; Schwab, C William; Harrington, Paul; Hanson, C William; Sarani, Babak; Mehta, Samir; Speck, Rebecca M; Fleisher, Lee A

2010-12-01

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 16:53 local time, a magnitude 7.0 M(w) earthquake struck Haiti. The global humanitarian attempt to respond was swift, but poor infrastructure and emergency preparedness limited many efforts. Rapid, successful deployment of emergency medical care teams was accomplished by organizations with experience in mass disaster casualty response. Well-intentioned, but unprepared, medical teams also responded. In this report, we describe the preparation and planning process used at an academic university department of anesthesiology with no preexisting international disaster response program, after a call from an American-based nongovernmental organization operating in Haiti requested medical support. The focus of this article is the pre-deployment readiness process, and is not a post-deployment report describing the medical care provided in Haiti. A real-time qualitative assessment and systematic review of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's communications and actions relevant to the Haiti earthquake were performed. Team meetings, conference calls, and electronic mail communication pertaining to planning, decision support, equipment procurement, and actions and steps up to the day of deployment were reviewed and abstracted. Timing of key events was compiled and a response timeline for this process was developed. Interviews with returning anesthesiology members were conducted. Four days after the Haiti earthquake, Partners in Health, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, with >20 years of experience providing medical care in Haiti contacted the University of Pennsylvania Health System to request medical team support. The departments of anesthesiology, surgery, orthopedics, and nursing responded to this request with a volunteer selection process, vaccination program, and systematic development of equipment lists. World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control guidelines, the American Society of Anesthesiology Committee on Trauma and Emergency Preparedness, published articles, and in-country contacts were used to guide the preparatory process. An organized strategic response to medical needs after an international natural disaster emergency can be accomplished safely and effectively within 6 to 12 days by an academic anesthesiology department, with medical system support, in a center with no previously established response system. The value and timeliness of this response will be determined with further study. Institutions with limited experience in putting an emergency medical team into the field may be able to quickly do so when such efforts are executed in a systematic manner in coordination with a health care organization that already has support infrastructure at the site of the disaster.

An emergency call system for patients in locked-in state using an SSVEP-based brain switch.

PubMed

Lim, Jeong-Hwan; Kim, Yong-Wook; Lee, Jun-Hak; An, Kwang-Ok; Hwang, Han-Jeong; Cha, Ho-Seung; Han, Chang-Hee; Im, Chang-Hwan

2017-11-01

Patients in a locked-in state (LIS) due to severe neurological disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) require seamless emergency care by their caregivers or guardians. However, it is a difficult job for the guardians to continuously monitor the patients' state, especially when direct communication is not possible. In the present study, we developed an emergency call system for such patients using a steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based brain switch. Although there have been previous studies to implement SSVEP-based brain switch system, they have not been applied to patients in LIS, and thus their clinical value has not been validated. In this study, we verified whether the SSVEP-based brain switch system can be practically used as an emergency call system for patients in LIS. The brain switch used for our system adopted a chromatic visual stimulus, which proved to be visually less stimulating than conventional checkerboard-type stimuli but could generate SSVEP responses strong enough to be used for brain-computer interface (BCI) applications. To verify the feasibility of our emergency call system, 14 healthy participants and 3 patients with severe ALS took part in online experiments. All three ALS patients successfully called their guardians to their bedsides in about 6.56 seconds. Furthermore, additional experiments with one of these patients demonstrated that our emergency call system maintains fairly good performance even up to 4 weeks after the first experiment without renewing initial calibration data. Our results suggest that our SSVEP-based emergency call system might be successfully used in practical scenarios. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Emergency management in health: key issues and challenges in the UK.

PubMed

Lee, Andrew C K; Phillips, Wendy; Challen, Kirsty; Goodacre, Steve

2012-10-19

Emergency planning in the UK has grown considerably in recent years, galvanised by the threat of terrorism. However, deficiencies in NHS emergency planning were identified and the evidence-base that underpins it is questionable. Inconsistencies in terminologies and concepts also exist. Different models of emergency management exist internationally but the optimal system is unknown. This study examines the evidence-base and evidence requirements for emergency planning in the UK health context. The study involved semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and opinion leaders. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a breadth of views from various agencies involved in emergency planning and response. Interviews were then analysed using a grounded approach using standard framework analysis techniques. We conducted 17 key informant interviews. Interviewees identified greater gaps in operational than technical aspects of emergency planning. Social and behavioural knowledge gaps were highlighted with regards to how individuals and organisations deal with risk and behave in emergencies. Evidence-based approaches to public engagement and for developing community resilience to disasters are lacking. Other gaps included how knowledge was developed and used. Conflicting views with regards to the optimal configuration and operation of the emergency management system were voiced. Four thematic categories for future research emerged:(i) Knowledge-base for emergency management: Further exploration is needed of how knowledge is acquired, valued, disseminated, adopted and retained.(ii) Social and behavioural issues: Greater understanding of how individuals approach risk and behave in emergencies is required.(iii) Organisational issues in emergencies: Several conflicting organisational issues were identified; value of planning versus plans, flexible versus standardized procedures, top-down versus bottom-up engagement, generic versus specific planning, and reactive versus proactive approaches to emergencies.(iv) Emergency management system: More study is required of system-wide issues relating to system configuration and operation, public engagement, and how emergency planning is assessed.

Health systems organization for emergency care.

PubMed

Pedroto, Isabel; Amaro, Pedro; Romãozinho, José Manuel

2013-10-01

The increasing number of acute and severe digestive diseases presenting to hospital emergency departments, mainly related with an ageing population, demands an appropriate answer from health systems organization, taking into account the escalating pressure on cost reduction. However, patients expect and deserve a response that is appropriate, effective, efficient and safe. The huge variety of variables which can influence the evolution of such cases warranting intensive monitoring, and the coordination and optimization of a range of human and technical resources involved in the care of these high-risk patients, requires their admission in hospital units with conveniently equipped facilities, as is done for heart attack and stroke patients. Little information of gastroenterology emergencies as a function of structure, processes and outcome is available at the organizational level. Surveys that have been conducted in different countries just assess local treatment outcome and question the organizational structure and existing resources but its impact on the outcome is not clear. Most studies address the problem of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and the out-of-hours endoscopy services in the hospital setting. The demands placed on emergency (part of the overall continuum of care) are obvious, as are the needs for the efficient use of resources and processes to improve the quality of care, meaning data must cover the full care cycle. Gastrointestinal emergencies, namely gastrointestinal bleeding, must be incorporated into the overall emergency response as is done for heart attack and stroke. This chapter aims to provide a review of current literature/evidence on organizational health system models towards a better management of gastroenterology emergencies and proposes a research agenda. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strengthening Emergency Care Systems to Mitigate Public Health Challenges Arising from Influxes of Individuals with Different Socio-Cultural Backgrounds to a Level One Emergency Center in South East Europe.

PubMed

Twomey, Michèle; Šijački, Ana; Krummrey, Gert; Welzel, Tyson; Exadaktylos, Aristomenis K; Ercegovac, Marko

2018-03-12

Emergency center visits are mostly unscheduled, undifferentiated, and unpredictable. A standardized triage process is an opportunity to obtain real-time data that paints a picture of the variation in acuity found in emergency centers. This is particularly pertinent as the influx of people seeking asylum or in transit mostly present with emergency care needs or first seek help at an emergency center. Triage not only reduces the risk of missing or losing a patient that may be deteriorating in the waiting room but also enables a time-critical response in the emergency care service provision. As part of a joint emergency care system strengthening and patient safety initiative, the Serbian Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence in Emergency Medicine (CEEM) introduced a standardized triage process at the Clinical Centre of Serbia (CCS). This paper describes four crucial stages that were considered for the integration of a standardized triage process into acute care pathways.

Identifying pneumonia outbreaks of public health importance: can emergency department data assist in earlier identification?

PubMed

Hope, Kirsty; Durrheim, David N; Muscatello, David; Merritt, Tony; Zheng, Wei; Massey, Peter; Cashman, Patrick; Eastwood, Keith

2008-08-01

To retrospectively review the performance of a near real-time Emergency Department (ED) Syndromic Surveillance System operating in New South Wales for identifying pneumonia outbreaks of public health importance. Retrospective data was obtained from the NSW Emergency Department data collection for a rural hospital that has experienced a cluster of pneumonia diagnoses among teenage males in August 2006. ED standard reports were examined for signals in the overall count for each respiratory syndrome, and for elevated counts in individual subgroups including; age, sex and admission to hospital status. Using the current thresholds, the ED syndromic surveillance system would have trigged a signal for pneumonia syndrome in children aged 5-16 years four days earlier than the notification by a paediatrician and this signal was maintained for 14 days. If the ED syndromic surveillance system had been operating it could have identified the outbreak earlier than the paediatrician's notification. This may have permitted an earlier public health response. By understanding the behaviour of syndromes during outbreaks of public health importance, response protocols could be developed to facilitate earlier implementation of control measures.

Flu, Floods, and Fire: Ethical Public Health Preparedness.

PubMed

Phelan, Alexandra L; Gostin, Lawrence O

2017-05-01

Even as public health ethics was developing as a field, major incidents such as 9/11 and the SARS epidemic propelled discourse around public health emergency preparedness and response. Policy and practice shifted to a multidisciplinary approach, recognizing the broad range of potential threats to public health, including biological, physical, radiological, and chemical threats. This propelled the development of surveillance systems to detect incidents, laboratory capacities to rapidly test for potential threats, and therapeutic and social countermeasures to prepare for and respond to a range of hazards. In bringing public health ethics and emergency preparedness together, Emergency Ethics: Public Health Preparedness and Response adds depth and complexity to both fields. As global threats continue to emerge, the book, edited by Bruce Jennings, John D. Arras, Drue H. Barrett, and Barbara A. Ellis, will offer a vital compass. © 2017 The Hastings Center.

Test procedures and performance measures sensitive to automobile steering dynamics. [considering operator/vehicle responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klein, R. H.; Mcruer, D. T.; Weir, D.

1975-01-01

A maneuver complex and related performance measures used to evaluate driver/vehicle system responses as effected by variations in the directional response characteristics of passenger cars are described. The complex consists of normal and emergency maneuvers (including random and discrete disturbances) which, taken as a whole, represent all classes of steering functions and all modes of driver response behavior. Measures of driver/vehicle system response and performance in regulation tasks included direct describing function measurements and rms yaw velocity. In transient maneuvers, measures such as steering activity and cone strikes were used.

Thyroid-adrenergic interactions: physiological and clinical implications.

PubMed

Silva, J Enrique; Bianco, Suzy D C

2008-02-01

The sympathoadrenal system, including the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal medulla, interacts with thyroid hormone (TH) at various levels. Both systems are evolutionary old and regulate independent functions, playing probably independent roles in poikilothermic species. With the advent of homeothermy, TH acquired a new role, which is to stimulate thermogenic mechanisms and synergize with the sympathoadrenal system to produce heat and maintain body temperature. An important part of this new function is mediated through coordinated and, most of the time, synergistic interactions with the sympathoadrenal system. Catecholamines can in turn activate TH in a tissue-specific manner, most notably in brown adipose tissue. Such interactions are of great adaptive value in cold adaptation and in states needing high-energy output. Conversely, in states of emergency where energy demand should be reduced, such as disease and starvation, both systems are turned down. In pathological states, where one of the systems is fixed at a high or a low level, coordination is lost with disruption of the physiology and development of symptoms. Exaggerated responses to catecholamines dominate the manifestations of thyrotoxicosis, while hypothyroidism is characterized by a narrowing of adaptive responses (e.g., thermogenic, cardiovascular, and lipolytic). Finally, emerging results suggest the possibility that disrupted interactions between the two systems contribute to explain metabolic variability, for example, fuel efficiency, energy expenditure, and lipolytic responses.

Crisis Decision-Making During Hurricane Sandy: An Analysis of Established and Emergent Disaster Response Behaviors in the New York Metro Area.

PubMed

Chandler, Thomas; Abramson, David M; Panigrahi, Benita; Schlegelmilch, Jeff; Frye, Noelle

2016-06-01

This collective case study examined how and why specific organizational decision-making processes transpired at 2 large suburban county health departments in lower New York State during their response to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The study also examined the relationships that the agencies developed with other emerging and established organizations within their respective health systems. In investigating these themes, the authors conducted in-depth, one-on-one interviews with 30 senior-level public health staff and first responders; reviewed documentation; and moderated 2 focus group discussions with 17 participants. Although a natural hazard such as a hurricane was not an unexpected event for these health departments, they nevertheless confronted a number of unforeseen challenges during the response phase: prolonged loss of power and fuel, limited situational awareness of the depth and breadth of the storm's impact among disaster-exposed populations, and coordination problems with a number of organizations that emerged in response to the disaster. Public health staff had few plans or protocols to guide them and often found themselves improvising and problem-solving with new organizations in the context of an overburdened health care system (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:436-442).

Ethical issues in the response to Ebola virus disease in US emergency departments: a position paper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

PubMed

Venkat, Arvind; Wolf, Lisa; Geiderman, Joel M; Asher, Shellie L; Marco, Catherine A; McGreevy, Jolion; Derse, Arthur R; Otten, Edward J; Jesus, John E; Kreitzer, Natalie P; Escalante, Monica; Levine, Adam C

2015-03-01

The 2014 outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa has presented a significant public health crisis to the international health community and challenged US emergency departments to prepare for patients with a disease of exceeding rarity in developed nations. With the presentation of patients with Ebola to US acute care facilities, ethical questions have been raised in both the press and medical literature as to how US emergency departments, emergency physicians, emergency nurses and other stakeholders in the healthcare system should approach the current epidemic and its potential for spread in the domestic environment. To address these concerns, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine developed this joint position paper to provide guidance to US emergency physicians, emergency nurses and other stakeholders in the healthcare system on how to approach the ethical dilemmas posed by the outbreak of EVD. This paper will address areas of immediate and potential ethical concern to US emergency departments in how they approach preparation for and management of potential patients with EVD. Copyright © 2015 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

System implications of the ambulance arrival-to-patient contact interval on response interval compliance.

PubMed

Campbell, J P; Gratton, M C; Salomone, J A; Lindholm, D J; Watson, W A

1994-01-01

In some emergency medical services (EMS) system designs, response time intervals are mandated with monetary penalties for noncompliance. These times are set with the goal of providing rapid, definitive patient care. The time interval of vehicle at scene-to-patient access (VSPA) has been measured, but its effect on response time interval compliance has not been determined. To determine the effect of the VSPA interval on the mandated code 1 (< 9 min) and code 2 (< 13 min) response time interval compliance in an urban, public-utility model system. A prospective, observational study used independent third-party riders to collect the VSPA interval for emergency life-threatening (code 1) and emergency nonlife-threatening (code 2) calls. The VSPA interval was added to the 9-1-1 call-to-dispatch and vehicle dispatch-to-scene intervals to determine the total time interval from call received until paramedic access to the patient (9-1-1 call-to-patient access). Compliance with the mandated response time intervals was determined using the traditional time intervals (9-1-1 call-to-scene) plus the VSPA time intervals (9-1-1 call-to-patient access). Chi-square was used to determine statistical significance. Of the 216 observed calls, 198 were matched to the traditional time intervals. Sixty-three were code 1, and 135 were code 2. Of the code 1 calls, 90.5% were compliant using 9-1-1 call-to-scene intervals dropping to 63.5% using 9-1-1 call-to-patient access intervals (p < 0.0005). Of the code 2 calls, 94.1% were compliant using 9-1-1 call-to-scene intervals. Compliance decreased to 83.7% using 9-1-1 call-to-patient access intervals (p = 0.012). The addition of the VSPA interval to the traditional time intervals impacts system response time compliance. Using 9-1-1 call-to-scene compliance as a basis for measuring system performance underestimates the time for the delivery of definitive care. This must be considered when response time interval compliances are defined.

Timescales and the management of ecological systems.

PubMed

Hastings, Alan

2016-12-20

Human management of ecological systems, including issues like fisheries, invasive species, and restoration, as well as others, often must be undertaken with limited information. This means that developing general principles and heuristic approaches is important. Here, I focus on one aspect, the importance of an explicit consideration of time, which arises because of the inherent limitations in the response of ecological systems. I focus mainly on simple systems and models, beginning with systems without density dependence, which are therefore linear. Even for these systems, it is important to recognize the necessary delays in the response of the ecological system to management. Here, I also provide details for optimization that show how general results emerge and emphasize how delays due to demography and life histories can change the optimal management approach. A brief discussion of systems with density dependence and tipping points shows that the same themes emerge, namely, that when considering issues of restoration or management to change the state of an ecological system, that timescales need explicit consideration and may change the optimal approach in important ways.

47 CFR 202.2 - Criteria and guidance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... operations management will remain decentralized in order to retain flexibility in the use of individual... responsible for telecommunications systems operations, and the carriers, are responsible for planning with respect to emergency operations. Guidance in this matter has been issued from a number of sources and...

Suggested Guide for Fire Service Standard Operating Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillett, Merl; Hertzler, Simon L.

Suggested guidelines for the development of fire service standard operating procedures are presented in this document. Section topics are as follow: chain of command; communications; emergency response; apparatus; fire service training; disaster response; aircraft fire safety; mutual aid; national reporting system (example reporting forms);…

Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak: Action Items for Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response.

PubMed

Jacobsen, Kathryn H; Aguirre, A Alonso; Bailey, Charles L; Baranova, Ancha V; Crooks, Andrew T; Croitoru, Arie; Delamater, Paul L; Gupta, Jhumka; Kehn-Hall, Kylene; Narayanan, Aarthi; Pierobon, Mariaelena; Rowan, Katherine E; Schwebach, J Reid; Seshaiyer, Padmanabhan; Sklarew, Dann M; Stefanidis, Anthony; Agouris, Peggy

2016-03-01

As the Ebola outbreak in West Africa wanes, it is time for the international scientific community to reflect on how to improve the detection of and coordinated response to future epidemics. Our interdisciplinary team identified key lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak that can be clustered into three areas: environmental conditions related to early warning systems, host characteristics related to public health, and agent issues that can be addressed through the laboratory sciences. In particular, we need to increase zoonotic surveillance activities, implement more effective ecological health interventions, expand prediction modeling, support medical and public health systems in order to improve local and international responses to epidemics, improve risk communication, better understand the role of social media in outbreak awareness and response, produce better diagnostic tools, create better therapeutic medications, and design better vaccines. This list highlights research priorities and policy actions the global community can take now to be better prepared for future emerging infectious disease outbreaks that threaten global public health and security.

Harnessing the Affordable Care Act to catalyze delivery system reform and strengthen emergency care in America.

PubMed

Maa, John

2015-01-01

As health care reform in the US evolves beyond insurance reform to encompass delivery system reform, the opportunity arises to harness the Affordable Care Act to strengthen patient care in America. One area for dedicated individuals to lead this effort is by improving transitions in patient care across the continuum of team members, specialties, settings, and systems. This article will describe innovations of the surgicalist and acute care surgeon that have emerged in response to the challenges facing surgery in specialization, geography, and the need to comply with health care reform mandates. Three ways will be described to integrate these innovations with pilot programs in the Affordable Care Act: to promote teamwork, to reduce readmissions, and to strengthen emergency care because the key location where the joint efforts intersect most acutely with patient need is in our nation's Emergency Departments.

Harnessing the Affordable Care Act to Catalyze Delivery System Reform and Strengthen Emergency Care in America

PubMed Central

Maa, John

2015-01-01

As health care reform in the US evolves beyond insurance reform to encompass delivery system reform, the opportunity arises to harness the Affordable Care Act to strengthen patient care in America. One area for dedicated individuals to lead this effort is by improving transitions in patient care across the continuum of team members, specialties, settings, and systems. This article will describe innovations of the surgicalist and acute care surgeon that have emerged in response to the challenges facing surgery in specialization, geography, and the need to comply with health care reform mandates. Three ways will be described to integrate these innovations with pilot programs in the Affordable Care Act: to promote teamwork, to reduce readmissions, and to strengthen emergency care because the key location where the joint efforts intersect most acutely with patient need is in our nation’s Emergency Departments. PMID:25663212

Oslo government district bombing and Utøya island shooting July 22, 2011: The immediate prehospital emergency medical service response

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background On July 22, 2011, a single perpetrator killed 77 people in a car bomb attack and a shooting spree incident in Norway. This article describes the emergency medical service (EMS) response elicited by the two incidents. Methods A retrospective and observational study was conducted based on data from the EMS systems involved and the public domain. The study was approved by the Data Protection Official and was defined as a quality improvement project. Results We describe the timeline and logistics of the EMS response, focusing on alarm, dispatch, initial response, triage and evacuation. The scenes in the Oslo government district and at Utøya island are described separately. Conclusions Many EMS units were activated and effectively used despite the occurrence of two geographically separate incidents within a short time frame. Important lessons were learned regarding triage and evacuation, patient flow and communication, the use of and need for emergency equipment and the coordination of helicopter EMS. PMID:22280935

Keep calm and carry on: the 2009 NEHA sabbatical exchange ambassador report.

PubMed

Barnett, Marcy

2011-06-01

Sabbatical goal as an environmental health specialist working with the California Department of Public Health as an emergency planner, I was interested in the NEHA sabbatical exchange program for the opportunity it affords its awardees to see how Canada and the United Kingdom utilize their environmental health workforce. Specifically, I wanted to examine the role environmental health has in the preparations being made for the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London. I had a special interest in the emergency preparedness efforts related to the games as my work involves promoting the integration of environmental health into the emergency response structure. In California, environmental health services are delivered by several state agencies as well as 62 local jurisdictions. This multifaceted system tends to diminish the important role environmental health plays in disaster response and recovery operations due to the lack of a central focus, and as a result, environmental health is often an overlooked resource. This situation is not unique to California, as the emergency management system in the U.S. has traditionally focused primarily on "blue light" first responders: police, fire, and emergency medical services. After an article caught my eye on involving environmental health in emergency planning, posted on the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) (NEHA's counterpart in the UK) Web site, I became intrigued and used it to form the basis of my sabbatical mission.

Emergency response to an anthrax attack

PubMed Central

Wein, Lawrence M.; Craft, David L.; Kaplan, Edward H.

2003-01-01

We developed a mathematical model to compare various emergency responses in the event of an airborne anthrax attack. The system consists of an atmospheric dispersion model, an age-dependent dose–response model, a disease progression model, and a set of spatially distributed two-stage queueing systems consisting of antibiotic distribution and hospital care. Our results underscore the need for the extremely aggressive and timely use of oral antibiotics by all asymptomatics in the exposure region, distributed either preattack or by nonprofessionals postattack, and the creation of surge capacity for supportive hospital care via expanded training of nonemergency care workers at the local level and the use of federal and military resources and nationwide medical volunteers. The use of prioritization (based on disease stage and/or age) at both queues, and the development and deployment of modestly rapid and sensitive biosensors, while helpful, produce only second-order improvements. PMID:12651951

Redesigning Urban Districts in the USA: Mayoral Accountability and the Diverse Provider Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Kenneth K.

2011-01-01

In response to public pressure, urban districts in the USA have initiated reforms that aim at redrawing the boundaries between the school system and other major local institutions. More specifically, this article focuses on two emerging reform strategies. We will examine an emerging model of governance that enables big-city mayors to establish…

Marriage, Parenting, and the Emergence of Early Self-Regulation in the Family System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volling, Brenda L.; Blandon, Alysia Y.; Kolak, Amy M.

2006-01-01

The early years of toddlerhood mark the emergence of self-regulation and the child's ability to comply with parental requests. The current study examined young children's compliance and noncompliance in a family context by observing mothers, fathers, and two children in a family clean-up paradigm. Marital conflict and mutual responsiveness in the…

Parent cortisol and family relatedness predict anxious behavior in emerging adults.

PubMed

Johnson, Vanessa Kahen; Gans, Susan E

2016-10-01

Emerging-adult cortisol response during family interaction predicts change in emerging-adult anxious behavior during the transition to college (Gans & Johnson, in press). In the present study, we take an additional step toward integrating family systems research and physiology by including assessment of parent physiology. We collect salivary cortisol from parents and emerging adults during triadic family interaction. Emerging adults (N = 101) between the ages of 17 and 19 years were assessed at 3 time points across their first college year: the summer before college and the Fall and Spring semesters. Two parents accompanied the emerging-adult child to the summer assessment; all family members provided 4 saliva samples each at 20-min intervals. Later assessments of emerging adults included measures of internalizing behaviors. Parents' cortisol secretion patterns during family interaction predict their emerging-adult children's cortisol secretion pattern, parent perceptions of the family environment, and emerging-adult children's internalizing behavior during the college transition. Different patterns of results emerged for mothers' and fathers' cortisol response to family interaction and for families with sons or with daughters. The approach taken by this study provides a first step toward understanding how interrelationships among elements of physiology and family functioning contribute to adjustment during major life transitions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Modeling the Emergence of Lexicons in Homesign Systems

PubMed Central

Richie, Russell; Yang, Charles; Coppola, Marie

2014-01-01

It is largely acknowledged that natural languages emerge from not just human brains, but also from rich communities of interacting human brains (Senghas, 2005). Yet the precise role of such communities and such interaction in the emergence of core properties of language has largely gone uninvestigated in naturally emerging systems, leaving the few existing computational investigations of this issue at an artificial setting. Here we take a step towards investigating the precise role of community structure in the emergence of linguistic conventions with both naturalistic empirical data and computational modeling. We first show conventionalization of lexicons in two different classes of naturally emerging signed systems: (1) protolinguistic “homesigns” invented by linguistically isolated Deaf individuals, and (2) a natural sign language emerging in a recently formed rich Deaf community. We find that the latter conventionalized faster than the former. Second, we model conventionalization as a population of interacting individuals who adjust their probability of sign use in response to other individuals' actual sign use, following an independently motivated model of language learning (Yang 2002, 2004). Simulations suggest that a richer social network, like that of natural (signed) languages, conventionalizes faster than a sparser social network, like that of homesign systems. We discuss our behavioral and computational results in light of other work on language emergence, and other work of behavior on complex networks. PMID:24482343

42 CFR 73.14 - Incident response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., security breaches (including information systems), severe weather and other natural disasters, workplace... locations, (10) Site security and control, (11) Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of...

The current crisis in emergency care and the impact on disaster preparedness.

PubMed

Cherry, Robert A; Trainer, Marcia

2008-05-01

The Homeland Security Act (HSA) of 2002 provided for the designation of a critical infrastructure protection program. This ultimately led to the designation of emergency services as a targeted critical infrastructure. In the context of an evolving crisis in hospital-based emergency care, the extent to which federal funding has addressed disaster preparedness will be examined. After 9/11, federal plans, procedures and benchmarks were mandated to assure a unified, comprehensive disaster response, ranging from local to federal activation of resources. Nevertheless, insufficient federal funding has contributed to a long-standing counter-trend which has eroded emergency medical care. The causes are complex and multifactorial, but they have converged to present a severely overburdened system that regularly exceeds emergency capacity and capabilities. This constant acute overcrowding, felt in communities all across the country, indicates a nation at risk. Federal funding has not sufficiently prioritized the improvements necessary for an emergency care infrastructure that is critical for an all hazards response to disaster and terrorist emergencies. Currently, the nation is unable to meet presidential preparedness mandates for emergency and disaster care. Federal funding strategies must therefore be re-prioritized and targeted in a way that reasonably and consistently follows need.

Issues in life support and human factors in crew rescue from the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, K.

2001-01-01

The design and development of crew emergency response systems, particularly to provide an unplanned emergency return to Earth, requires an understanding of crew performance challenges in space. The combined effects of psychological and physiological adaptation during long-duration missions will have a significant effect on crew performance in the unpredictable and potentially life-threatening conditions of an emergency return to Earth. It is therefore important that the systems to be developed for emergency egress address these challenges through an integrated program to produce optimum productivity and safety in times of utmost stress. Fundamental to the success of the CRV is the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), which provides the necessary conditions for the crew to survive their return mission in a shirtsleeve environment. This article will discuss the many issues in the design of an ECLSS system for CRV and place it in the context of the human performance challenges of the mission.

The Trauma Patient Tracking System: implementing a wireless monitoring infrastructure for emergency response.

PubMed

Maltz, Jonathan; C Ng, Thomas; Li, Dustin; Wang, Jian; Wang, Kang; Bergeron, William; Martin, Ron; Budinger, Thomas

2005-01-01

In mass trauma situations, emergency personnel are challenged with the task of prioritizing the care of many injured victims. We propose a trauma patient tracking system (TPTS) where first-responders tag all patients with a wireless monitoring device that continuously reports the location of each patient. The system can be used not only to prioritize patient care, but also to determine the time taken for each patient to receive treatment. This is important in training emergency personnel and in identifying bottlenecks in the disaster response process. In situations where biochemical agents are involved, a TPTS may be employed to determine sites of cross-contamination. In order to track patient location in both outdoor and indoor environments, we employ both Global Positioning System (GPS) and Television/ Radio Frequency (TVRF) technologies. Each patient tag employs IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi)/TCP/IP networking to communicate with a central server via any available Wi-Fi basestation. A key component to increase TPTS fault-tolerance is a mobile Wi-Fi basestation that employs redundant Internet connectivity to ensure that tags at the disaster scene can send information to the central server even when local infrastructure is unavailable for use. We demonstrate the robustness of the system in tracking multiple patients in a simulated trauma situation in an urban environment.

"Hits" emerge through self-organized coordination in collective response of free agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarti, Anindya S.; Sinha, Sitabhra

2016-10-01

Individuals in free societies frequently exhibit striking coordination when making independent decisions en masse. Examples include the regular appearance of hit products or memes with substantially higher popularity compared to their otherwise equivalent competitors or extreme polarization in public opinion. Such segregation of events manifests as bimodality in the distribution of collective choices. Here we quantify how apparently independent choices made by individuals result in a significantly polarized but stable distribution of success in the context of the box-office performance of movies and show that it is an emergent feature of a system of noninteracting agents who respond to sequentially arriving signals. The aggregate response exhibits extreme variability amplifying much smaller differences in individual cost of adoption. Due to self-organization of the competitive landscape, most events elicit only a muted response but a few stimulate widespread adoption, emerging as "hits".

"Hits" emerge through self-organized coordination in collective response of free agents.

PubMed

Chakrabarti, Anindya S; Sinha, Sitabhra

2016-10-01

Individuals in free societies frequently exhibit striking coordination when making independent decisions en masse. Examples include the regular appearance of hit products or memes with substantially higher popularity compared to their otherwise equivalent competitors or extreme polarization in public opinion. Such segregation of events manifests as bimodality in the distribution of collective choices. Here we quantify how apparently independent choices made by individuals result in a significantly polarized but stable distribution of success in the context of the box-office performance of movies and show that it is an emergent feature of a system of noninteracting agents who respond to sequentially arriving signals. The aggregate response exhibits extreme variability amplifying much smaller differences in individual cost of adoption. Due to self-organization of the competitive landscape, most events elicit only a muted response but a few stimulate widespread adoption, emerging as "hits".

Dissociated emergent-response system and fine-processing system in human neural network and a heuristic neural architecture for autonomous humanoid robots.

PubMed

Yan, Xiaodan

2010-01-01

The current study investigated the functional connectivity of the primary sensory system with resting state fMRI and applied such knowledge into the design of the neural architecture of autonomous humanoid robots. Correlation and Granger causality analyses were utilized to reveal the functional connectivity patterns. Dissociation was within the primary sensory system, in that the olfactory cortex and the somatosensory cortex were strongly connected to the amygdala whereas the visual cortex and the auditory cortex were strongly connected with the frontal cortex. The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were found to maintain constant communication with the primary sensory system, the frontal cortex, and the amygdala. Such neural architecture inspired the design of dissociated emergent-response system and fine-processing system in autonomous humanoid robots, with separate processing units and another consolidation center to coordinate the two systems. Such design can help autonomous robots to detect and respond quickly to danger, so as to maintain their sustainability and independence.

River Protection Project (RPP) Dangerous Waste Training Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

POHTO, R.E.

2000-03-09

This supporting document contains the training plan for dangerous waste management at River Protection Project TSD Units. This document outlines the dangerous waste training program developed and implemented for all Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) Units operated by River Protection Project (RPP) in the Hanford 200 East, 200 West and 600 Areas and the <90 Day Accumulation Area at 209E. Operating TSD Units managed by RPP are: the Double-Shell Tank (DST) System, 204-AR Waste Unloading Facility, Grout, and the Single-Shell Tank (SST) System. The program is designed in compliance with the requirements of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-303-330 and Titlemore » 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 265.16 for the development of a written dangerous waste training program and the Hanford Facility Permit. Training requirements were determined by an assessment of employee duties and responsibilities. The RPP training program is designed to prepare employees to operate and maintain the Tank Farms in a safe, effective, efficient, and environmentally sound manner. In addition to preparing employees to operate and maintain the Tank Farms under normal conditions, the training program ensures that employees are prepared to respond in a prompt and effective manner should abnormal or emergency conditions occur. Emergency response training is consistent with emergency responses outlined in the following Building Emergency Plans: HNF-IP-0263-TF and HNF-=IP-0263-209E.« less

The 2011 Tuscaloosa tornado: integration of pediatric disaster services into regional systems of care.

PubMed

Kanter, Robert K

2012-09-01

To empirically describe the integration of pediatric disaster services into regional systems of care after the April 27, 2011, tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a community with no pediatric emergency department or pediatric intensive care unit and few pediatric subspecialists. Data were obtained in interviews with key informants including professional staff and managers from public health and emergency management agencies, prehospital emergency medical services, fire departments, hospital nurses, physicians, and the trauma program coordinator. A single hospital in Tuscaloosa served 800 patients on the night of the tornado. More than 100 of these patients were children, including more than 20 with critical injuries. Many children were unaccompanied and unidentified on arrival. Resuscitation and stabilization were performed by nonpediatric prehospital and emergency department staff. More than 20 children were secondarily transported to the nearest children's hospital an hour's drive away under the care of nonpediatric local emergency medical services providers. No preventable adverse events were identified in the resuscitation and secondary transport phases of care. Stockpiled supplies and equipment were adequate to serve the needs of the disaster victims, including the children. Essential aspects of preparation include pediatric-specific clinical skills, supplies and equipment, operational disaster plans, and interagency practice embedded in everyday work. Opportunities for improvement identified include more timely response to warnings, improved practices for identifying unaccompanied children, and enhanced child safety in shelters. Successful responses depended on integration of pediatric services into regional systems of care. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergency Department Telepsychiatry Service Model for a Rural Regional Health System: The First Steps.

PubMed

Meyer, James D; McKean, Alastair J S; Blegen, Rebecca N; Demaerschalk, Bart M

2018-05-09

Emergency departments (EDs) have recognized an increasing number of patients presenting with mental health (MH) concerns. This trend imposes greater demands upon EDs already operating at capacity. Many ED providers do not feel they are optimally prepared to provide the necessary MH care. One consideration in response to this dilemma is to use advanced telemedicine technology for psychiatric consultation. We examined a rural- and community-based health system operating 21 EDs, none of which has direct access to psychiatric consultation. Dedicated beds to MH range from zero (in EDs with only 3 beds) to 6 (in an ED with 38 beds). We conducted a needs assessment of this health system. This included a survey of emergency room providers with a 67% response rate and site visits to directly observe patient flow and communication with ED staff. A visioning workshop provided input from ED staff. Data were also obtained, which reflected ED admissions for the year 2015. The data provide a summary of provider concerns, a summary of MH presentations and diagnosis, and age groupings. The data also provide a time when most MH concerns present to the ED. Based upon these results, a proposed model for delivering comprehensive regional emergency telepsychiatry and behavioral health services is proposed. Emergency telepsychiatry services may be a tenable solution for addressing the shortage of psychiatric consultation to EDs in light of increasing demand for MH treatment in the ED.

Development and evaluation of a leadership training program for public health emergency response: results from a Chinese study.

PubMed

Wang, Chongjian; Wei, Sheng; Xiang, Hao; Wu, Jing; Xu, Yihua; Liu, Li; Nie, Shaofa

2008-10-30

Since the 9/11 attack and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the development of qualified and able public health leaders has become a new urgency in building the infrastructure needed to address public health emergencies. Although previous studies have reported that the training of individual leaders is an important approach, the systemic and scientific training model need further improvement and development. The purpose of this study was to develop, deliver, and evaluate a participatory leadership training program for emergency response. Forty-one public health leaders (N = 41) from five provinces completed the entire emergency preparedness training program in China. The program was evaluated by anonymous questionnaires and semi-structured interviews held prior to training, immediately post-training and 12-month after training (Follow-up). The emergency preparedness training resulted in positive shifts in knowledge, self-assessment of skills for public health leaders. More than ninety-five percent of participants reported that the training model was scientific and feasible. Moreover, the response of participants in the program to the avian influenza outbreak, as well as the planned evaluations for this leadership training program, further demonstrated both the successful approaches and methods and the positive impact of this integrated leadership training initiative. The emergency preparedness training program met its aims and objectives satisfactorily, and improved the emergency capability of public health leaders. This suggests that the leadership training model was effective and feasible in improving the emergency preparedness capability.

An inexpensive modification of the laboratory computer display changes emergency physicians' work habits and perceptions.

PubMed

Marinakis, Harry A; Zwemer, Frank L

2003-02-01

Little is known about how the availability of laboratory data affects emergency physicians' practice habits and satisfaction. We modified our clinical information system to display laboratory test status with continuous updates, similar to an airport arrival display. The objective of this study was to determine whether the laboratory test status display altered emergency physicians' work habits and increased satisfaction compared with the time period before implementation of laboratory test status. A retrospective analysis was performed of emergency physicians' actual use of the clinical information system before and after implementation of the laboratory test status display. Emergency physicians were retrospectively surveyed regarding the effect of laboratory test status display on their practice habits and clinical information system use. Survey responses were matched with actual use of the clinical information system. Data were analyzed by using dependent t tests and Pearson correlation coefficients. The study was conducted at a university hospital. Clinical information system use by 46 emergency physicians was analyzed. Twenty-five surveys were returned (71.4% of available emergency physicians). All emergency physicians perceived fewer clinical information system log ons per day after laboratory test status display. The actual average decrease was 19%. Emergency physicians who reported the greatest decrease in log ons per day tended to have the greatest actual decrease (r =-0.36). There was no significant correlation between actual and perceived total time logged on (r =0.08). In regard to effect on emergency physicians' practice habits, 95% reported increased efficiency, 80% reported improved satisfaction with data access, and 65% reported improved communication with patients. An inexpensive computer modification, laboratory test status display, significantly increased subjective efficiency, changed work habits, and improved satisfaction regarding data access and patient communication among emergency physicians. Knowledge of the test queue changed emergency physician behavior and improved satisfaction.

Emergency medicine in the Veterans Health Administration-results from a nationwide survey.

PubMed

Ward, Michael J; Collins, Sean P; Pines, Jesse M; Dill, Curt; Tyndall, Gary; Kessler, Chad S

2015-07-01

We describe emergency physician staffing, capabilities, and academic practices in US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) emergency departments (EDs). As part of an ongoing process improvement effort for the VHA emergency care system, VHA-wide surveys are conducted among ED medical directors every 3 years. Web-based surveys of VHA ED directors were conducted in 2013 on clinical operations and academic program development. We describe the results from the 2013 survey. When available, we compare responses with the previously administered survey from 2010. A total of 118 of 118 ED directors filled out the survey in 2013 (100% response rate). Respondents reported that 45.5% of VHA emergency physicians are board certified in emergency medicine, and 95% spend most their time in direct patient care. Clinical care is also provided by part-time (<0.5 full-time employee equivalent) emergency physicians in 59.3% of EDs. More than half of EDs (57%) provide on-site tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke patients, and only 39% can administer tissue plasminogen activator 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Less than half (48.3%) of EDs have emergency Obstetrics and Gynecology consultation availability. Most VHA EDs (78.8%) have a university affiliation, but only 21.5% participated in the respective academic emergency medicine program. Veterans Health Administration emergency physicians have primarily clinical responsibilities, and less than half have formal emergency medicine board certification. Despite most VHA EDs having university affiliations, traditional academic activities (eg, teaching and research) are performed in only 1 in 3 VHA EDs. Less than half of VHA EDs have availability of consulting services, including advanced stroke care and women's health. Published by Elsevier Inc.

15 CFR 700.1 - Purpose of this regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... provides an operating system to support rapid industrial response to a national emergency. (e) To aid in... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Purpose § 700.1 Purpose of this regulation. (a) Title I of the... Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) regulation implements the priorities and allocations authority of...

15 CFR 700.1 - Purpose of this regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... provides an operating system to support rapid industrial response to a national emergency. (e) To aid in... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Purpose § 700.1 Purpose of this regulation. (a) Title I of the... Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) regulation implements the priorities and allocations authority of...

15 CFR 700.1 - Purpose of this regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... provides an operating system to support rapid industrial response to a national emergency. (e) To aid in... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Purpose § 700.1 Purpose of this regulation. (a) Title I of the... Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) regulation implements the priorities and allocations authority of...

15 CFR 700.1 - Purpose of this regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... provides an operating system to support rapid industrial response to a national emergency. (e) To aid in... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Purpose § 700.1 Purpose of this regulation. (a) Title I of the... Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) regulation implements the priorities and allocations authority of...

15 CFR 700.1 - Purpose of this regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... provides an operating system to support rapid industrial response to a national emergency. (e) To aid in... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Purpose § 700.1 Purpose of this regulation. (a) Title I of the... Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) regulation implements the priorities and allocations authority of...

Emergency Communications Console

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

NASA has applied its communications equipment expertise to development of a communications console that provides, in a compact package only slightly larger than an electric typewriter, all the emergency medical services communications functions needed for a regional hospital. A prototype unit, built by Johnson Space Center, has been installed in the Odessa (Texas) Medical Center Hospital. The hospital is the medical control center for the 17-county Permian Basin Emergency Medical System in west Texas. The console project originated in response to a request to NASA from the Texas governor's office, which sought a better way of providing emergency medical care in rural areas. Because ambulance travel time is frequently long in remote areas of west Texas, it is important that treatment begin at the scene of the emergency rather than at the hospital emergency room. A radio and telephone system linking ambulance emergency technicians and hospital staff makes this possible. But earlier equipment was complex, requiring specialized operators. A highly reliable system was needed to minimize breakdowns and provide controls of utmost simplicity, so that the system could be operated by physicians and nurses rather than by communications specialists. The resulting console has both radio and telephone sections. With the radio equipment, hospital personnel can communicate with ambulance drivers and paramedics, receive incoming electrocardiagrams, consult with other hospitals, page hospital staff and set up a radio-to-telephone "patch." The telephone portion of the system includes a hotline from the Permian Basin Emergency Medical Service's resource control center, an automatic dialer for contacting special care facilities in the Permian Basin network, a hospital intercom terminal and a means of relaying cardioscope displays and other data between hospitals. The integrated system also provides links with local disaster and civil defense organizations and with emergency "Dial 911" control points.

Cellular-based preemption system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Aaron D. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A cellular-based preemption system that uses existing cellular infrastructure to transmit preemption related data to allow safe passage of emergency vehicles through one or more intersections. A cellular unit in an emergency vehicle is used to generate position reports that are transmitted to the one or more intersections during an emergency response. Based on this position data, the one or more intersections calculate an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the emergency vehicle, and transmit preemption commands to traffic signals at the intersections based on the calculated ETA. Additional techniques may be used for refining the position reports, ETA calculations, and the like. Such techniques include, without limitation, statistical preemption, map-matching, dead-reckoning, augmented navigation, and/or preemption optimization techniques, all of which are described in further detail in the above-referenced patent applications.

Quality improvement utilizing in-situ simulation for a dual-hospital pediatric code response team.

PubMed

Yager, Phoebe; Collins, Corey; Blais, Carlene; O'Connor, Kathy; Donovan, Patricia; Martinez, Maureen; Cummings, Brian; Hartnick, Christopher; Noviski, Natan

2016-09-01

Given the rarity of in-hospital pediatric emergency events, identification of gaps and inefficiencies in the code response can be difficult. In-situ, simulation-based medical education programs can identify unrecognized systems-based challenges. We hypothesized that developing an in-situ, simulation-based pediatric emergency response program would identify latent inefficiencies in a complex, dual-hospital pediatric code response system and allow rapid intervention testing to improve performance before implementation at an institutional level. Pediatric leadership from two hospitals with a shared pediatric code response team employed the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's (IHI) Breakthrough Model for Collaborative Improvement to design a program consisting of Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles occurring in a simulated environment. The objectives of the program were to 1) identify inefficiencies in our pediatric code response; 2) correlate to current workflow; 3) employ an iterative process to test quality improvement interventions in a safe environment; and 4) measure performance before actual implementation at the institutional level. Twelve dual-hospital, in-situ, simulated, pediatric emergencies occurred over one year. The initial simulated event allowed identification of inefficiencies including delayed provider response, delayed initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and delayed vascular access. These gaps were linked to process issues including unreliable code pager activation, slow elevator response, and lack of responder familiarity with layout and contents of code cart. From first to last simulation with multiple simulated process improvements, code response time for secondary providers coming from the second hospital decreased from 29 to 7 min, time to CPR initiation decreased from 90 to 15 s, and vascular access obtainment decreased from 15 to 3 min. Some of these simulated process improvements were adopted into the institutional response while others continue to be trended over time for evidence that observed changes represent a true new state of control. Utilizing the IHI's Breakthrough Model, we developed a simulation-based program to 1) successfully identify gaps and inefficiencies in a complex, dual-hospital, pediatric code response system and 2) provide an environment in which to safely test quality improvement interventions before institutional dissemination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance Assessment of Communicable Disease Surveillance in Disasters: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Babaie, Javad; Ardalan, Ali; Vatandoost, Hasan; Goya, Mohammad Mehdi; Akbarisari, Ali

2015-01-01

Background: This study aimed to identify the indices and frameworks that have been used to assess the performance of communicable disease surveillance (CDS) in response to disasters and other emergencies, including infectious disease outbreaks. Method: In this systematic review, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, ProQuest databases and grey literature were searched until the end of 2013. All retrieved titles were examined in accordance with inclusion criteria. Abstracts of the relevant titles were reviewed and eligible abstracts were included in a list for data abstraction. Finally, the study variables were extracted. Results: Sixteen articles and one book were found relevant to our study objectives. In these articles, 31 criteria and 35 indicators were used or suggested for the assessment/evaluation of the performance of surveillance systems in disasters. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated guidelines for the evaluation of public health surveillance systems were the most widely used. Conclusion: Despite the importance of performance assessment in improving CDS in response to disasters, there is a lack of clear and accepted frameworks. There is also no agreement on the use of existing criteria and indices. The only relevant framework is the CDC guideline, which is a common framework for assessing public health surveillance systems as a whole. There is an urgent need to develop appropriate frameworks, criteria, and indices for specifically assessing the performance of CDS in response to disasters and other emergencies, including infectious diseases outbreaks. Key words: Disasters, Emergencies, Communicable Diseases, Surveillance System, Performance Assessment PMID:25774323

Improving Emergency Response and Human-Robotic Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David I. Gertman; David J. Bruemmer; R. Scott Hartley

2007-08-01

Preparedness for chemical, biological, and radiological/nuclear incidents at nuclear power plants (NPPs) includes the deployment of well trained emergency response teams. While teams are expected to do well, data from other domains suggests that the timeliness and accuracy associated with incident response can be improved through collaborative human-robotic interaction. Many incident response scenarios call for multiple, complex procedure-based activities performed by personnel wearing cumbersome personal protective equipment (PPE) and operating under high levels of stress and workload. While robotic assistance is postulated to reduce workload and exposure, limitations associated with communications and the robot’s ability to act independently have servedmore » to limit reliability and reduce our potential to exploit human –robotic interaction and efficacy of response. Recent work at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on expanding robot capability has the potential to improve human-system response during disaster management and recovery. Specifically, increasing the range of higher level robot behaviors such as autonomous navigation and mapping, evolving new abstractions for sensor and control data, and developing metaphors for operator control have the potential to improve state-of-the-art in incident response. This paper discusses these issues and reports on experiments underway intelligence residing on the robot to enhance emergency response.« less

Principles of hospital disaster management: an integrated and multidisciplinary approach.

PubMed

Hendrickx, C; Hoker, S D; Michiels, G; Sabbe, M B

Principles of hospital disaster management: an integrated and multidisciplinary approach. Hospitals play an important role during a disaster response, and are also at risk for internal incidents. We propose an integrated and multidisciplinary approach towards hospital disaster management and preparedness. In addition to response strategies, much attention is given to risk assessment and preparedness in the pre-incident phase and to business continuity planning (BCP) in the post-incident phase. It is essential to train key players and all personnel to understand the Hospital Incident Management System (HIMS) and to perform specific emergency procedures. All emergency procedures should be grounded in evidence-based practice resulting from essential disaster response research.

Emerging Early Actions to Bend the Curve in Sub-Saharan Africa's Nutrition Transition.

PubMed

Haggblade, Steven; Duodu, Kwaku G; Kabasa, John D; Minnaar, Amanda; Ojijo, Nelson K O; Taylor, John R N

2016-06-01

Sub-Saharan Africa is the last region to undergo a nutrition transition and can still avoid its adverse health outcomes. The article explores emerging responses to "bend the curve" in sub-Saharan Africa's nutrition transition to steer public health outcomes onto a healthier trajectory. Early responses in 3 countries at different stages of food system transformation are examined: South Africa-advanced, Ghana-intermediate, and Uganda-early. By comparing these with international experience, actions are proposed to influence nutrition and public health trajectories as Africa's food systems undergo rapid structural change. Arising from rapid urbanization and diet change, major public health problems associated with overweight are taking place, particularly in South Africa and among adult women. However, public health responses are generally tepid in sub-Saharan Africa. Only in South Africa have policy makers instituted extensive actions to combat overweight and associated noncommunicable diseases through regulation, education, and public health programs. Elsewhere, in countries in the early and middle stages of transition, public health systems continue to focus their limited resources primarily on undernutrition. Related pressures on the supply side of Africa's food systems are emerging that also need to be addressed. Three types of intervention appear most feasible: maternal and child health programs to simultaneously address short-term undernutrition problems while at the same time helping to reduce future tendencies toward overweigh; regulatory and fiscal actions to limit access to unhealthy foods; and modernization of Africa's agrifood food system through job skills training, marketing reforms, and food industry entrepreneurship. © The Author(s) 2016.

Paradigm shift: contribution of field epidemiology training in advancing the “One Health” approach to strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak investigations in Africa

PubMed Central

Monday, Busuulwa; Gitta, Sheba Nakacubo; Wasswa, Peter; Namusisi, Olivia; Bingi, Aloysius; Musenero, Monica; Mukanga, David

2011-01-01

The occurrence of major zoonotic disease outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa has had a significant impact on the already constrained public health systems. This has, as a result, justified the need to identify creative strategies to address threats from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases at the human-animal-environmental interface, and implement robust multi-disease public health surveillance systems that will enhance early detection and response. Additionally, enhanced reporting and timely investigation of all suspected notifiable infectious disease threats within the health system is vital. Field epidemiology and laboratory training programs (FELTPs) have made significant contributions to public health systems for more than 10 years by producing highly skilled field epidemiologists. These epidemiologists have not only improved disease surveillance and response to outbreaks, but also improved management of health systems. Furthermore, the FETPs/FELTPs have laid an excellent foundation that brings clinicians, veterinarians, and environmental health professionals drawn from different governmental sectors, to work with a common purpose of disease control and prevention. The emergence of the One Health approach in the last decade has coincided with the present, paradigm, shift that calls for multi-sectoral and cross-sectoral collaboration towards disease surveillance, detection, reporting and timely response. The positive impact from the integration of FETP/FELTP and the One Health approach by selected programs in Africa has demonstrated the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration in addressing threats from infectious and non- infectious causes to man, animals and the environment. PMID:22359701

Offshore oil spill response practices and emerging challenges.

PubMed

Li, Pu; Cai, Qinhong; Lin, Weiyun; Chen, Bing; Zhang, Baiyu

2016-09-15

Offshore oil spills are of tremendous concern due to their potential impact on economic and ecological systems. A number of major oil spills triggered worldwide consciousness of oil spill preparedness and response. Challenges remain in diverse aspects such as oil spill monitoring, analysis, assessment, contingency planning, response, cleanup, and decision support. This article provides a comprehensive review of the current situations and impacts of offshore oil spills, as well as the policies and technologies in offshore oil spill response and countermeasures. Correspondingly, new strategies and a decision support framework are recommended for improving the capacities and effectiveness of oil spill response and countermeasures. In addition, the emerging challenges in cold and harsh environments are reviewed with recommendations due to increasing risk of oil spills in the northern regions from the expansion of the Arctic Passage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Collective learning for the emergence of social norms in networked multiagent systems.

PubMed

Yu, Chao; Zhang, Minjie; Ren, Fenghui

2014-12-01

Social norms such as social rules and conventions play a pivotal role in sustaining system order by regulating and controlling individual behaviors toward a global consensus in large-scale distributed systems. Systematic studies of efficient mechanisms that can facilitate the emergence of social norms enable us to build and design robust distributed systems, such as electronic institutions and norm-governed sensor networks. This paper studies the emergence of social norms via learning from repeated local interactions in networked multiagent systems. A collective learning framework, which imitates the opinion aggregation process in human decision making, is proposed to study the impact of agent local collective behaviors on the emergence of social norms in a number of different situations. In the framework, each agent interacts repeatedly with all of its neighbors. At each step, an agent first takes a best-response action toward each of its neighbors and then combines all of these actions into a final action using ensemble learning methods. Extensive experiments are carried out to evaluate the framework with respect to different network topologies, learning strategies, numbers of actions, influences of nonlearning agents, and so on. Experimental results reveal some significant insights into the manipulation and control of norm emergence in networked multiagent systems achieved through local collective behaviors.

Accidental Release of Chlorine from a Storage Facility and an On-Site Emergency Mock Drill: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Soman, Ambalathumpara Raman; Sundararaj, Gopalswamy

2015-01-01

In the current industrial scenario there is a serious need for formulating strategies to handle hazardous substances in the safest way. Manufacture, storage, and use of hazardous substances pose a serious risk to industry, people, and the environment. Accidental release of toxic chemicals can lead to emergencies. An emergency response plan (ERP) is inevitable to minimize the adverse effects of such releases. The on-site emergency plan is an integral component of any process safety and risk management system. This paper deals with an on-site emergency response plan for a chlorine manufacturing industry. It was developed on the basis of a previous study on chlorine release and a full scale mock drill has been conducted for testing the plan. Results indicated that properly trained personnel can effectively handle each level of incidents occurring in the process plant. As an extensive guideline to the district level government authorities for off-site emergency planning, risk zone has also been estimated with reference to a chlorine exposure threshold of 3 ppm. PMID:26171416

Perception of medical care systems and stress responses in preschoolers' caregivers at a pediatric emergency department in Taiwan.

PubMed

Kao, Jun-Kai; Cherng, Chian-Fang G; Tsai, Ru-Chiao; Tsao, Lon-Yen; Hung, Chin-Yi

2012-11-01

This study was undertaken to understand caregivers' perception of medical care systems and their stress responses throughout their stay with preschoolers at a pediatric emergency department (ED). Overall, 201 preschoolers' caregivers in pediatric ED were recruited in this study. They were asked to answer self-made questionnaires regarding the perception of medical care systems and their stress responses immediately before preschoolers' release. The results show that caregivers with a low education or low income level were prone to exhibit greater appreciation for the efficiency of medical care systems and greater degree of anxiety for their lack of treatment and care knowledge than those of caregivers with a high education or high income level. Interestingly, caregivers older than 38 years reported greater emotional responses and physical exhaustion than did younger caregivers. Immigrant caregivers had higher emotional reaction and lower concentration than did Taiwanese caregivers. Paradoxically, caregivers undergoing over 3-time pediatric ED visits for observation expressed stronger stress reactions as compared with caregivers with less observation experiences. Not surprisingly, caregivers reported the highest emotional responses when their preschoolers were diagnosed as having very urgent degree in triage classification. Finally, caregivers' perception of "lack of family support" and "lack of treatment and care knowledge" correlated positively with all aspects of the stress responses. These results indicate that attention should be paid to the specific psychological weakness and need for the caregivers with certain demographic characteristics by the medical team in pediatric ED.

Space safety and rescue 1984-1985

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heath, G. W.

The present conference on spacecraft crew safety and rescue technologies and operations considers safety aspects of Space Shuttle ground processing, the Inmarsat and COSPAS/SARSAT emergency location satellite systems, emergency location and rescue communications using Geosat, the use of the Manned Maneuvering Unit for on-orbit rescue operations, NASA Space Station safety design and operational considerations, and the medico-legal implications of space station operation. Also discussed are the operational and environmental aspects of EPIRBS, mobile satellites for safety and disaster response, Inmarsat's role in the Future Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, and test results of the L-band satellite's EPIRB system.

The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: Global Emerging Infections Surveillance & Response System, FY 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

Kochel (2010), “Epidemiology of spotted fever group and typhus group rickettsial infection in the Amazon basin of Peru ,” Am J Trop Med Hyg, 82 (4), 683...Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 (NAMRU-3) in Cairo, Egypt; and the US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6) in Lima, Peru . Working in...Collaborating Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in 2001 US NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT NO. 6 (NAMRU-6), LIMA, PERU

Parent Cortisol and Family Relatedness Predict Anxious Behavior in Emerging Adults

PubMed Central

Johnson, Vanessa Kahen; Gans, Susan E.

2016-01-01

Emerging adult cortisol response during family interaction predicts change in EA anxious behavior during the transition to college (Gans & Johnson, in press). In the present study, we take an additional step toward integrating family systems research and physiology by including assessment of parent physiology. We collect salivary cortisol from parents and emerging-adults during triadic family interaction. Emerging adults (N = 101) between the ages of 17 and 19 were assessed at three time points across their first college year: the summer before college, fall and spring semesters. Two parents accompanied the emerging adult child to the summer assessment; all family members provided four saliva samples each at 20-minute intervals. Later assessments of emerging adults included measures of internalizing behaviors. Parents’ cortisol secretion patterns during family interaction predict their emerging adult child’s cortisol secretion pattern, parent perceptions of the family environment, and emerging adult children’s internalizing behavior during the college transition. Different patterns of results emerged for mothers’ and fathers’ cortisol response to family interaction, and for families with sons or with daughters. The approach taken by this study provides a first step toward understanding how interrelationships among elements of physiology and family functioning contribute to adjustment during major life transitions. PMID:27536860

Disaster Response and Decision Support in Partnership with the California Earthquake Clearinghouse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glasscoe, M. T.; Rosinski, A.; Vaughan, D.; Morentz, J.

2014-12-01

Getting the right information to the right people at the right time is critical during a natural disaster. E-DECIDER (Emergency Data Enhanced Cyber-Infrastructure for Disaster Evaluation and Response) is a NASA decision support system designed to produce remote sensing and geophysical modeling data products that are relevant to the emergency preparedness and response communities and serve as a gateway to enable the delivery of NASA decision support products to these communities. The E-DECIDER decision support system has several tools, services, and products that have been used to support end-user exercises in partnership with the California Earthquake Clearinghouse since 2012, including near real-time deformation modeling results and on-demand maps of critical infrastructure that may have been potentially exposed to damage by a disaster. E-DECIDER's underlying service architecture allows the system to facilitate delivery of NASA decision support products to the Clearinghouse through XchangeCore Web Service Data Orchestration that allows trusted information exchange among partner agencies. This in turn allows Clearinghouse partners to visualize data products produced by E-DECIDER and other NASA projects through incident command software such as SpotOnResponse or ArcGIS Online.

Examining the benefits of learning based on an audience response system when confronting emergency situations.

PubMed

Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; García, Ana Belén Sánchez; Montesinos, María José López; Jiménez, Juan José López

2014-05-01

This article presents an empirical study on the effectiveness of the use of an audience response system called SIstema De Respuesta inmediata de la Audiencia on a nursing course. A total of 130 students of mixed gender, age, and computer experience and educational background on a third-year course in nursing administration and management participated in the study. The benefits of an audience response system as regards learning how to confront emergency situations were studied. The innovative aspect of the proposal is twofold: (1) the use of a smartphone to respond to the questions and (2) the analysis of the students' response time when confronting critical situations while managing nursing resources. A positive impact on the students' performance was revealed in their final assessments. Our findings show that SIstema De Respuesta inmediata de la Audiencia increases student participation and aids in identifying and correcting misconceptions. The students found SIstema De Respuesta inmediata de la Audiencia to be very motivating and wanted it to be used in additional lectures. Further research is required to study the effectiveness of SIstema De Respuesta inmediata de la Audiencia for it to be widely used in other disciplines.

The limitations in implementing and operating a rapid response system.

PubMed

Subramaniam, A; Botha, J; Tiruvoipati, R

2016-10-01

Despite the widespread introduction of rapid response systems (RRS)/medical emergency teams (MET), there is still controversy regarding how effective they are. While there are some observational studies showing improved outcomes with RRS, there are no data from randomised controlled trials to support the effectiveness. Nevertheless, the MET system has become a standard of care in many healthcare organisations. In this review, we present an overview of the limitations in implementing and operating a RRS in modern healthcare. © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Public health preparedness of health providers: meeting the needs of diverse, rural communities.

PubMed

Hsu, Chiehwen Ed; Mas, Francisco Soto; Jacobson, Holly E; Harris, Ann Marie; Hunt, Victoria I; Nkhoma, Ella T

2006-11-01

Meeting the needs of public health emergency and response presents a unique challenge for health practitioners with primary responsibilities for rural communities that are often very diverse. The present study assessed the language capabilities, confidence and training needs of Texas rural physicians in responding to public health emergencies. In the first half of year 2004, a cross-sectional, semistructured survey questionnaire was administered in northern, rural Texas. The study population consisted of 841 practicing or retired physicians in the targeted area. One-hundred-sixty-six physicians (30%) responded to the survey. The responses were geographically referenced in maps. Respondents reported seeing patients with diverse cultural backgrounds. They communicated in 16 different languages other than English in clinical practice or at home, with 40% speaking Spanish at work. Most were not confident in the diagnosis or treatment of public health emergency cases. Geographic information systems were found useful in identifying those jurisdictions with expressed training and cultural needs. Additional efforts should be extended to involve African-American/Hispanic physicians in preparedness plans for providing culturally and linguistically appropriate care in emergencies.

Decision making technical support study for the US Army's Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, D.L.; Dobson, J.E.

1990-08-01

This report examines the adequacy of current command and control systems designed to make timely decisions that would enable sufficient warning and protective response to an accident at the Edgewood area of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland, and at Pine Bluff Arsenal (PBA), Arkansas. Institutional procedures designed to facilitate rapid accident assessment, characterization, warning, notification, and response after the onset of an emergency and computer-assisted decision-making aids designed to provide salient information to on- and-off-post emergency responders are examined. The character of emergency decision making at APG and PBA, as well as potential needs for improvements to decision-making practices, procedures,more » and automated decision-support systems (ADSSs), are described and recommendations are offered to guide equipment acquisition and improve on- and off-post command and control relationships. We recommend that (1) a continued effort be made to integrate on- and off-post command control, and decision-making procedures to permit rapid decision making; (2) the pathways for alert and notification among on- and off-post officials be improved and that responsibilities and chain of command among off-post agencies be clarified; (3) greater attention be given to organizational and social context factors that affect the adequacy of response and the likelihood that decision-making systems will work as intended; and (4) faster improvements be made to on-post ADSSs being developed at APG and PBA, which hold considerable promise for depicting vast amounts of information. Phased development and procurement of computer-assisted decision-making tools should be undertaken to balance immediate needs against available resources and to ensure flexibility, equity among sites, and compatibility among on- and off-post systems. 112 refs., 6 tabs.« less

Examining the Changing Landscape of School Psychology Practice: A Survey of School-Based Practitioners regarding Response to Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Amanda L.; Long, Lori

2010-01-01

As Response to Intervention (RtI) approaches become more common in educational systems throughout the country, it is increasingly important to identify how practitioners perceive these changes and how they obtain the skills necessary to face emergent roles and responsibilities. In this exploratory study, a national sample of 557 school…

10 CFR 205.374 - Responses from “entities” designated in the application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Electric Power System Permits and Reports; Applications; Administrative Procedures and Sanctions Emergency... appropriate Regional Electric Reliability Council. Pursuant to section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, DOE... Electric Power § 205.374 Responses from “entities” designated in the application. Each “entity” designated...

44 CFR 208.40 - Reimbursement of fringe benefit costs during Activation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... reimbursement sought from DHS. (c) DHS will not reimburse the Sponsoring Agency for fringe benefit costs for... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Reimbursement of fringe... RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM Response Cooperative Agreements § 208.40 Reimbursement of fringe benefit costs...

Feasibility and Top Level Design of a Scalable Emergency Response System for Oceangoing Assets

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-20

hazard response. The DC is responsible for the initial response. In a small-scale hazard situation, the DC will assign a Risk Assessment Code (RAC) and...Qualification Standard R&D Research and Development RAC Risk Assessment Code RADSAFE Radiological Safety RAM Rolling Airframe Missile RFID Radio...easily be used for other environmental remediation efforts including Superfund sites, decommissioned Navy vessels and Brownfield locations, among others

Intelligent transportation systems field operational test cross-cutting study : emergency notification and response

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-08-01

Transportation is vital to the social and economic health of the nation. Surface transportation systems ? the networks of highways, local streets, bus routes, and rail lines ? are the ties that bind communities and facilitate commerce. Despite the fa...

Modeling of electromagnetic brakes for enhanced braking capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kachroo, Pushkin; Ming, Qian

1998-01-01

In automatic highway systems, automatic brake actuation is a very important part of the overall control of the vehicle. Hence, a faster response and a robust braking system are crucial. This paper describes electromagnetic brakes as a supplementary system for regular friction brakes. This system provides better response time for emergency situations, and in general keeps the friction brake working longer and safer. A new mathematical model for electromagnetic brakes is proposed to describe their static characteristics. The performance of the new mathematical model is better than the other three models available in the literature.

Ethical issues in the response to Ebola virus disease in United States emergency departments: a position paper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

PubMed

Venkat, Arvind; Asher, Shellie L; Wolf, Lisa; Geiderman, Joel M; Marco, Catherine A; McGreevy, Jolion; Derse, Arthur R; Otten, Edward J; Jesus, John E; Kreitzer, Natalie P; Escalante, Monica; Levine, Adam C

2015-05-01

The 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa has presented a significant public health crisis to the international health community and challenged U.S. emergency departments (EDs) to prepare for patients with a disease of exceeding rarity in developed nations. With the presentation of patients with Ebola to U.S. acute care facilities, ethical questions have been raised in both the press and medical literature as to how U.S. EDs, emergency physicians (EPs), emergency nurses, and other stakeholders in the health care system should approach the current epidemic and its potential for spread in the domestic environment. To address these concerns, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine developed this joint position paper to provide guidance to U.S. EPs, emergency nurses, and other stakeholders in the health care system on how to approach the ethical dilemmas posed by the outbreak of EVD. This paper will address areas of immediate and potential ethical concern to U.S. EDs in how they approach preparation for and management of potential patients with EVD. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Stochastic Coloured Petrinet Based Healthcare Infrastructure Interdependency Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nukavarapu, Nivedita; Durbha, Surya

2016-06-01

The Healthcare Critical Infrastructure (HCI) protects all sectors of the society from hazards such as terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and natural disasters. HCI plays a significant role in response and recovery across all other sectors in the event of a natural or manmade disaster. However, for its continuity of operations and service delivery HCI is dependent on other interdependent Critical Infrastructures (CI) such as Communications, Electric Supply, Emergency Services, Transportation Systems, and Water Supply System. During a mass casualty due to disasters such as floods, a major challenge that arises for the HCI is to respond to the crisis in a timely manner in an uncertain and variable environment. To address this issue the HCI should be disaster prepared, by fully understanding the complexities and interdependencies that exist in a hospital, emergency department or emergency response event. Modelling and simulation of a disaster scenario with these complexities would help in training and providing an opportunity for all the stakeholders to work together in a coordinated response to a disaster. The paper would present interdependencies related to HCI based on Stochastic Coloured Petri Nets (SCPN) modelling and simulation approach, given a flood scenario as the disaster which would disrupt the infrastructure nodes. The entire model would be integrated with Geographic information based decision support system to visualize the dynamic behaviour of the interdependency of the Healthcare and related CI network in a geographically based environment.

Agent-based modeling of endotoxin-induced acute inflammatory response in human blood leukocytes.

PubMed

Dong, Xu; Foteinou, Panagiota T; Calvano, Steven E; Lowry, Stephen F; Androulakis, Ioannis P

2010-02-18

Inflammation is a highly complex biological response evoked by many stimuli. A persistent challenge in modeling this dynamic process has been the (nonlinear) nature of the response that precludes the single-variable assumption. Systems-based approaches offer a promising possibility for understanding inflammation in its homeostatic context. In order to study the underlying complexity of the acute inflammatory response, an agent-based framework is developed that models the emerging host response as the outcome of orchestrated interactions associated with intricate signaling cascades and intercellular immune system interactions. An agent-based modeling (ABM) framework is proposed to study the nonlinear dynamics of acute human inflammation. The model is implemented using NetLogo software. Interacting agents involve either inflammation-specific molecules or cells essential for the propagation of the inflammatory reaction across the system. Spatial orientation of molecule interactions involved in signaling cascades coupled with the cellular heterogeneity are further taken into account. The proposed in silico model is evaluated through its ability to successfully reproduce a self-limited inflammatory response as well as a series of scenarios indicative of the nonlinear dynamics of the response. Such scenarios involve either a persistent (non)infectious response or innate immune tolerance and potentiation effects followed by perturbations in intracellular signaling molecules and cascades. The ABM framework developed in this study provides insight on the stochastic interactions of the mediators involved in the propagation of endotoxin signaling at the cellular response level. The simulation results are in accordance with our prior research effort associated with the development of deterministic human inflammation models that include transcriptional dynamics, signaling, and physiological components. The hypothetical scenarios explored in this study would potentially improve our understanding of how manipulating the behavior of the molecular species could manifest into emergent behavior of the overall system.

Integration of Training Civilian and Military Disaster Responders

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

Personal hygiene including foot care, hydration, and nutrition will be covered. The appropriate clothing and footwear will be discussed, including how...policy proposals , for review by civilian health system leaders, National Guard command staff, and both the Departments of Homeland Security and...for healthcare emergency response planning. Journal of Business Continuity and Emergency Preparedness, 1(4). Center for Disease Control and

Toward Integrated DoD Biosurveillance: Assessment and Opportunities

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

destruction threat, an emerging infectious disease, pandemic, environmental disaster, or a food -borne illness.” Moreover, the Strategy also highlights...Epidemics FDA Food and Drug Administration FHP force health protection GEIS Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System HHS...infectious disease, pandemic, environmental disaster, or a food -borne illness. (p. 1) Moreover, the Strategy also highlights a need to protect domestic

DNA-assisted swarm control in a biomolecular motor system.

PubMed

Keya, Jakia Jannat; Suzuki, Ryuhei; Kabir, Arif Md Rashedul; Inoue, Daisuke; Asanuma, Hiroyuki; Sada, Kazuki; Hess, Henry; Kuzuya, Akinori; Kakugo, Akira

2018-01-31

In nature, swarming behavior has evolved repeatedly among motile organisms because it confers a variety of beneficial emergent properties. These include improved information gathering, protection from predators, and resource utilization. Some organisms, e.g., locusts, switch between solitary and swarm behavior in response to external stimuli. Aspects of swarming behavior have been demonstrated for motile supramolecular systems composed of biomolecular motors and cytoskeletal filaments, where cross-linkers induce large scale organization. The capabilities of such supramolecular systems may be further extended if the swarming behavior can be programmed and controlled. Here, we demonstrate that the swarming of DNA-functionalized microtubules (MTs) propelled by surface-adhered kinesin motors can be programmed and reversibly regulated by DNA signals. Emergent swarm behavior, such as translational and circular motion, can be selected by tuning the MT stiffness. Photoresponsive DNA containing azobenzene groups enables switching between solitary and swarm behavior in response to stimulation with visible or ultraviolet light.

9 CFR 121.14 - Incident response. 11

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... (including information systems); severe weather and other natural disasters; workplace violence; bomb threats... protective and emergency equipment, and their locations; (10) Site security and control; (11) Procedures for...

Electroactive Polymer (EAP) Actuation of Mechanisms and Robotic Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Cohen, Y.; Leary, S.; Harrison, J.; Smith, J.

1999-01-01

Actuators are responsible to the operative capability of manipulation systems and robots. In recent years, electroactive polymers (EAP) have emerged as potential alternative to conventional actuators.

7 CFR 331.14 - Incident response. 6

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...; bomb threats and suspicious packages; and emergencies such as fire, gas leak, explosion, power outage... information systems); severe weather and other natural disasters; workplace violence; bomb threats and...

Public Health System Response to Extreme Weather Events.

PubMed

Hunter, Mark D; Hunter, Jennifer C; Yang, Jane E; Crawley, Adam W; Aragón, Tomás J

2016-01-01

Extreme weather events, unpredictable and often far-reaching, constitute a persistent challenge for public health preparedness. The goal of this research is to inform public health systems improvement through examination of extreme weather events, comparing across cases to identify recurring patterns in event and response characteristics. Structured telephone-based interviews were conducted with representatives from health departments to assess characteristics of recent extreme weather events and agencies' responses. Response activities were assessed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Emergency Preparedness Capabilities framework. Challenges that are typical of this response environment are reported. Forty-five local health departments in 20 US states. Respondents described public health system responses to 45 events involving tornadoes, flooding, wildfires, winter weather, hurricanes, and other storms. Events of similar scale were infrequent for a majority (62%) of the communities involved; disruption to critical infrastructure was universal. Public Health Emergency Preparedness Capabilities considered most essential involved environmental health investigations, mass care and sheltering, surveillance and epidemiology, information sharing, and public information and warning. Unanticipated response activities or operational constraints were common. We characterize extreme weather events as a "quadruple threat" because (1) direct threats to population health are accompanied by damage to public health protective and community infrastructure, (2) event characteristics often impose novel and pervasive burdens on communities, (3) responses rely on critical infrastructures whose failure both creates new burdens and diminishes response capacity, and (4) their infrequency and scale further compromise response capacity. Given the challenges associated with extreme weather events, we suggest opportunities for organizational learning and preparedness improvements.

Difficult airway response team: a novel quality improvement program for managing hospital-wide airway emergencies.

PubMed

Mark, Lynette J; Herzer, Kurt R; Cover, Renee; Pandian, Vinciya; Bhatti, Nasir I; Berkow, Lauren C; Haut, Elliott R; Hillel, Alexander T; Miller, Christina R; Feller-Kopman, David J; Schiavi, Adam J; Xie, Yanjun J; Lim, Christine; Holzmueller, Christine; Ahmad, Mueen; Thomas, Pradeep; Flint, Paul W; Mirski, Marek A

2015-07-01

Difficult airway cases can quickly become emergencies, increasing the risk of life-threatening complications or death. Emergency airway management outside the operating room is particularly challenging. We developed a quality improvement program-the Difficult Airway Response Team (DART)-to improve emergency airway management outside the operating room. DART was implemented by a team of anesthesiologists, otolaryngologists, trauma surgeons, emergency medicine physicians, and risk managers in 2005 at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The DART program had 3 core components: operations, safety, and education. The operations component focused on developing a multidisciplinary difficult airway response team, standardizing the emergency response process, and deploying difficult airway equipment carts throughout the hospital. The safety component focused on real-time monitoring of DART activations and learning from past DART events to continuously improve system-level performance. This objective entailed monitoring the paging system, reporting difficult airway events and DART activations to a Web-based registry, and using in situ simulations to identify and mitigate defects in the emergency airway management process. The educational component included development of a multispecialty difficult airway curriculum encompassing case-based lectures, simulation, and team building/communication to ensure consistency of care. Educational materials were also developed for non-DART staff and patients to inform them about the needs of patients with difficult airways and ensure continuity of care with other providers after discharge. Between July 2008 and June 2013, DART managed 360 adult difficult airway events comprising 8% of all code activations. Predisposing patient factors included body mass index >40, history of head and neck tumor, prior difficult intubation, cervical spine injury, airway edema, airway bleeding, and previous or current tracheostomy. Twenty-three patients (6%) required emergent surgical airways. Sixty-two patients (17%) were stabilized and transported to the operating room for definitive airway management. There were no airway management-related deaths, sentinel events, or malpractice claims in adult patients managed by DART. Five in situ simulations conducted in the first program year improved DART's teamwork, communication, and response times and increased the functionality of the difficult airway carts. Over the 5-year period, we conducted 18 airway courses, through which >200 providers were trained. DART is a comprehensive program for improving difficult airway management. Future studies will examine the comparative effectiveness of the DART program and evaluate how DART has impacted patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and costs of care.

Difficult Airway Response Team: A Novel Quality Improvement Program for Managing Hospital-Wide Airway Emergencies

PubMed Central

Mark, Lynette J.; Herzer, Kurt R.; Cover, Renee; Pandian, Vinciya; Bhatti, Nasir I.; Berkow, Lauren C.; Haut, Elliott R.; Hillel, Alexander T.; Miller, Christina R.; Feller-Kopman, David J.; Schiavi, Adam J.; Xie, Yanjun J.; Lim, Christine; Holzmueller, Christine; Ahmad, Mueen; Thomas, Pradeep; Flint, Paul W.; Mirski, Marek A.

2015-01-01

Background Difficult airway cases can quickly become emergencies, increasing the risk of life-threatening complications or death. Emergency airway management outside the operating room is particularly challenging. Methods We developed a quality improvement program—the Difficult Airway Response Team (DART)—to improve emergency airway management outside the operating room. DART was implemented by a team of anesthesiologists, otolaryngologists, trauma surgeons, emergency medicine physicians, and risk managers in 2005 at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The DART program had three core components: operations, safety, and education. The operations component focused on developing a multidisciplinary difficult airway response team, standardizing the emergency response process, and deploying difficult airway equipment carts throughout the hospital. The safety component focused on real-time monitoring of DART activations and learning from past DART events to continuously improve system-level performance. This objective entailed monitoring the paging system, reporting difficult airway events and DART activations to a web-based registry, and using in situ simulations to identify and mitigate defects in the emergency airway management process. The educational component included development of a multispecialty difficult airway curriculum encompassing case-based lectures, simulation, and team building/communication to ensure consistency of care. Educational materials were also developed for non-DART staff and patients to inform them about the needs of patients with difficult airways and ensure continuity of care with other providers after discharge. Results Between July 2008 and June 2013, DART managed 360 adult difficult airway events comprising 8% of all code activations. Predisposing patient factors included body mass index > 40, history of head and neck tumor, prior difficult intubation, cervical spine injury, airway edema, airway bleeding, and previous or current tracheostomy. Twenty-three patients (6%) required emergent surgical airways. Sixty-two patients (17%) were stabilized and transported to the operating room for definitive airway management. There were no airway management-related deaths, sentinel events, or malpractice claims in adult patients managed by DART. Five in situ simulations conducted in the first program year improved DART's teamwork, communication, and response times and increased the functionality of the difficult airway carts. Over the 5-year period, we conducted 18 airway courses, through which more than 200 providers were trained. Conclusions DART is a comprehensive program for improving difficult airway management. Future studies will examine the comparative effectiveness of the DART program and evaluate how DART has impacted patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and costs of care. PMID:26086513

[The five commandments for preparing the Israeli healthcare system for emergencies].

PubMed

Adini, Bruria; Laor, Danny; Cohen, Robert; Lev, Boaz; Israeli, Avi

2010-07-01

In the last decade, the Israeli healthcare system dealt with many casualties that resulted from terrorist actions and at the same time maintained preparedness for other potential hazards such as natural disasters, toxicological, chemical, radiological and biological events. There are various models for emergency preparedness that are utilized in different countries. The aim of the article is to present the structure and the methodology of the Israeli healthcare system for emergencies. Assuring emergency preparedness for the different scenarios is based on 5 major components that include: comprehensive contingency planning; control and command of operations; central control of readiness; capacity building; coordination and collaboration among the numerous emergency agencies. CLose working relationships between the military and civilian systems characterize the operations of the emergency system. There is a mutual sharing of information, coordinated operations to achieve risk assessment and determine priorities, and consensual allocation of resources. The ability of the medical system to operate in optimal coordination with interface bodies, including the Israel Defense Forces, is derived from three main elements: the shortage of resources necessitate that all agencies work together to develop an effective response to emergencies; the Israeli society is characterized by transition of personnel from the military to the civilian system which promotes joint operations, whereas in most other countries these systems are completely separated; and also developing mechanisms for continuous and coordinated operation in routine and emergency times, such as the Supreme Health Authority. The Israeli healthcare system was put to the test several times in the Last decade, during the terror wave that occurred between 2001-2006, the 2nd Lebanon War and in operation "Cast Lead". An extensive process of learning lessons, conducted during and following each of these periods, and the existence of a mechanism which facilitated the definition of a systematic policy and the examination of its implementation, enabled the healthcare system to provide medical services to the population and to improve its preparedness by an ongoing process.

Introducing ShakeMap to potential users in Puerto Rico using scenarios of damaging historical and probable earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huerfano, V. A.; Cua, G.; von Hillebrandt, C.; Saffar, A.

2007-12-01

The island of Puerto Rico has a long history of damaging earthquakes. Major earthquakes from off-shore sources have affected Puerto Rico in 1520, 1615, 1670, 1751, 1787, 1867, and 1918 (Mueller et al, 2003; PRSN Catalogue). Recent trenching has also yielded evidence of possible M7.0 events inland (Prentice, 2000). The high seismic hazard, large population, high tsunami potential and relatively poor construction practice can result in a potentially devastating combination. Efficient emergency response in event of a large earthquake will be crucial to minimizing the loss of life and disruption of lifeline systems in Puerto Rico. The ShakeMap system (Wald et al, 2004) developed by the USGS to rapidly display and disseminate information about the geographical distribution of ground shaking (and hence potential damage) following a large earthquake has proven to be a vital tool for post earthquake emergency response efforts, and is being adopted/emulated in various seismically active regions worldwide. Implementing a robust ShakeMap system is among the top priorities of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network. However, the ultimate effectiveness of ShakeMap in post- earthquake response depends not only on its rapid availability, but also on the effective use of the information it provides. We developed ShakeMap scenarios of a suite of damaging historical and probable earthquakes that severely impact San Juan, Ponce, and Mayagüez, the 3 largest cities in Puerto Rico. Earthquake source parameters were obtained from McCann and Mercado (1998); and Huérfano (2004). For historical earthquakes that generated tsunamis, tsunami inundation maps were generated using the TIME method (Shuto, 1991). The ShakeMap ground shaking maps were presented to local and regional governmental and emergency response agencies at the 2007 Annual conference of the Puerto Rico Emergency Management and Disaster Administration in San Juan, PR, and at numerous other emergency management talks and training sessions. Economic losses are estimated using the ShakeMap scenario ground motions (Saffar, 2007). The calibration tasks necessary in generating these scenarios (developing Vs30 maps, attenuation relationships) complement the on-going efforts of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network to generate ShakeMaps in real-time.

44 CFR 352.27 - Federal role in the emergency response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... response. 352.27 Section 352.27 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY... Federal Participation § 352.27 Federal role in the emergency response. In addition to the Federal component of the licensee offsite emergency response plan described in subpart B (§ 352.26), and after...

44 CFR 352.27 - Federal role in the emergency response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... response. 352.27 Section 352.27 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY... Federal Participation § 352.27 Federal role in the emergency response. In addition to the Federal component of the licensee offsite emergency response plan described in subpart B (§ 352.26), and after...

44 CFR 352.27 - Federal role in the emergency response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... response. 352.27 Section 352.27 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY... Federal Participation § 352.27 Federal role in the emergency response. In addition to the Federal component of the licensee offsite emergency response plan described in subpart B (§ 352.26), and after...

44 CFR 352.27 - Federal role in the emergency response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... response. 352.27 Section 352.27 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY... Federal Participation § 352.27 Federal role in the emergency response. In addition to the Federal component of the licensee offsite emergency response plan described in subpart B (§ 352.26), and after...

The prehospital emergency care system in Mexico City: a system's performance evaluation.

PubMed

Peralta, Luis Mauricio Pinet

2006-01-01

Mexico City has one of the highest mortality rates in Mexico, with non-intentional injuries as a leading cause of death among persons 1-44 years of age. Emergency medical services (EMS) in Mexico can achieve high levels of efficiency by offering high quality medical care at a low cost through adequate system design. The objective of this study was to determine whether the prehospital EMS system in Mexico City meets the criteria standards established by the American Ambulance Association Guide for Contracting Emergency Medical Services (AAA Guide) for highly efficient EMS systems. This retrospective, descriptive study, evaluated the structure of Mexico City's EMS system and analyzed EMS response times, clinical capacity, economic efficiency, and customer satisfaction. These results were compared with the AAA guide, according to the soc ial, economic, and political context in Mexico. This paper describes the healthcare system structure in Mexico, followed by a description of the basic structure of EMS in Mexico City, and of each tenet described in the AAA guide. The p aper includesdata obtained from official documents and databases of government agencies, and operative and administrative data from public and private EMS providers. The quality of the data for response times (RT) were insufficient and widely varied among providers, with a minimum RT of 6.79 minutes (min) and a maximum RT of 61 min. Providers did not define RT clearly, and measured it with averages, which can hide potentially poor performance practices. Training institutions are not required to follow a standardized curriculum. Certifications are the responsibility of the individual training centers and have no government regulation. There was no evidence of active medical control involvement in direct patient care, and providers did not report that quality assurance programs were in place. There also are limited career advancement opportunities for EMS personnel. Small economies of scale may not allow providers to be economically efficient, unit hours are difficult to calculate, and few economic data are available. There is no evidence of customer satisfaction data. Emergency medical services in Mexico City did not meet the AAA requirements for high-quality, prehospital, emergency care. Coordination among EMS providers is difficult to achieve, due, in part, to the lack of: (1) an authoritative structure; (2) sound system design; and (3) appropriate legislation. The government, EMS providers, stakeholders, and community members should work together to build a high quality EMS system at the lowest possible cost.

Purchasing and Using Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS): how decisions are made by community-dwelling seniors in Canada.

PubMed

McKenna, Alexandra C; Kloseck, Marita; Crilly, Richard; Polgar, Jan

2015-07-11

As the demographic of older people continues to grow, health services that support independence among community-dwelling seniors have become increasingly important. Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) are medical alert systems, designed to serve as a safety net for seniors living alone. Health care professionals often recommend that seniors in danger of falls or other medical emergencies obtain a PERS. The purpose of the study was to investigate the experience of seniors living with and using a PERS in their daily lives, using a qualitative grounded theory approach. Five focus groups and 10 semi-structured interviews, with a total of 30 participants, were completed using a grounded theory approach. All participants were PERS subscribers over the age of 80, living alone in a naturally occurring retirement community (NORC) with high health service utilization in a major urban centre in Ontario. Constant comparative analysis was used to develop themes and ultimately a model of why and how seniors obtain and use the PERS. Two core themes, unpredictability and decision-making around PERS activation, emerged as major features of the theoretical model. Being able to get help and the psychological value of PERS informed the context of living with a PERS. A number of theoretical conclusions related to unpredictability and the decision-making process around activating PERS were generated.

Characteristics and triage of a maritime disaster: an accidental passenger ship collision in Korea.

PubMed

Ryu, Ji Ho; Yeom, Seok Ran; Jeong, Jin Woo; Kim, Yong In; Cho, Suck Ju

2010-06-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of and responses to a maritime disaster, by reviewing the events surrounding the accidental collision of a high-speed passenger ship in South Korea. Of the 215 boarded passengers on a high-speed passenger ship sailing from Fukuoka to Busan, we retrospectively examined information of 114 victims of the ship's collision with a whale on 12 April 2007. We referenced reports from the on-site disaster medical assistance team members; recorded notifications to the Busan 1339 Emergency Medical Information Centre, from the scene of the accident and data from the ship's insurer. The 114 victims were transported to 20 different hospitals. Many patients were transported to nearby local hospitals from the scene of the accident; other patients were transported to more distant hospitals. Eighty-five patients were transported to hospitals through mobile emergency support units, whereas the other patients were transported directly by fire officers from the 119 Fire Officer Centre. One patient died in the transport. In conclusion, our national emergency medical service and disaster response system each suffer from many problems - especially a lack of cooperation among related departments and insufficient communication therein. The onboard planning and practice of a disaster plan is required, and a reliable information system between the scene of a maritime disaster and our emergency medical service system should be developed.

Emerging Viral Infections and Their Impact on the Global Burden of Neurological Disease.

PubMed

Muñoz, Laura S; Garcia, Maria A; Gordon-Lipkin, Eliza; Parra, Beatriz; Pardo, Carlos A

2018-04-01

Emerging viral infections of the nervous system represent a major global public health concern in the 21st century. They are caused primarily by RNA viruses and are mostly associated with acute or subacute encephalitis. The spectrum of associated central or peripheral nervous system disorders is broad, and results either from a direct viral effect or due to the host immune responses against the infection. Emerging viral infections impose substantial neurological morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income regions. In the past five decades, vector-borne viruses primarily transmitted by arthropods, or arboviruses, have been responsible for epidemics with a high burden of neurological disease, like the 2015-2016 Zika virus epidemic in the Americas. Viruses that have become neurovirulent for humans after geographical expansion include West Nile, Dengue, and Zika viruses. Factors such as animal migration, disruption of ecological niches, and cross-species contact have caused old viruses to reappear and cause neurological disease, as is the case of Ebola virus. In addition to these biological challenges, current preventive strategies, vaccination, and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches remain limited. We review the clinical-virological features and global impact of the most relevant emerging viral infections of the nervous system as they are projected over the 21st century. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Earthquake Early Warning: A Prospective User's Perspective (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishenko, S. P.; Savage, W. U.; Johnson, T.

2009-12-01

With more than 25 million people at risk from high hazard faults in California alone, Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) presents a promising public safety and emergency response tool. EEW represents the real-time end of an earthquake information spectrum which also includes near real-time notifications of earthquake location, magnitude, and shaking levels; as well as geographic information system (GIS)-based products for compiling and visually displaying processed earthquake data such as ShakeMap and ShakeCast. Improvements to and increased multi-national implementation of EEW have stimulated interest in how such information products could be used in the future. Lifeline organizations, consisting of utilities and transportation systems, can use both onsite and regional EEW information as part of their risk management and public safety programs. Regional EEW information can provide improved situational awareness to system operators before automatic system protection devices activate, and allow trained personnel to take precautionary measures. On-site EEW is used for earthquake-actuated automatic gas shutoff valves, triggered garage door openers at fire stations, system controls, etc. While there is no public policy framework for preemptive, precautionary electricity or gas service shutdowns by utilities in the United States, gas shut-off devices are being required at the building owner level by some local governments. In the transportation sector, high-speed rail systems have already demonstrated the ‘proof of concept’ for EEW in several countries, and more EEW systems are being installed. Recently the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) began collaborating with the California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN) and others to assess the potential benefits of EEW technology to mass transit operations and emergency response in the San Francisco Bay region. A key issue in this assessment is that significant earthquakes are likely to occur close to or within the BART system, limiting the time available for an EEW-based response (i.e., slowing or stopping trains). While EEW systems are currently being tested in California, the societal benefits may be even more pronounced in other earthquake-prone parts of the United States. In the central and eastern United States, strong ground motions are felt over significantly larger areas than in California, enabling both a larger area and longer lead times for warnings ahead of the arrival of strong shaking. Because these regions are less resistant to earthquake shaking, such warnings may be even more important for safety and emergency response. However, in many areas a significant increase in the instrumentation density would be required for EEW to become a reality. Although the details of EEW systems are specific to earthquakes, the operation of sensor networks, real-time data analysis, and rapid notification to lifelines is an emerging technology that can be used for real-time detection and early warning of other types of natural and human-caused disasters and emergencies.

The nature of immune responses to urinary tract infections

PubMed Central

Abraham, Soman N.; Miao, Yuxuan

2016-01-01

The urinary tract is constantly exposed to microorganisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract, but generally the urinary tract resists infection by gut microorganisms. This resistance to infection is mainly ascribed to the versatility of the innate immune defences in the urinary tract as the adaptive immune responses are limited, particularly when only the lower urinary tract is infected. In recent years, as the strengths and weaknesses of the immune system of the urinary tract have emerged and as the virulence attributes of uropathogens are recognized, several potentially effective and unconventional strategies to contain or prevent urinary tract infections have emerged. PMID:26388331

Ebola Preparedness Planning and Collaboration by Two Health Systems in Wisconsin, September to December 2014.

PubMed

Leonhardt, Kathryn Kraft; Keuler, Megan; Safdar, Nasia; Hunter, Paul

2016-08-01

We describe the collaborative approach used by 2 health systems in Wisconsin to plan and prepare for the threat of Ebola virus disease. This was a descriptive study of the preparedness planning, infection prevention, and collaboration with public health agencies undertaken by 2 health systems in Wisconsin between September and December 2014. The preparedness approach used by the 2 health systems relied successfully on their robust infrastructure for planning and infection prevention. In the setting of rapidly evolving guidance and unprecedented fear regarding Ebola, the 2 health systems enhanced their response through collaboration and coordination with each other and government public health agencies. Key lessons learned included the importance of a rigorous planning process, robust infection prevention practices, and coalitions between public and private health sectors. The potential threat of Ebola virus disease stimulated emergency preparedness in which acute care facilities played a leading role in the public health response. Leveraging the existing expertise of health systems is essential when faced with emerging infectious diseases. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:691-697).

Evolution and Design Governing Signal Precision and Amplification in a Bacterial Chemosensory Pathway

PubMed Central

Espinosa, Leon; Baronian, Grégory; Molle, Virginie; Mauriello, Emilia M. F.; Brochier-Armanet, Céline; Mignot, Tâm

2015-01-01

Understanding the principles underlying the plasticity of signal transduction networks is fundamental to decipher the functioning of living cells. In Myxococcus xanthus, a particular chemosensory system (Frz) coordinates the activity of two separate motility systems (the A- and S-motility systems), promoting multicellular development. This unusual structure asks how signal is transduced in a branched signal transduction pathway. Using combined evolution-guided and single cell approaches, we successfully uncoupled the regulations and showed that the A-motility regulation system branched-off an existing signaling system that initially only controlled S-motility. Pathway branching emerged in part following a gene duplication event and changes in the circuit structure increasing the signaling efficiency. In the evolved pathway, the Frz histidine kinase generates a steep biphasic response to increasing external stimulations, which is essential for signal partitioning to the motility systems. We further show that this behavior results from the action of two accessory response regulator proteins that act independently to filter and amplify signals from the upstream kinase. Thus, signal amplification loops may underlie the emergence of new connectivity in signal transduction pathways. PMID:26291327

Update on the Mammalian Tier 1 Endocrine Disruptor Screening Protocols

EPA Science Inventory

The endocrine system provides a number of target sites that may be susceptible to disruption by environmental agents. In response to emerging concerns that environmental chemicals may have adverse effects on human health by altering the function of the endocrine system (http://w...

Librarians in Name Only: Systems Librarianship and Job Seeking: A Content Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Robbie F.

This study surveys previous research about systems librarians and performs a systematic examination of position requirements through analysis of position announcements, responsibilities, required skills, job titles, degree requirements, personality qualifications, and salaries. The educational needs and emergent curriculum appropriate for…

Framework for Real-Time All-Hazards Global Situational Awareness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Omitaomu, Olufemi A; Fernandez, Steven J; Bhaduri, Budhendra L

Information systems play a pivotal role in emergency response by making consequence analysis models based on up-to-date data available to decision makers. While consequence analysis models have been used for years on local scales, their application on national and global scales has been constrained by lack of non-proprietary data. This chapter describes how this has changed using a framework for real-time all-hazards situational awareness called the Energy Awareness and Resiliency Standardized Services (EARSS) as an example. EARSS is a system of systems developed to collect non-proprietary data from diverse open content sources to develop a geodatabase of critical infrastructures allmore » over the world. The EARSS system shows that it is feasible to provide global disaster alerts by producing valuable information such as texting messages about detected hazards, emailing reports about affected areas, estimating an expected number of impacted people and their demographic characteristics, identifying critical infrastructures that may be affected, and analyzing potential downstream effects. This information is provided in real-time to federal agencies and subscribers all over the world for decision making in humanitarian assistance and emergency response. The system also uses live streams of power outages, weather, and satellite surveillance data as events unfold. This, in turn, is combined with other public domain or open content information, such as media reports and postings on social networking websites, for complete coverage of the situation as events unfold. Working with up-to-date information from the EARSS system, emergency responders on the ground could pre-position their staff and resources, such as emergency generators and ice, where they are most needed.« less

A Systematic Review on Recent Advances in mHealth Systems: Deployment Architecture for Emergency Response

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The continuous technological advances in favor of mHealth represent a key factor in the improvement of medical emergency services. This systematic review presents the identification, study, and classification of the most up-to-date approaches surrounding the deployment of architectures for mHealth. Our review includes 25 articles obtained from databases such as IEEE Xplore, Scopus, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, and SAGE. This review focused on studies addressing mHealth systems for outdoor emergency situations. In 60% of the articles, the deployment architecture relied in the connective infrastructure associated with emergent technologies such as cloud services, distributed services, Internet-of-things, machine-to-machine, vehicular ad hoc network, and service-oriented architecture. In 40% of the literature review, the deployment architecture for mHealth considered traditional connective infrastructure. Only 20% of the studies implemented an energy consumption protocol to extend system lifetime. We concluded that there is a need for more integrated solutions specifically for outdoor scenarios. Energy consumption protocols are needed to be implemented and evaluated. Emergent connective technologies are redefining the information management and overcome traditional technologies. PMID:29075430

A Systematic Review on Recent Advances in mHealth Systems: Deployment Architecture for Emergency Response.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Enrique; Peña, Raul; Avila, Alfonso; Vargas-Rosales, Cesar; Munoz-Rodriguez, David

2017-01-01

The continuous technological advances in favor of mHealth represent a key factor in the improvement of medical emergency services. This systematic review presents the identification, study, and classification of the most up-to-date approaches surrounding the deployment of architectures for mHealth. Our review includes 25 articles obtained from databases such as IEEE Xplore, Scopus, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, and SAGE. This review focused on studies addressing mHealth systems for outdoor emergency situations. In 60% of the articles, the deployment architecture relied in the connective infrastructure associated with emergent technologies such as cloud services, distributed services, Internet-of-things, machine-to-machine, vehicular ad hoc network, and service-oriented architecture. In 40% of the literature review, the deployment architecture for mHealth considered traditional connective infrastructure. Only 20% of the studies implemented an energy consumption protocol to extend system lifetime. We concluded that there is a need for more integrated solutions specifically for outdoor scenarios. Energy consumption protocols are needed to be implemented and evaluated. Emergent connective technologies are redefining the information management and overcome traditional technologies.

40 CFR 1.47 - Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the Agency's solid and hazardous wastes and emergency response programs. This Office has primary..., under the supervision of a Director, is responsible for the emergency and remedial response functions of...) Providing direction, guidance, and support to the Agency's non-enforcement emergency and remedial response...

A GIS-based model to estimate flood consequences and the degree of accessibility and operability of strategic emergency response structures in urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albano, R.; Sole, A.; Adamowski, J.; Mancusi, L.

2014-11-01

Efficient decision-making regarding flood risk reduction has become a priority for authorities and stakeholders in many European countries. Risk analysis methods and techniques are a useful tool for evaluating costs and benefits of possible interventions. Within this context, a methodology to estimate flood consequences was developed in this paper that is based on GIS, and integrated with a model that estimates the degree of accessibility and operability of strategic emergency response structures in an urban area. The majority of the currently available approaches do not properly analyse road network connections and dependencies within systems, and as such a loss of roads could cause significant damages and problems to emergency services in cases of flooding. The proposed model is unique in that it provides a maximum-impact estimation of flood consequences on the basis of the operability of the strategic emergency structures in an urban area, their accessibility, and connection within the urban system of a city (i.e. connection between aid centres and buildings at risk), in the emergency phase. The results of a case study in the Puglia region in southern Italy are described to illustrate the practical applications of this newly proposed approach. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that it allows for defining a hierarchy between different infrastructure in the urban area through the identification of particular components whose operation and efficiency are critical for emergency management. This information can be used by decision-makers to prioritize risk reduction interventions in flood emergencies in urban areas, given limited financial resources.

The Boston Marathon Bombings Mass Casualty Incident: One Emergency Department's Information Systems Challenges and Opportunities.

PubMed

Landman, Adam; Teich, Jonathan M; Pruitt, Peter; Moore, Samantha E; Theriault, Jennifer; Dorisca, Elizabeth; Harris, Sheila; Crim, Heidi; Lurie, Nicole; Goralnick, Eric

2015-07-01

Emergency department (ED) information systems are designed to support efficient and safe emergency care. These same systems often play a critical role in disasters to facilitate real-time situation awareness, information management, and communication. In this article, we describe one ED's experiences with ED information systems during the April 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. During postevent debriefings, staff shared that our ED information systems and workflow did not optimally support this incident; we found challenges with our unidentified patient naming convention, real-time situational awareness of patient location, and documentation of assessments, orders, and procedures. As a result, before our next mass gathering event, we changed our unidentified patient naming convention to more clearly distinguish multiple, simultaneous, unidentified patients. We also made changes to the disaster registration workflow and enhanced roles and responsibilities for updating electronic systems. Health systems should conduct disaster drills using their ED information systems to identify inefficiencies before an actual incident. ED information systems may require enhancements to better support disasters. Newer technologies, such as radiofrequency identification, could further improve disaster information management and communication but require careful evaluation and implementation into daily ED workflow. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assuring the USAF Core Missions in the Information Age

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

cyberspace operators, to include focusing on response capabilities such as emergency and incident- response teams and plans.6 One of the best ways to...accomplish this shift is through aggressive and thorough red teaming . A red team is a group of friendly attackers who attempt to attack systems to find...vulnerabilities but also giving defenders practice in how to rec- ognize and respond to attacks to keep their systems functioning. Red teams are

Analysis of inland crude oil spill threats, vulnerabilities, and emergency response in the midwest United States.

PubMed

Brody, Thomas M; Di Bianca, Paisly; Krysa, Jan

2012-10-01

Although coastal oil spills tend to be highly publicized, crude oil spills in the United States affect inland areas relatively often. Spills to inland areas often affect sensitive environments and can have greater impacts to health and welfare than spills to coastal areas. For these reasons, the authors investigated inland crude oil spill threats, vulnerabilities, and emergency response in the midwestern U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. These states work with the Region 5 Offices of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Region 5's geospatial data in the Inland Sensitivity Atlas were turned into metrics indicating inland crude oil spill threats and vulnerabilities among the Region's sub-watersheds. These threats and vulnerabilities were weighted using data from the National Response Center and the Department of Energy's Environmental Restoration Priority System. The locations of the Region's emergency responders were geocoded in GIS. The GIS calculated the emergency response times to the Region's sub-watersheds. The resulting scatter plots are connected to the sub-watersheds in the map so stakeholders can (1) see the outlying sub-watersheds of concern and (2) better understand how reducing threats and better response time can reduce the risk of inland crude oil spills. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the U.S.A.

OEM Emergency Preparedness Information

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Office of Emergency Management compiles a wide variety of information in support of Emergency Preparedness, including certain elements of the System for Risk Management Plans (SRMP), a wide variety of training and guidance materials, inventories and readiness/O&M status of equipment and response personnel. Some of the data available to EPA for this emergency preparedness includes industry trade secret information.A major component of this data asset is information compiled in the Compendium of Environmental Testing Laboratories. This information allows OEM to direct samples recovered from emergency incidents to the appropriate laboratory certified to analyze the substances in question.Also included here are all types of field readiness information, training logs, and personnel contact information.

Preparing for veterinary emergencies: disaster management and the Incident Command System.

PubMed

Madigan, J; Dacre, I

2009-08-01

An important question that all veterinary schools should consider is whether veterinary students should be trained to deal with local or regional states of emergency or disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, hail and ice storms, wind storms, fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and epidemics. When a large-scale emergency or disaster does strike, the consequences can be dire for the domestic and wild animals of the region and for the humans within the vicinity of seriously and painfully injured animals. The authors argue that emergency preparedness is essential for the veterinary profession to meet its obligations to both animals and humans. The four basic components of disaster management are: mitigation, preparedness, response/emergency relief and recovery.

Systems biology: A tool for charting the antiviral landscape.

PubMed

Bowen, James R; Ferris, Martin T; Suthar, Mehul S

2016-06-15

The host antiviral programs that are initiated following viral infection form a dynamic and complex web of responses that we have collectively termed as "the antiviral landscape". Conventional approaches to studying antiviral responses have primarily used reductionist systems to assess the function of a single or a limited subset of molecules. Systems biology is a holistic approach that considers the entire system as a whole, rather than individual components or molecules. Systems biology based approaches facilitate an unbiased and comprehensive analysis of the antiviral landscape, while allowing for the discovery of emergent properties that are missed by conventional approaches. The antiviral landscape can be viewed as a hierarchy of complexity, beginning at the whole organism level and progressing downward to isolated tissues, populations of cells, and single cells. In this review, we will discuss how systems biology has been applied to better understand the antiviral landscape at each of these layers. At the organismal level, the Collaborative Cross is an invaluable genetic resource for assessing how genetic diversity influences the antiviral response. Whole tissue and isolated bulk cell transcriptomics serves as a critical tool for the comprehensive analysis of antiviral responses at both the tissue and cellular levels of complexity. Finally, new techniques in single cell analysis are emerging tools that will revolutionize our understanding of how individual cells within a bulk infected cell population contribute to the overall antiviral landscape. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health information and communication system for emergency management in a developing country, Iran.

PubMed

Seyedin, Seyed Hesam; Jamali, Hamid R

2011-08-01

Disasters are fortunately rare occurrences. However, accurate and timely information and communication are vital to adequately prepare individual health organizations for such events. The current article investigates the health related communication and information systems for emergency management in Iran. A mixed qualitative and quantitative methodology was used in this study. A sample of 230 health service managers was surveyed using a questionnaire and 65 semi-structured interviews were also conducted with public health and therapeutic affairs managers who were responsible for emergency management. A range of problems were identified including fragmentation of information, lack of local databases, lack of clear information strategy and lack of a formal system for logging disaster related information at regional or local level. Recommendations were made for improving the national emergency management information and communication system. The findings have implications for health organizations in developing and developed countries especially in the Middle East. Creating disaster related information databases, creating protocols and standards, setting an information strategy, training staff and hosting a center for information system in the Ministry of Health to centrally manage and share the data could improve the current information system.

Methanol test

MedlinePlus

... Safety and Health. Emergency Response Safety and Health Database. Methanol: systemic agent. Updated May 28, 2015. www. ... ADAM Health Solutions. About MedlinePlus Site Map FAQs Customer Support Get email updates Subscribe to RSS Follow ...

Homeland Security Presidential Directives

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Three of these directives directly affect EPA's role in the national emergency response system: HSPD-5 Management of Domestic Incidents; HSPD-7 Critical Infrastructure Identification, Prioritization, and Protection; and HSPD-8 National Preparedness.

40 CFR 68.180 - Emergency response program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... activities and the emergency response plan is coordinated. (c) The owner or operator shall list other Federal... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.180 Emergency response program... written emergency response plan? (2) Does the plan include specific actions to be taken in response to an...

40 CFR 68.180 - Emergency response program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... activities and the emergency response plan is coordinated. (c) The owner or operator shall list other Federal... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.180 Emergency response program... written emergency response plan? (2) Does the plan include specific actions to be taken in response to an...

40 CFR 68.180 - Emergency response program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... activities and the emergency response plan is coordinated. (c) The owner or operator shall list other Federal... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.180 Emergency response program... written emergency response plan? (2) Does the plan include specific actions to be taken in response to an...

40 CFR 68.180 - Emergency response program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... activities and the emergency response plan is coordinated. (c) The owner or operator shall list other Federal... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.180 Emergency response program... written emergency response plan? (2) Does the plan include specific actions to be taken in response to an...

RMP Guidance for Chemical Distributors - Chapter 8: Emergency Response Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Depending on the level of processes at your facility, part 68 may require an emergency response program: an emergency response plan, emergency response equipment procedures, employee training, and procedures to ensure the program is up-to-date.

The Current Crisis in Emergency Care and the Impact on Disaster Preparedness

PubMed Central

Cherry, Robert A; Trainer, Marcia

2008-01-01

Background The Homeland Security Act (HSA) of 2002 provided for the designation of a critical infrastructure protection program. This ultimately led to the designation of emergency services as a targeted critical infrastructure. In the context of an evolving crisis in hospital-based emergency care, the extent to which federal funding has addressed disaster preparedness will be examined. Discussion After 9/11, federal plans, procedures and benchmarks were mandated to assure a unified, comprehensive disaster response, ranging from local to federal activation of resources. Nevertheless, insufficient federal funding has contributed to a long-standing counter-trend which has eroded emergency medical care. The causes are complex and multifactorial, but they have converged to present a severely overburdened system that regularly exceeds emergency capacity and capabilities. This constant acute overcrowding, felt in communities all across the country, indicates a nation at risk. Federal funding has not sufficiently prioritized the improvements necessary for an emergency care infrastructure that is critical for an all hazards response to disaster and terrorist emergencies. Summary Currently, the nation is unable to meet presidential preparedness mandates for emergency and disaster care. Federal funding strategies must therefore be re-prioritized and targeted in a way that reasonably and consistently follows need. PMID:18452615

Using principles from emergency management to improve emergency response plans for research animals.

PubMed

Vogelweid, Catherine M

2013-10-01

Animal research regulatory agencies have issued updated requirements for emergency response planning by regulated research institutions. A thorough emergency response plan is an essential component of an institution's animal care and use program, but developing an effective plan can be a daunting task. The author provides basic information drawn from the field of emergency management about best practices for developing emergency response plans. Planners should use the basic principles of emergency management to develop a common-sense approach to managing emergencies in their facilities.

Emotion Regulation in Emerging Adult Couples: Temperament, Attachment, and HPA Response to Conflict

PubMed Central

Laurent, Heidemarie; Powers, Sally

2007-01-01

Difficulty managing the stress of conflict in close relationships can lead to mental and physical health problems, possibly through dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the neuroendocrine stress response system. Temperament, an individual characteristic, and attachment, a dyadic characteristic, have both been implicated in emotion regulation processes and physiological reactivity, yet there is no clear consensus on how the two work together to influence the stress response, especially after childhood. The present study investigated the ways in which temperament and attachment together predict HPA response in emerging adult couples. Analyses using multilevel modeling (HLM) found that partners' dyadic fit on attachment avoidance impacted females' cortisol response patterns, and attachment avoidance further moderated the effect of males' emotionality on both their own and their partners' cortisol. Results are discussed in terms of emotional coregulation processes in romantic attachment. PMID:17681662

Using the dynamic bond to access macroscopically responsive structurally dynamic polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojtecki, Rudy J.; Meador, Michael A.; Rowan, Stuart J.

2011-01-01

New materials that have the ability to reversibly adapt to their environment and possess a wide range of responses ranging from self-healing to mechanical work are continually emerging. These adaptive systems have the potential to revolutionize technologies such as sensors and actuators, as well as numerous biomedical applications. We will describe the emergence of a new trend in the design of adaptive materials that involves the use of reversible chemistry (both non-covalent and covalent) to programme a response that originates at the most fundamental (molecular) level. Materials that make use of this approach - structurally dynamic polymers - produce macroscopic responses from a change in the material's molecular architecture (that is, the rearrangement or reorganization of the polymer components, or polymeric aggregates). This design approach requires careful selection of the reversible/dynamic bond used in the construction of the material to control its environmental responsiveness.

Cortisol response to family interaction as a predictor for adjustment.

PubMed

Gans, Susan E; Johnson, Vanessa Kahen

2016-10-01

Emerging adult (EA) cortisol response during family interaction predicts change in EA anxious behavior during the transition to college (Johnson & Gans, in press). In the present study, we take an initial step toward integrating family systems research and physiology by including assessment of EA salivary cortisol collected during a triadic (mother-father-EA offspring) family interaction task. Emerging adults (N = 101) between the ages of 17 and 19 were assessed at 3 time points across their first college year: the summer before college, Fall and Spring semesters. Two parents accompanied the emerging adult child to the summer assessment; all family members provided 4 saliva samples each at 20-min intervals. Later assessments of emerging adults included measures of internalizing behaviors. EA's cortisol secretion patterns during family interaction predict observed and self-reported family relatedness, as well as patterns of internalizing behavior during the college transition. Observed family functioning appeared to moderate the relationship between EA cortisol response during family interaction and anxious behavior when adapting to college. Different patterns of results emerged, however, for EA men and women. The approach taken by this study provides a first step toward understanding how interrelationships among elements of physiology and family functioning contribute to later adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Southern states radiological emergency response laws and regulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1989-07-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the emergency response laws and regulations in place in the various states within the southern region for use by legislators, emergency response planners, the general public and all persons concerned about the existing legal framework for emergency response. SSEB expects to periodically update the report as necessary. Radiation protection regulations without emergency response provisions are not included in the summary.

Response to bio-terrorism directed against animals.

PubMed

Williams, J L; Sheesley, D

2000-01-01

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has a long history of rapid direction, control, and eradication of devastating diseases. Our immediate response mechanisms to diseases such as avian influenza, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis, and Newcastle disease, have long been recognized by the global emergency response community as models of control and eradication. APHIS and the U.S. livestock industries, in partnership with the Animal Agriculture Coalition, re-evaluated the Nation's animal health emergency preparedness and response systems. The group identified areas that negatively impact, biologically and/or economically, the Nation's animal and food production industries. To counter the increased risks including bioterrorism, APHIS plans to establish a world-class "Center of Excellence for Animal Health Emergency Management." APHIS, Intelligence agencies, other Federal departments, State governments, and industries are working together to provide accurate information on the foreign and domestic threats posed to the U.S. agricultural sector by biological weapons. Additionally, the same agencies and organizations are evaluating, updating, and improving the coordination and training mechanisms necessary to respond in the even of a widespread pest or disease outbreak.

Medical emergency announcements on cruise ships: an audit of outcome.

PubMed

Taylor, Christopher James

2015-01-01

Public address announcements are an effective way of alerting staff on cruise ships to life -threatening medical emergencies on-board, but should only be used when truly necessary. An audit to investigate the outcome following this method of activating the medical emergency response team (MERT) suggested system flaws. A new elementary first aid training programme for the crew was then developed, emphasising patient assessment and the correct determination of appropriate levels of response. Following fleet-wide implementation, post-intervention audits were performed on two other company ships to evaluate the impact of the new approach. Data from all MERT activations initiated by public address announcement were prospectively collected during the audit periods, including subsequent means of transfer to the ship's medical centre and duration of medical intervention as indicators of clinical severity. After changing the training programme the overall rate of public announcements for medical emergencies fell by 43%. The proportion of patients requiring transfer by stretcher increased from 5% to 33%, whilst the proportion of patients requiring ≥ 4 h of medical intervention increased from 5% to 44%. The audits suggest that the new training programme may have improved the first aid responders' decision-making as there were fewer inappropriate emergency announcements over the public address system. However, two-thirds of all MERT activations were still for patients either well enough to walk or only needing a wheelchair for subsequent transfer, indicating ongoing opportunity for improvement.