Sample records for preparedness program development

  1. 75 FR 34148 - Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-16

    ...] Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program AGENCY: Federal Emergency...) announces its adoption of three standards for the Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification... DHS to develop and implement a Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification...

  2. 78 FR 72122 - Draft Emergency Preparedness Frequently Asked Questions

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-02

    ... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2013-0262] Draft Emergency Preparedness Frequently Asked... of guidance documents related to the development and maintenance of emergency preparedness program... the interpretation or applicability of emergency preparedness guidance issued or endorsed by the NRC...

  3. Public Health Preparedness Funding: Key Programs and Trends From 2001 to 2017.

    PubMed

    Watson, Crystal R; Watson, Matthew; Sell, Tara Kirk

    2017-09-01

    To evaluate trends in funding over the past 16 years for key federal public health preparedness and response programs at the US Department of Health and Human Services, to improve understanding of federal funding history in this area, and to provide context for future resource allocation decisions for public health preparedness. In this 2017 analysis, we examined the funding history of key federal programs critical to public health preparedness by reviewing program budget data collected for our annual examination of federal funding for biodefense and health security programs since fiscal year (FY) 2001. State and local preparedness at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially received $940 million in FY2002 and resulted in significant preparedness gains, but funding levels have since decreased by 31%. Similarly, the Hospital Preparedness Program within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response was funded at a high of $515 million in FY2003, but funding was reduced by 50%. Investments in medical countermeasure development and stockpiling remained relatively stable. The United States has made significant progress in preparing for disasters and advancing public health infrastructure. To enable continued advancement, federal funding commitments must be sustained.

  4. Public Health Preparedness Funding: Key Programs and Trends From 2001 to 2017

    PubMed Central

    Sell, Tara Kirk

    2017-01-01

    Objectives. To evaluate trends in funding over the past 16 years for key federal public health preparedness and response programs at the US Department of Health and Human Services, to improve understanding of federal funding history in this area, and to provide context for future resource allocation decisions for public health preparedness. Methods. In this 2017 analysis, we examined the funding history of key federal programs critical to public health preparedness by reviewing program budget data collected for our annual examination of federal funding for biodefense and health security programs since fiscal year (FY) 2001. Results. State and local preparedness at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially received $940 million in FY2002 and resulted in significant preparedness gains, but funding levels have since decreased by 31%. Similarly, the Hospital Preparedness Program within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response was funded at a high of $515 million in FY2003, but funding was reduced by 50%. Investments in medical countermeasure development and stockpiling remained relatively stable. Conclusions. The United States has made significant progress in preparing for disasters and advancing public health infrastructure. To enable continued advancement, federal funding commitments must be sustained. PMID:28892451

  5. Leadership Preparation Program's Effects on Principals' Preparedness: Traditional University-Based vs. Alternative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gagliardi, Karen M.

    2012-01-01

    In this mixed-method causal comparative and interview-based study, I developed an understanding of the way in which school principals perceived their level of preparedness. The effectiveness of two types of leadership preparation programs, traditional-university based and alternative, were considered on principal preparedness. One hundred and…

  6. Emergency preparedness volunteer training program.

    PubMed

    Matthews, Amanda K; Sprague, Kristin; Girling, Eileen; Dapice, Lynne; Palumbo, Mary Val; Berry, Patricia

    2005-11-01

    The Vermont Department of Health (VDH) does not have sufficient personnel to fully staff a mass prophylaxis or vaccination clinic in response to a natural or man-made disease outbreak. Therefore, the VDH developed an emergency preparedness volunteer training program with three primary goals: to include both background information about public health and emergency preparedness and a hands-on training for clinic volunteers; to be adaptable for both community and healthcare professional volunteers; and to examine local emergencies and the VDH public health response to these events. Major components of the training program include basic public health goals and capacities; an introduction to emergency preparedness; a role-playing exercise using Job Action Sheets to simulate "just-in-time" training; and guidance for personal and family preparedness. The VDH has experienced difficulty finding and recruiting volunteers. To increase the potential volunteer pool, it will be implementing a multifaceted training program (on-line, through the mail, in person) to most effectively engage volunteers with varying interests and learning styles. The VDH must also develop a system to maintain regular contact with volunteers and clarify regulations regarding their scope of practice and liability.

  7. 10 Guiding principles of a comprehensive Internet-based public health preparedness training and education program.

    PubMed

    Alexander, Lorraine K; Horney, Jennifer A; Markiewicz, Milissa; MacDonald, Pia D M

    2010-01-01

    Distance learning is an effective strategy to address the many barriers to continuing education faced by the public health workforce. With the proliferation of online learning programs focused on public health, there is a need to develop and adopt a common set of principles and practices for distance learning. In this article, we discuss the 10 principles that guide the development, design, and delivery of the various training modules and courses offered by the North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness (NCCPHP). These principles are the result of 10 years of experience in Internet-based public health preparedness educational programming. In this article, we focus on three representative components of NCCPHP's overall training and education program to illustrate how the principles are implemented and help others in the field plan and develop similar programs.

  8. The U.S. National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program: Successes in Tsunami Preparedness

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whitmore, P.; Wilson, R. I.

    2012-12-01

    Formed in 1995 by Congressional Action, the National Tsunami Hazards Mitigation Program (NTHMP) provides the framework for tsunami preparedness activities in the United States. The Program consists of the 28 U.S. coastal states, territories, and commonwealths (STCs), as well as three Federal agencies: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Since its inception, the NTHMP has advanced tsunami preparedness in the United States through accomplishments in many areas of tsunami preparedness: - Coordination and funding of tsunami hazard analysis and preparedness activities in STCs; - Development and execution of a coordinated plan to address education and outreach activities (materials, signage, and guides) within its membership; - Lead the effort to assist communities in meeting National Weather Service (NWS) TsunamiReady guidelines through development of evacuation maps and other planning activities; - Determination of tsunami hazard zones in most highly threatened coastal communities throughout the country by detailed tsunami inundation studies; - Development of a benchmarking procedure for numerical tsunami models to ensure models used in the inundation studies meet consistent, NOAA standards; - Creation of a national tsunami exercise framework to test tsunami warning system response; - Funding community tsunami warning dissemination and reception systems such as sirens and NOAA Weather Radios; and, - Providing guidance to NOAA's Tsunami Warning Centers regarding warning dissemination and content. NTHMP activities have advanced the state of preparedness of United States coastal communities, and have helped save lives and property during recent tsunamis. Program successes as well as future plans, including maritime preparedness, are discussed.

  9. The Southern California Earthquake Survival Program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harris, J.M.

    1989-01-01

    In July 1988, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors directed the Chief Administrative Office to develop an educational program aimed at improving earthquake preparedness among Los Angeles County residents. the board recognized that current earthquake education efforts were not only insufficient, but also often confusing and costly. The board unanimously approved the development of a program that would make earthquake preparedness a year-long effort by encouraging residents to take a different precaution each month. 

  10. 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.

  11. 75 FR 60773 - Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-01

    ...] Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program AGENCY: Federal Emergency... concerns in the Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program (PS-Prep...-53 (the 9/11 Act) mandated DHS to establish a voluntary private sector preparedness accreditation and...

  12. Evaluation of a federally funded workforce development program: The Centers for Public Health Preparedness☆

    PubMed Central

    Sobelson, Robyn K.; Young, Andrea C.

    2017-01-01

    The Centers for Public Health Preparedness (CPHP) program was a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The program was initiated in 2004 to strengthen terrorism and emergency preparedness by linking academic expertise to state and local health agency needs. The purposes of the evaluation study were to identify the results achieved by the Centers and inform program planning for future programs. The evaluation was summative and retrospective in its design and focused on the aggregate outcomes of the CPHP program. The evaluation results indicated progress was achieved on program goals related to development of new training products, training members of the public health workforce, and expansion of partnerships between accredited schools of public health and state and local public health departments. Evaluation results, as well as methodological insights gleaned during the planning and conduct of the CPHP evaluation, were used to inform the design of the next iteration of the CPHP Program, the Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLC). PMID:23380597

  13. 48 CFR 52.211-14 - Notice of Priority Rating for National Defense, Emergency Preparedness, and Energy Program Use.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... for National Defense, Emergency Preparedness, and Energy Program Use. 52.211-14 Section 52.211-14... for National Defense, Emergency Preparedness, and Energy Program Use. As prescribed in 11.604(a), insert the following provision: Notice of Priority Rating for National Defense, Emergency Preparedness...

  14. Teaching case studies on earthquake preparedness efforts in the transportation sector, Los Angeles metropolitan area.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-01-01

    Through the development of a Harvard Kennedy School case study (intended for : use as curriculum in graduate-level and executive education programs), this project : examines earthquake preparedness and planning processes in the Los Angeles : metropol...

  15. 44 CFR 354.1 - Purpose.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... PREPAREDNESS FEE FOR SERVICES TO SUPPORT FEMA'S OFFSITE RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM § 354.1... the amounts that we anticipate to obligate for our Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program... established in the Treasury a Radiological Emergency Preparedness Fund, to be available under the Atomic...

  16. Exercise handbook : what transportation security and emergency preparedness leaders need to know to improve emergency preparedness.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-02-01

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has provided extensive general guidance on developing training and exercise programs for public entities, but little had been done to focus that material on the transportation sector specifically. Transp...

  17. 44 CFR 332.1 - General provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS UNDER SECTION 708 OF THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT OF 1950, AS AMENDED § 332.1 General provisions. (a) Pursuant to section 708 of the Defense Production Act of... agreements to help provide for the defense of the United States by developing preparedness programs and...

  18. 44 CFR 332.1 - General provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS UNDER SECTION 708 OF THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT OF 1950, AS AMENDED § 332.1 General provisions. (a) Pursuant to section 708 of the Defense Production Act of... agreements to help provide for the defense of the United States by developing preparedness programs and...

  19. 44 CFR 332.1 - General provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS UNDER SECTION 708 OF THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT OF 1950, AS AMENDED § 332.1 General provisions. (a) Pursuant to section 708 of the Defense Production Act of... agreements to help provide for the defense of the United States by developing preparedness programs and...

  20. 44 CFR 332.1 - General provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS UNDER SECTION 708 OF THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT OF 1950, AS AMENDED § 332.1 General provisions. (a) Pursuant to section 708 of the Defense Production Act of... agreements to help provide for the defense of the United States by developing preparedness programs and...

  1. 44 CFR 332.1 - General provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS UNDER SECTION 708 OF THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT OF 1950, AS AMENDED § 332.1 General provisions. (a) Pursuant to section 708 of the Defense Production Act of... agreements to help provide for the defense of the United States by developing preparedness programs and...

  2. Global agenda, local health: including concepts of health security in preparedness programs at the jurisdictional level.

    PubMed

    Eby, Chas

    2014-01-01

    The Global Health Security Agenda's objectives contain components that could help health departments address emerging public health challenges that threaten the population. As part of the agenda, partner countries with advanced public health systems will support the development of infrastructure in stakeholder health departments. To facilitate this process and augment local programs, state and local health departments may want to include concepts of health security in their public health preparedness offices in order to simultaneously build capacity. Health security programs developed by public health departments should complete projects that are closely aligned with the objectives outlined in the global agenda and that facilitate the completion of current preparedness grant requirements. This article identifies objectives and proposes tactical local projects that run parallel to the 9 primary objectives of the Global Health Security Agenda. Executing concurrent projects at the international and local levels in preparedness offices will accelerate the completion of these objectives and help prevent disease epidemics, detect health threats, and respond to public health emergencies. Additionally, future funding tied or related to health security may become more accessible to state and local health departments that have achieved these objectives.

  3. Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers: supporting the workforce for national health security.

    PubMed

    Richmond, Alyson L; Sobelson, Robyn K; Cioffi, Joan P

    2014-01-01

    The importance of a competent and prepared national public health workforce, ready to respond to threats to the public's health, has been acknowledged in numerous publications since the 1980s. The Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLCs) were funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2010 to continue to build upon a decade of focused activities in public health workforce preparedness development initiated under the Centers for Public Health Preparedness program (http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/cphp/). All 14 PERLCs were located within Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited schools of public health. These centers aimed to improve workforce readiness and competence through the development, delivery, and evaluation of targeted learning programs designed to meet specific requirements of state, local, and tribal partners. The PERLCs supported organizational and community readiness locally, regionally, or nationally through the provision of technical consultation and dissemination of specific, practical tools aligned with national preparedness competency frameworks and public health preparedness capabilities. Public health agencies strive to address growing public needs and a continuous stream of current and emerging public health threats. The PERLC network represented a flexible, scalable, and experienced national learning system linking academia with practice. This system improved national health security by enhancing individual, organizational, and community performance through the application of public health science and learning technologies to frontline practice.

  4. Teacher Certification Types and Teacher Effectiveness and Preparedness in Oklahoma

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karch, Christopher G.

    2015-01-01

    Like a majority of other states, Oklahoma has provided for alternative methods to teacher certification. This study examines the perceptions of principals and teachers regarding the level of preparedness and ability to develop effectiveness qualities of novice teachers from the Alternative Placement Program and Oklahoma colleges of education. The…

  5. Emergency preparedness and public health systems lessons for developing countries.

    PubMed

    Kruk, Margaret E

    2008-06-01

    Low- and middle-income countries, where emerging diseases often make their debut, are also likely to bear the harshest consequences of a potential influenza pandemic. Yet public health systems in developing countries are underfunded, understaffed, and in many cases struggling to deal with the existing burden of disease. As a result, developed countries are beginning to expand assistance for emergency preparedness to the developing world. Given developing countries' weak infrastructure and many competing public health priorities, it is not clear how to best direct these resources. Evidence from the U.S. and other developed countries suggests that some investments in bioterror and pandemic emergency preparedness, although initially implemented as vertical programs, have the potential to strengthen the general public health infrastructure. This experience may hold some lessons for how global funds for emergency preparedness could be invested in developing countries to support struggling public health systems in responding to current health priorities as well as potential future public health threats.

  6. Disaster mental health preparedness in the community: A systematic review study

    PubMed Central

    Roudini, Juliet; Khankeh, Hamid Reza; Witruk, Evelin

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of articles that cover aspects of disaster mental health preparedness. This assessment was done by a thorough review and summary of the available studies which provided a considerable background and amplified the gaps in knowledge about community mental health preparedness. By this systematic review, we tried to identify available concept of community mental health preparedness and related tools that communities and individuals will need to prepare for natural disasters. We found there is a lack of mental health preparedness in the majority of countries; valid and reliable tools and context-bound programs should be developed based on the experiences and perceptions of the community. PMID:28680695

  7. 77 FR 56740 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Delete Outdated FAR Reference to the DoD Industrial Preparedness...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-13

    ...-AM35 Federal Acquisition Regulation; Delete Outdated FAR Reference to the DoD Industrial Preparedness... Industrial Preparedness Program''. DATES: Effective Date: October 15, 2012 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT... are issuing a final rule to delete references to the obsolete ``DoD Industrial Preparedness Program...

  8. 75 FR 12770 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, OMB No...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-17

    ...; Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program Alert and Notification Phone Survey AGENCY: Federal Emergency...; OMB No. 1660-NEW; FEMA Form 111, Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program Alert and Notification...: Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program Alert and Notification Phone Survey. Type of information collection...

  9. Perspectives of Immunization Program Managers on 2009-10 H1N1 Vaccination in the United States: A National Survey

    PubMed Central

    Seib, Katherine; Wells, Katelyn; Hannan, Claire; Orenstein, Walter A.; Whitney, Ellen A. S.; Hinman, Alan R.; Berkelman, Ruth L.; Omer, Saad B.

    2012-01-01

    Abstract In June and July 2010, we conducted a national internet-based survey of 64 city, state, and territorial immunization program managers (IPMs) to assess their experiences in managing the 2009-10 H1N1 influenza vaccination campaign. Fifty-four (84%) of the managers or individuals responsible for an immunization program responded to the survey. To manage the campaign, 76% indicated their health department activated an incident command system (ICS) and 49% used an emergency operations center (EOC). Forty percent indicated they shared the leadership of the campaign with their state-level emergency preparedness program. The managers' perceptions of the helpfulness of the emergency preparedness staff was higher when they had collaborated with the emergency preparedness program on actual or simulated mass vaccination events within the previous 2 years. Fifty-seven percent found their pandemic influenza plan helpful, and those programs that mandated that vaccine providers enter data into their jurisdiction's immunization information system (IIS) were more likely than those who did not mandate data entry to rate their IIS as valuable for facilitating registration of nontraditional providers (42% vs. 25%, p<0.05) and tracking recalled influenza vaccine (50% vs. 38%, p<0.05). Results suggest that ICS and EOC structures, pandemic influenza plans, collaborations with emergency preparedness partners during nonemergencies, and expanded use of IIS can enhance immunization programs' ability to successfully manage a large-scale vaccination campaign. Maintaining the close working relationships developed between state-level immunization and emergency preparedness programs during the H1N1 influenza vaccination campaign will be especially important as states prepare for budget cuts in the coming years. PMID:22360580

  10. 77 FR 59001 - Fee for Services To Support FEMA's Offsite Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-25

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID FEMA-2012-0028] Fee for Services To Support FEMA's Offsite Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program AGENCY: Federal... Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program. DATES: This hourly rate is effective for FY 2014 (October 1, 2013, to...

  11. 75 FR 19985 - Fee for Services To Support FEMA's Offsite Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID FEMA-2010-0007] Fee for Services To Support FEMA's Offsite Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program AGENCY: Federal... Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program. DATES: This hourly rate is effective for FY 2010 (October 1...

  12. 39 CFR 235.2 - Civil preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 39 Postal Service 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Civil preparedness. 235.2 Section 235.2 Postal... Civil preparedness. (a) Mission. The prime objective of postal emergency preparedness planning is to... programs: (1) National Civil Preparedness and Defense Mobilization; (2) Natural Disaster Preparedness; (3...

  13. 39 CFR 235.2 - Civil preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Civil preparedness. 235.2 Section 235.2 Postal... Civil preparedness. (a) Mission. The prime objective of postal emergency preparedness planning is to... programs: (1) National Civil Preparedness and Defense Mobilization; (2) Natural Disaster Preparedness; (3...

  14. 39 CFR 235.2 - Civil preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 39 Postal Service 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Civil preparedness. 235.2 Section 235.2 Postal... Civil preparedness. (a) Mission. The prime objective of postal emergency preparedness planning is to... programs: (1) National Civil Preparedness and Defense Mobilization; (2) Natural Disaster Preparedness; (3...

  15. 39 CFR 235.2 - Civil preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 39 Postal Service 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Civil preparedness. 235.2 Section 235.2 Postal... Civil preparedness. (a) Mission. The prime objective of postal emergency preparedness planning is to... programs: (1) National Civil Preparedness and Defense Mobilization; (2) Natural Disaster Preparedness; (3...

  16. 39 CFR 235.2 - Civil preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 39 Postal Service 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Civil preparedness. 235.2 Section 235.2 Postal... Civil preparedness. (a) Mission. The prime objective of postal emergency preparedness planning is to... programs: (1) National Civil Preparedness and Defense Mobilization; (2) Natural Disaster Preparedness; (3...

  17. Preparing Interns for Anesthesiology Residency Training: Development and Assessment of the Successful Transition to Anesthesia Residency Training (START) E-Learning Curriculum

    PubMed Central

    Chu, Larry F.; Ngai, Lynn K.; Young, Chelsea A.; Pearl, Ronald G.; Macario, Alex; Harrison, T. Kyle

    2013-01-01

    Background The transition from internship to residency training may be a stressful time for interns, particularly if it involves a change among programs or institutions after completing a preliminary year. Objective We explored whether an e-learning curriculum would increase interns' preparedness for the transition to the first year of clinical anesthesiology training and reduce stress by improving confidence and perceived competence in performing professional responsibilities. Intervention We tested a 10-month e-learning program, Successful Transition to Anesthesia Residency Training (START), as a longitudinal intervention to increase interns' self-perceived preparedness to begin anesthesiology residency training in a prospective, observational study and assessed acceptance and sustainability. After a needs assessment, we administered the START modules to 22 interns, once a month, using an integrated learning management and lecture-capture system. We surveyed interns' self-assessed preparedness to begin anesthesiology residency before and after completing the START modules. Interns from the prior year's class, who did not participate in the online curriculum, served as controls. Results After participation in the START intervention, self-assessed preparedness to begin residency improved by 72% (P  =  .02). Interns also felt more connected to, and had improved positive feelings toward, their new residency program and institution. Conclusion Participation in our novel 10-month e-learning curriculum and virtual mentorship program improved interns' impression of their residency program and significantly increased interns' subjective assessment of their preparedness to begin anesthesiology residency. This e-learning concept could be more broadly applied and useful to other residency programs. PMID:24404239

  18. An experimental predeployment training program improves self-reported patient treatment confidence and preparedness of Army combat medics.

    PubMed

    Gerhardt, Robert T; Hermstad, Erik L; Oakes, Michael; Wiegert, Richard S; Oliver, Jeffrey

    2008-01-01

    To develop and assess impact of a focused review of International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) and combat casualty care with hands-on procedure training for U.S. Army medics deploying to Iraq. The setting was a U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School and Camp Eagle, Iraq. Investigators developed and implemented a command-approved prospective educational intervention with a post hoc survey. Subjects completed a three-day course with simulator and live-tissue procedure laboratories. At deployment's end, medics were surveyed for experience, confidence, and preparedness in treating various casualty severity levels. Investigators used two-tailed t-test with unequal variance for continuous data and chi-square for categorical data. Twenty-nine medics deployed. Eight completed the experimental program. Twenty-one of 25 (84%) available medics completed the survey including six of the eight (75%) experimental medics. The experimental group reported significantly greater levels of preparedness and confidence treating "minimal," "delayed," and "immediate" casualties at arrival in Iraq. These differences dissipated progressively over the time course of the deployment. This experimental program increased combat medic confidence and perceived level of preparedness in treating several patient severity levels. Further research is warranted to determine if the experimental intervention objectively improves patient care quality and translates into lives saved early in deployment.

  19. Exploring nursing students' level of preparedness for disaster response.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Cheryl K; Davis, Jennifer M; Sanders, Jenna L; Chapman, Laura A; Cisco, Mary Catherine; Hady, Arlene R

    2011-01-01

    This descriptive study explores students' perceptions of personal and program preparedness for disasters. Participants in this online survey included 1,348 nursing students from every state plus Guam, Puerto Rico, and theVirgin Islands. The study explored three questions: a) the level of preparedness, including learning about different types of disasters, preparing disaster plans, creating disaster kits, and participating in community disaster response efforts; b) the impact of disasters on nursing students; and c) strategies to assist nursing students during disasters. Results indicated that nursing students throughout the country are generally not well prepared for disasters. Nurse educators need to develop strategies to prepare their students for disasters. The American Red Cross provides templates for organizations, including colleges and universities, to prepare their campuses for emergencies. Faculty need to collaborate with staff and students to develop and implement plans appropriate for their programs.

  20. 76 FR 55932 - National Advisory Council

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-09

    ... Preparedness, the Strategic Foresight Initiative (SFI), the Emergency Management Institute, and the Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program. Additionally, members appointed on June 15, 2011, will be... radiological emergency preparedness. More information on the REP Program can be found online at http://www.fema...

  1. 75 FR 26773 - Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program, Procedures for... and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act). The PREP Act provides compensation to individuals for...

  2. Online Doctor of Pharmacy Program for Pharmacy Practitioners: Development and Evaluation of Six Pilot Courses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Neil, Christine K.; Poirier, Therese I.

    2000-01-01

    The first six courses of this online program successfully increased participants' knowledge and perceived preparedness to provide pharmaceutical care. This success provided the stimulus for the development of the entire online Doctor of Pharmacy program. Participants felt that the online program facilitated more active and enhanced learning and…

  3. Proposal for a community-based disaster management curriculum for medical school undergraduates in Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Bajow, Nidaa; Djalali, Ahmadreza; Ingrassia, Pier Luigi; Ageely, Hussein; Bani, Ibrahim; Della Corte, Francesco

    2015-01-01

    Health professional preparedness is a key element of disaster response; overall there is a need for increased disaster medicine training worldwide. The objective of this study was to design and develop a curriculum in community-based disaster medicine for Saudi Arabian medical undergraduates. A structured five-step approach was used to develop a curriculum. Expert stakeholders from the Saudi Arabian and international disaster medicine communities were surveyed to determine objectives and content. Learning strategies were carefully considered to maximize participation and retention. Particular attention was paid to equipping learners with the teaching skills required to promote disaster preparedness in their local communities. The course consists of 2 weeks of classroom activities followed by 8 weeks of e-learning structured within five domains of disaster medicine. The curriculum introduces core principles in emergency medicine, public health, and disaster management. Simulations, experiential activities, case studies, and role-playing activities are all used to promote higher levels of cognitive engagement. Special content addresses the adult-learning process, and students design their own community-based seminars in disaster preparedness. The curriculum is designed to promote learning in disaster medicine. Given the paucity of disaster medicine educators in the region, student graduates of this program would be able to improve disaster preparedness in Saudi Arabia by launching their own community-based disaster preparedness initiatives. The program could also be adapted for use throughout the Middle East.

  4. A Case Study Analysis: The Effects of Professional Learning Communities on Head Start Teachers' Preparedness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lachowicz, Shana

    2017-01-01

    Head Start (HS) is a nationally known program for young children and continues to serve the most vulnerable children and families. HS teachers are required to have a minimum degree status and a certain number of Professional Development (PD) hours. However, teachers continue to struggle with preparedness and effectiveness. The problem is that HS…

  5. Evaluation of a family-oriented antenatal group educational program in rural Tanzania: a pre-test/post-test study.

    PubMed

    Shimpuku, Yoko; Madeni, Frida E; Horiuchi, Shigeko; Kubota, Kazumi; Leshabari, Sebalda C

    2018-06-28

    To increase births attended by skilled birth attendants in Tanzania, studies have identified the need for involvement of the whole family in pregnancy and childbirth education. This study aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a family-oriented antenatal group educational program to promote healthy pregnancy and family involvement in rural Tanzania. This was a quasi-experimental 1 group pre-test/post-test study with antenatal education provided to pregnant women and their families in rural Tanzania. Before and after the educational program, the pre-test/post-test study was conducted using a 34-item Birth Preparedness Questionnaire. Acceptability of the educational program was qualitatively assessed. One-hundred and thirty-eight participants (42 pregnant women, 96 family members) attended the educational program, answered the questionnaire, and participated in the feasibility inquiry. The mean knowledge scores significantly increased between the pre-test and the post-test, 7.92 and 8.33, respectively (p = 0.001). For both pregnant women and family members, the educational program improved Family Support (p = 0.001 and p = 0.000) and Preparation of Money and Food (p = 0.000 and p = 0.000). For family members, the scores for Birth Preparedness (p = 0.006) and Avoidance of Medical Intervention (reversed item) (p = 0.002) significantly increased. Despite the educational program, the score for Home-based Value (reversed item) (p = 0.022) and References of SBA (p = 0.049) decreased in pregnant women. Through group discussions, favorable comments about the program and materials were received. The comments of the husbands reflected their better understanding and appreciation of their role in supporting their wives during the antenatal period. The family-oriented antenatal group educational program has potential to increase knowledge, birth preparedness, and awareness of the need for family support among pregnant women and their families in rural Tanzania. As the contents of the program can be taught easily by reading the picture drama, lay personnel, such as community health workers or traditional birth attendants, can use it in villages. Further development of the Birth Preparedness Questionnaire is necessary to strengthen the involved factors. A larger scale study with a more robust Birth Preparedness Questionnaire and documentation of skilled care use is needed for the next step. No.2013-273-NA-2013-101 . Registered 12 August 2013.

  6. Factors Influencing Outcomes from a Technology-Focused Professional Development Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kanaya, Tomoe; Light, Daniel; Culp, Katherine McMillan

    2005-01-01

    Using survey data, the authors examined the relationship between intensity (as opposed to duration) of a technology-focused professional development program and specific participant characteristics in predicting successful outcomes. The four participant characteristics chosen were: teachers' feelings of preparedness to support student technology…

  7. Department of Transportation - Civil Emergency Preparedness Policies and Program(s)

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1984-03-15

    This Order establishes policies, programs, and procedures; and identifies : and assigns specific emergency preparedness responsibilities to Departmental elements for the planning, management, and coordination of the Department of Transportation civil...

  8. How Health Department Contextual Factors Affect Public Health Preparedness (PHP) and Perceptions of the 15 PHP Capabilities

    PubMed Central

    Carbone, Eric G.; Lynch, Molly; Wang, Z. Joan; Jones, Terrance; Rose, Dale A.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives. To assess how health department contextual factors influence perceptions of the 15 Public Health Preparedness Capabilities, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide guidance on organizing preparedness activities. Methods. We conducted an online survey and focus group between September 2015 and May 2016 with directors of preparedness programs in state, metropolitan, and territorial jurisdictions funded by CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement. The survey collected demographic information and data on contextual factors including leadership, partnerships, organizational structure, resources and structural capacity, and data and evaluation. Results. Seventy-seven percent (48 of 62) of PHEP directors completed the survey and 8 participated in the focus group. Respondents were experienced directors (mean = 10.6 years), and 58% led 7 or more emergency responses. Leadership, partnerships, and access to fiscal and human resources were associated with perception and use of the capabilities. Conclusions. Despite some deficiencies, PHEP awardees believe the capabilities provide useful guidance and a flexible framework for organizing their work. Contextual factors affect perceptions of the capabilities and possibly the effectiveness of their use. Public Health Implications. The capabilities can be used to address challenges in preparedness, including identifying evidence-based practices, developing performance measures, and improving responses. PMID:28892447

  9. How Health Department Contextual Factors Affect Public Health Preparedness (PHP) and Perceptions of the 15 PHP Capabilities.

    PubMed

    Horney, Jennifer A; Carbone, Eric G; Lynch, Molly; Wang, Z Joan; Jones, Terrance; Rose, Dale A

    2017-09-01

    To assess how health department contextual factors influence perceptions of the 15 Public Health Preparedness Capabilities, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide guidance on organizing preparedness activities. We conducted an online survey and focus group between September 2015 and May 2016 with directors of preparedness programs in state, metropolitan, and territorial jurisdictions funded by CDC's Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement. The survey collected demographic information and data on contextual factors including leadership, partnerships, organizational structure, resources and structural capacity, and data and evaluation. Seventy-seven percent (48 of 62) of PHEP directors completed the survey and 8 participated in the focus group. Respondents were experienced directors (mean = 10.6 years), and 58% led 7 or more emergency responses. Leadership, partnerships, and access to fiscal and human resources were associated with perception and use of the capabilities. Despite some deficiencies, PHEP awardees believe the capabilities provide useful guidance and a flexible framework for organizing their work. Contextual factors affect perceptions of the capabilities and possibly the effectiveness of their use. Public Health Implications. The capabilities can be used to address challenges in preparedness, including identifying evidence-based practices, developing performance measures, and improving responses.

  10. Contributions of Health Care Coalitions to Preparedness and Resilience: Perspectives From Hospital Preparedness Program and Health Care Preparedness Coalitions.

    PubMed

    Acosta, Joie; Howard, Stefanie; Chandra, Anita; Varda, Danielle; Sprong, Sara; Uscher-Pines, Lori

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this article was to describe how the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) and other health care coalitions conceptualize and measure progress or success and to identify strategies to improve coalition success and address known barriers to success. We conducted a structured literature review and interviews with key leaders from 22 HPPs and other coalitions. Interview transcripts were analyzed by using constant comparative analysis. Five dimensions of coalition success were identified: strong member participation, diversity of members, positive changes in members' capacity to respond to or recover from disaster, sharing of resources among members, and being perceived as a trendsetter. Common barriers to success were also identified (eg, a lack of funding and staff). To address these barriers, coalitions suggested a range of mitigation strategies (eg, establishing formal memoranda of agreement). Both dimensions of and barriers to coalition success varied by coalition type. Currently, the term health care coalition is a one-size-fits-all term. In reality, this umbrella term describes a variety of different configurations, member bodies, and capabilities. The analysis offered a typology to categorize health care coalitions by primary function during a disaster response. Developing a common typology that could be used to specify capabilities or functions of coalitions may be helpful to advancing their development.

  11. Identifying Indirect Benefits of Federal Health Care Emergency Preparedness Grant Funding to Coalitions: A Content Analysis.

    PubMed

    Priest, Chad; Stryckman, Benoit

    2015-12-01

    This study aimed to identify the indirect benefits of health care preparedness funding as perceived by current and former recipients of the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response's Hospital Preparedness Program. This was a qualitative inductive content analysis of telephone interviews conducted with regional stakeholders from several health care coalitions to identify their perceptions of the indirect benefits of preparedness funding. Content analysis of interviewee responses resulted in 2 main categories of indirect benefits of federal health care preparedness funding: (1) dual-use technology and programs and (2) impact of relationships on day-to-day operations. Within the dual-use technology and programs category, 3 subcategories were identified: (1) information systems, (2) clinical technology, and (3) health care operations. Similarly, 3 subcategories relating to the indirect benefits in the impact of relationships on day-to-day operations category were identified: (1) cooperation, (2) information sharing, and (3) sense of community. This study identified indirect benefits of federal investment in hospital and health care preparedness in day-to-day operations. Major categories of these benefits included dual-use technology and programs and impact of relationships on day-to-day operations. Coalition members placed a high value on these benefits, even though they were not direct outcomes of grant programs. Further research is needed to quantify the economic value of these indirect benefits to more accurately measure the total return on investment from federal grant funding.

  12. Assessing disaster preparedness and mental health of community members in Aceh, Indonesia: a community-based, descriptive household survey of a national program.

    PubMed

    Ismail, Nizam; Suwannapong, Nawarat; Howteerakul, Nopporn; Tipayamongkholgul, Mathuros; Apinuntavech, Suporn

    2016-01-01

    Disaster preparedness of the community is an essential disaster-mitigation strategy to protect human life and to prevent injuries and property damage. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of disaster, and the disaster preparedness of community members in Aceh, Indonesia. A community-based descriptive household survey was conducted in 40 villages of three tsunami-affected districts in Aceh State, Indonesia. In total, 827 randomly selected community members were interviewed with structured questionnaires during the period September-October 2014. About 57.6% of community members had good knowledge of disaster, while 26.0% had good community disaster preparedness. Neither knowledge of disaster nor disaster preparedness of community members achieved the target of the Community Mental Health Nurse Program outcome indicators (<70.0%). The proportions of people with good knowledge of disaster and disaster preparedness were quite low. The government of Aceh State should revitalize the program to improve the effectiveness of community mental health nurses in transferring the knowledge of disasters and disaster preparedness to the community's members, then expand it to other provinces of Indonesia, using standard approaches and the lessons learned from Aceh.

  13. Tsunami Preparedness, Response, Mitigation, and Recovery Planning in California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, K.; Wilson, R. I.; Johnson, L. A.; Mccrink, T. P.; Schaffer, E.; Bower, D.; Davis, M.

    2016-12-01

    In California officials of state, federal, and local governments have coordinated to implement a Tsunami Preparedness and Mitigation Program. Building upon past preparedness efforts carried out year-round this group has leveraged government support at all levels. A primary goal is for everyone who lives at or visits the coast to understand basic life-safety measures when responding to official tsunami alerts or natural warnings. Preparedness actions include: observation of National Tsunami Preparedness Week, local "tsunami walk" drills, scenario-based exercises, testing of notification systems for public alert messaging, outreach materials, workshops, presentations, and media events.Program partners have worked together to develop emergency operations, evacuation plans, and tsunami annexes to plans for counties, cities, communities, and harbors in 20 counties along the coast. Working with the state and federal partner agencies, coastal communities have begun to incorporate sophisticated tsunami "Playbook" scenario information into their planning. These innovative tsunami evacuation and response tools provide detailed evacuation maps and associated real-time response information for identifying areas where flooding could occur. This is critical information for evacuating populations on land, near the shoreline.Acting on recommendations from the recent USGS-led, multi-discipline Science Application for Risk Reduction Tsunami Scenario report on impacts to California and American Society of Civil Engineering adoption proposals to the International Building Code, the state has begun to develop a strategy to incorporate probabilistic tsunami findings into state level policy recommendations for addressing building code adoption, as well as approach land use planning and building code implementation in local jurisdictions. Additional efforts, in the context of sustained community resiliency, include developing recovery planning guidance for local communities.

  14. The impact of federal bioterrorism funding programs on local health department preparedness activities.

    PubMed

    Avery, George H; Zabriskie-Timmerman, Jennifer

    2009-06-01

    Using the 2005 National Association of County and City Health Officers Profile of Local Health Departments data set, bivariate probit and Heckman selection models were used to test the hypothesis that the level of federal funding received for bioterrorism preparedness is related to the preparedness activities undertaken by local health departments. Overall budget, leadership, and crisis experience are found to be the most important determinants of local preparedness activity, but Centers for Disease Control and Prevention preparedness funding plays a mediating role by building capacity through the hiring of one key leadership position, the emergency preparedness coordinator. Additional research is needed to determine the potential impact of these funds on other aspects of the local public health system, such as the scope of services delivered, to determine secondary effects of the program.

  15. Applying educational gaming to public health workforce emergency preparedness.

    PubMed

    Barnett, Daniel J; Everly, George S; Parker, Cindy L; Links, Jonathan M

    2005-05-01

    From natural disasters to terrorism, the demands of public health emergency response require innovative public health workforce readiness training. This training should be competency-based yet flexible, and able to foster a culture of professional and personal readiness more traditionally seen in non-public health first-response agencies. Building on the successful applications of game-based models in other organizational development settings, the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness piloted the Road Map to Preparedness curriculum in 2003. Over 1500 employees at six health departments in Maryland have received training via this program through November 2004. Designed to assist public health departments in creating and implementing a readiness training plan for their workforce, the Road Map to Preparedness uses the core competencies of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for all public health workers as its basic framework.

  16. Peer-Mentored Preparedness (PM-Prep): A New Disaster Preparedness Program for Adults Living Independently in the Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eisenman, David Paul; Bazzano, Alicia; Koniak-Griffin, Deborah; Tseng, Chi-hong; Lewis, Mary-Ann; Lamb, Kerry; Lehrer, Danise

    2014-01-01

    The authors studied a health promotion program called PM-Prep (Peer-Mentored Prep), which was designed to improve disaster preparedness among adults living independently in the community. PM-Prep consists of four 2-hour classes co-taught by a health educator and peer-mentors. Adults were randomly assigned to an experimental arm or a wait-list…

  17. Tsunami Preparedness: Building On Past Efforts to Reach More People… California and Beyond!

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, K.; Siegel, J.; Pridmore, C. L.; Benthien, M. L.; Wilson, R. I.; Long, K.; Ross, S.

    2014-12-01

    The California Tsunami Program has continued to build upon past preparedness efforts, carried out year-round, while leveraging government support at all levels during National Tsunami Preparedness Week, the last week of March. A primary goal is for everyone who lives at or visits the coast to understand basic safety measures when responding to official tsunami alerts or natural warnings. In 2014, more so than ever before, many local, coastal jurisdictions conducted grass-roots activities in their areas. When requested, state and federal programs stepped in to contribute subject matter expertise, lessons learned, and support. And, this year, the new website, www.TsunamiZone.org, was developed. With a goal of establishing a baseline for future years, this website builds on the successes of the Great Shakeout Earthquake Drills (www.ShakeOut.org) by allowing people to locate and register for tsunami preparedness events in their area. Additionally, it provides a central location for basic tsunami preparedness information, and links to find out more. The idea is not only to empower people with the best available, vetted, scientifically-based public safety information, but also to provide ways in which individuals can take physical action to educate themselves and others. Several broad categories of preparedness actions include: official acknowledgement of National Tsunami Preparedness Week, local "tsunami walk" drills, simulated tsunami-based exercises, testing of sirens and notification systems, outreach materials (brochures, videos, maps), workshops, presentations, media events, and websites. Next steps include building on the foundation established in 2014 by leveraging ShakeOut audiences, providing people with more information about how they can participate in 2015, and carrying the effort forward to other states and territories.

  18. Terrorism and emergency preparedness in state and territorial public health departments--United States, 2004.

    PubMed

    2005-05-13

    After the events of September 11, 2001, federal funding for state public health preparedness programs increased from $67 million in fiscal year (FY) 2001 to approximately $1 billion in FY 2002. These funds were intended to support preparedness for and response to terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health threats and emergencies. The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) assessed the impact of funding on epidemiologic capacity, including terrorism preparedness and response, in state health departments in November 2001 and again in May 2004, after distribution of an additional $1 billion in FY 2003. This report describes the results of those assessments, which indicated that increased funding for terrorism preparedness and emergency response has rapidly increased the number of epidemiologists and increased capacity for preparedness at the state level. However, despite the increase in epidemiologists, state public health officials estimate that 192 additional epidemiologists, an increase of 45.3%, are needed nationwide to fully staff terrorism preparedness programs.

  19. Applying Community Engagement to Disaster Planning: Developing the Vision and Design for the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience Initiative

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Jennifer; Lizaola, Elizabeth; Jones, Felica; Brown, Arleen; Stayton, Alix; Williams, Malcolm; Chandra, Anita; Eisenman, David; Fogleman, Stella; Plough, Alonzo

    2013-01-01

    Community resilience (CR) is a priority for preparedness, but few models exist. A steering council used community-partnered participatory research to support workgroups in developing CR action plans and hosted forums for input to design a pilot demonstration of implementing CR versus enhanced individual preparedness toolkits. Qualitative data describe how stakeholders viewed CR, how toolkits were developed, and demonstration design evolution. Stakeholders viewed community engagement as facilitating partnerships to implement CR programs when appropriately supported by policy and CR resources. Community engagement exercises clarified motivations and informed action plans (e.g., including vulnerable populations). Community input identified barriers (e.g., trust in government) and CR-building strategies. A CR toolkit and demonstration comparing its implementation with individual preparedness were codeveloped. Community-partnered participatory research was a useful framework to plan a CR initiative through knowledge exchange. PMID:23678916

  20. Developing a Simulation-Based Training Program for the Prehospital Professionals and Students on the Management of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Elcin, Melih; Onan, Arif; Odabasi, Orhan; Saylam, Melahat; Ilhan, Handan; Daylan Kockaya, Pinar; Gurcuoglu, Ilker; Uckuyu, Yavuz; Cengiz, Duygu; Nacar, Osman Arikan

    2016-12-01

    Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a major global health threat. Prehospital professionals face the risk of infection as they work to save lives. They should be made aware of the disease and be prepared to handle such cases. The aims of our study are to develop a training program about the prehospital management of a MERS case using standardized patient (SP) scenarios, to evaluate the awareness and preparedness of the participants about MERS, and to evaluate the effectiveness of this training. We developed 5 scenarios using SPs and an observation form. We included paramedic students and emergency medical service (EMS) providers in our study. They were involved in the simulations. A total of 24 paramedic students and 33 EMS providers participated in our study. Sixteen (84%) of 19 teams recognized the possibility of MERS as a measure of their awareness in the baseline evaluation. The participants lacked donning and doffing personal protective equipments, which revealed their baseline level of preparedness for MERS. Certain improvements in donning and doffing personal protective equipment were observed in the posttraining evaluation. The participants provided positive feedback on the training program. The training program was appropriate for both paramedic students and EMS providers. A positive educational climate was created. Because the main concerns of this study were awareness and preparedness, which required human interaction, the SP methodology was the optimal simulation modality.

  1. Planning guidance for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

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

    Shumpert, B.L.; Watson, A.P.; Sorensen, J.H.

    1995-02-01

    This planning guide was developed under the direction of the U.S. Army and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which jointly coordinate and direct the development of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). It was produced to assist state, local, and Army installation planners in formulating and coordinating plans for chemical events that may occur at the chemical agent stockpile storage locations in the continental United States. This document provides broad planning guidance for use by both on-post and off-post agencies and organizations in the development of a coordinated plan for responding to chemical events. It contains checklists tomore » assist in assuring that all important aspects are included in the plans and procedures developed at each Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program (CSDP) location. The checklists are supplemented by planning guidelines in the appendices which provide more detailed guidance regarding some issues. The planning guidance contained in this document will help ensure that adequate coordination between on-post and off-post planners occurs during the planning process. This planning guide broadly describes an adequate emergency planning base that assures that critical planning decisions will be made consistently at every chemical agent stockpile location. This planning guide includes material drawn from other documents developed by the FEMA, the Army, and other federal agencies with emergency preparedness program responsibilities. Some of this material has been developed specifically to meet the unique requirements of the CSEPP. In addition to this guidance, other location-specific documents, technical studies, and support studies should be used as needed to assist in the planning at each of the chemical agent stockpile locations to address the specific hazards and conditions at each location.« less

  2. 77 FR 10542 - Revision of the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) Guidelines

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-22

    ... request for comments. SUMMARY: The National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) is designed... Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and Department of the Interior's Bureau of Safety and...

  3. A Strategy to Enhance Student Experiences in Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response: Medical Reserve Corps Nursing Student Summer Externship.

    PubMed

    Stein, Loren Nell Melton

    Development of the public health nursing workforce is crucial to advancing our nation's health. Many organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the US Department of Health and Human Services, have identified the need for strengthening academia's connection to public health and tailoring experiences to enhance workforce competency. The Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC) Nursing Student Summer Externship was developed as a strategy to provide nursing students with strengthened knowledge and skills in disaster response through a structured summer volunteer experience with nurse educators within the OKMRC. The Medical Reserve Corps is a national organization with more than 200 000 volunteers dedicated to strengthening public health, improving emergency response capabilities, and building community resiliency. In the summer of 2015, the OKMRC offered a 10-week public health emergency preparedness and response externship pilot program to 8 nursing students. In the summer of 2016, the program expanded to include 3 Oklahoma baccalaureate nursing programs. Students completed trainings and participated in activities designed to provide a broad base of knowledge, an awareness of the local disaster plans, and leadership skills to assist their communities with preparedness and disaster response.

  4. Progress in Public Health Emergency Preparedness-United States, 2001-2016.

    PubMed

    Murthy, Bhavini Patel; Molinari, Noelle-Angelique M; LeBlanc, Tanya T; Vagi, Sara J; Avchen, Rachel N

    2017-09-01

    To evaluate the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program's progress toward meeting public health preparedness capability standards in state, local, and territorial health departments. All 62 PHEP awardees completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's self-administered PHEP Impact Assessment as part of program review measuring public health preparedness capability before September 11, 2001 (9/11), and in 2014. We collected additional self-reported capability self-assessments from 2016. We analyzed trends in congressional funding for public health preparedness from 2001 to 2016. Before 9/11, most PHEP awardees reported limited preparedness capabilities, but considerable progress was reported by 2016. The number of jurisdictions reporting established capability functions within the countermeasures and mitigation domain had the largest increase, almost 200%, by 2014. However, more than 20% of jurisdictions still reported underdeveloped coordination between the health system and public health agencies in 2016. Challenges and barriers to building PHEP capabilities included lack of trained personnel, plans, and sustained resources. Considerable progress in public health preparedness capability was observed from before 9/11 to 2016. Support, sustainment, and advancement of public health preparedness capability is critical to ensure a strong public health infrastructure.

  5. 44 CFR 353.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... LICENSEE RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY PLANS AND PREPAREDNESS § 353.3 Definitions. As used in this part, the... and preparedness such as provision of support for the preparation of offsite radiological emergency... appropriate. (h) REP means FEMA's Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program. (i) Fiscal Year means Federal...

  6. A Decade of Experience: Which Network Structures Maximize Fire Service Capacity for Homeland Security Incidents in Metropolitan Regions?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-12-01

    Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency QHSR Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report RCP Regional Catastrophic Preparedness SAA State...service has evolved from a single-purpose service focused on controlling fires to a multidimensional response element responsible for pre- hospital ... hospital preparedness program Preparedness Training for all personnel; training and network activities during prior year assist in preparedness

  7. 44 CFR 351.21 - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... account the overall state of emergency preparedness in making decisions to issue operating licenses or... public information and education programs. (k) Assist FEMA with other Federal agencies in the development...

  8. NASA/MOD Operations Impacts from Shuttle Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fitzpatrick, Michael; Mattes, Gregory; Grabois, Michael; Griffith, Holly

    2011-01-01

    Operations plays a pivotal role in the success of any human spaceflight program. This paper will highlight some of the core tenets of spaceflight operations from a systems perspective and use several examples from the Space Shuttle Program to highlight where the success and safety of a mission can hinge upon the preparedness and competency of the operations team. Further, awareness of the types of operations scenarios and impacts that can arise during human crewed space missions can help inform design and mission planning decisions long before a vehicle gets into orbit. A strong operations team is crucial to the development of future programs; capturing the lessons learned from the successes and failures of a past program will allow for safer, more efficient, and better designed programs in the future. No matter how well a vehicle is designed and constructed, there are always unexpected events or failures that occur during space flight missions. Preparation, training, real-time execution, and troubleshooting are skills and values of the Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) flight controller; these operational standards have proven invaluable to the Space Shuttle Program. Understanding and mastery of these same skills will be required of any operations team as technology advances and new vehicles are developed. This paper will focus on individual Space Shuttle mission case studies where specific operational skills, techniques, and preparedness allowed for mission safety and success. It will detail the events leading up to the scenario or failure, how the operations team identified and dealt with the failure and its downstream impacts. The various options for real-time troubleshooting will be discussed along with the operations team final recommendation, execution, and outcome. Finally, the lessons learned will be summarized along with an explanation of how these lessons were used to improve the operational preparedness of future flight control teams.

  9. Reducing the Risk for Child Abuse by Developing and Implementing a Parenting Program for Teenage Mothers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doetsch, Patricia

    Adolescent parents are unprepared for parenthood. Their lack of preparedness places their children at risk for maltreatment. This educational program was designed to enhance the parenting skills of adolescent mothers thereby reducing the risk for maltreatment among their children. This parenting skills training program consisted of six weekly…

  10. 75 FR 67992 - Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-04

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017] Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program AGENCY: Federal Emergency... on an initial small business plan to address small business concerns in the Voluntary Private Sector...

  11. Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention on Tribal Lands

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This fact sheet familiarizes tribal leaders with EPCRA and Chemical Accident Prevention Program requirements. Tribal Emergency Response Commissions (TERCs) can appoint LEPCs, develop contingency plans, and review facilities' Risk Management Plans.

  12. Athletic Training: Instructors Perceived Preparedness for Teaching in an Athletic Training Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rooney, Kevin F.

    2013-01-01

    Athletic trainers work in clinical settings such as secondary schools, colleges and universities, sports medicine clinics, professional sports, hospitals, and other healthcare environments. However, with the rapid expansion of athletic training education programs (ATEP) over the years, another role for the athletic trainer has developed, the…

  13. SHPPS 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study--Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) is a national survey periodically conducted to assess school health policies and programs at the state, district, school, and classroom levels. This brief presents data on crisis preparedness, response, and recovery as it pertains to health services, mental health and social services, nutrition…

  14. A grassroots movement in Glendora, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jagoda, S.

    1980-01-01

    DeLaine Morgan is a teacher at Sandburg Junior High School in Glendora, Calif. Because of her efforts, the Glendora Unified School District is establishing an earthquake preparedness program in each of the District's schools. The following interview relates how this program got started and what individuals can do to get earthquake preparedness programs started in their own communities.  

  15. Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of an Intervention Targeting Schema Development for Caregivers of Newly Admitted Hospice Patients

    PubMed Central

    Mazurek Melnyk, Bernadette

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Background The transition to hospice care is a stressful experience for caregivers, who report high anxiety, unpreparedness, and lack of confidence. These sequelae are likely explained by the lack of an accurate cognitive schema, not knowing what to expect or how to help their loved one. Few interventions exist for this population and most do not measure preparedness, confidence, and anxiety using a schema building a conceptual framework for a new experience. Objective The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and preliminary effects of an intervention program, Education and Skill building Intervention for Caregivers of Hospice patients (ESI-CH), using an innovative conceptual design that targets cognitive schema development and basic skill building for caregivers of loved ones newly admitted to hospice services. Design A pre-experimental one-group pre- and post-test study design was used. Eighteen caregivers caring for loved ones in their homes were recruited and twelve completed the pilot study. Depression, anxiety, activity restriction, preparedness, and beliefs/confidence were measured. Results Caregivers reported increased preparedness, more helpful beliefs, and more confidence about their ability to care for their loved one. Preliminary trends suggested decreased anxiety levels for the intervention group. Caregivers who completed the intervention program rated the program very good or excellent, thought the information was helpful and timely, and would recommend it to friends. Conclusions Results show promise that the ESI-CH program may assist as an evidence-based program to support caregivers in their role as a caregiver to a newly admitted hospice patient. PMID:23384244

  16. 77 FR 20823 - Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (BSC, OPHPR)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-06

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (BSC, OPHPR) In accordance with... Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR), concerning strategies and goals for the programs and...

  17. 76 FR 18221 - Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (BSC, OPHPR)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (BSC, OPHPR) In accordance with... of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR), concerning strategies and goals for the programs...

  18. Hospital all-risk emergency preparedness in Ghana.

    PubMed

    Norman, I D; Aikins, M; Binka, F N; Nyarko, K M

    2012-03-01

    This paper assessed the emergency preparedness programs of health facilities for all-risks but focused on Road Traffic Accidents, (RTA) resulting in surge demand. It adopted W. H. O checklist covering hospital preparedness, equipment, manpower and surge capacity planning as best practices for the mitigation of public health emergencies. This is a cross-sectional study of purposively selected health facilities. The method used consisted of site visit, questionnaire survey, literature and internet review. The W. H. O. standard for emergency preparedness of health facilities was used to evaluate and assess the nation's hospitals surge capacity programs. The study was conducted between March-June, 2010. A total of 22 district and regional health facilities including teaching hospitals participated in the study. All 10 regions of the country were covered. These were: (1) many of the nation's hospitals were not prepared for large RTA's resulting in surge demands, and did not possess general emergency preparedness programs. (2) The hospitals' respective abilities to handle large scale RTA's were compromised by the lack of competent medical and allied health personnel and adequate supplies. The inadequacies of the hospital system in responding to emergencies raise serious public health concerns. The biggest challenge facing the hospitals in their emergency intervention is the lack of pre-emergency and emergency preparedness plans as well as the coordination of the hospitals response mechanisms. The paper ended with recommendations on how the nation's hospitals and their supervisory agencies could improve emergency preparedness.

  19. Design Document for 12th Grade NAEP Preparedness Research Judgmental Standard Setting Studies: Setting Standards on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in Reading and Mathematics for 12th Grade Preparedness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Assessment Governing Board, 2010

    2010-01-01

    The National Assessment Governing Board adopted a Program of Preparedness Research in March 2009. Several categories of research studies were recommended to produce results for reporting 12th grade preparedness for the 2009 grade 12 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in reading and mathematics. The categories included content…

  20. Evaluation of a Crisis-Preparedness Training Program for the Faculty of a Private Elementary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyle, Marybeth N.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a training program for the faculty of a private elementary school on executing the protocols, roles, and responsibilities defined in the institution's crisis-management plan. A formal training program for the faculty had not been developed, and administrators had no measure by which…

  1. Working with neighborhood organizations to promote wildfire preparedness

    Treesearch

    Holly Johnson Shiralipour; Martha C. Monroe; Michelle Payton

    2006-01-01

    Several government agencies and other natural resource managers have instituted outreach programs to promote wildfire preparedness in wildland-urban interface (WUI) neighborhoods that complement community-wide efforts. To help these programs become more effective, research was undertaken to gain a better understanding of the role that neighbors and neighborhood...

  2. Using Pop Culture to Teach Youths Conflict Resolution, Healthful Lifestyles, Disaster Preparedness, and More

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torretta, Alayne; Black, Lynette Ranney

    2017-01-01

    Adolescents learn sustainable production techniques, civic engagement, leadership, public speaking, food safety practices, conflict resolution, disaster preparedness, and other life skills through Extension programming. Educators can increase participant interest in such programming by applying a creative pop culture twist, such as a zombie…

  3. Promoting Career Preparedness and Intrinsic Work-Goal Motivation: RCT Intervention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salmela-Aro, Katariina; Mutanen, Pertti; Vuori, Jukka

    2012-01-01

    We examined the role of an in-company training program aimed at enhancing employees' intrinsic work-goal motivation by increasing their career preparedness in a randomized field experimental study. The program activities were implemented using an organization-level two-trainer model with trainers from the human resources management and…

  4. Teaching Activities for Defensive Living and Emergency Preparedness. Education Modules.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peterson, Grit, Ed.; And Others

    Designed for teaching a generalized program in emergency preparedness education, the eight units of the manual can be used together or alone in any course that teaches human response to emergency preparedness or in physical education, recreation, health, biology, physiology, or science classes. The guide includes an introduction and seven major…

  5. 75 FR 32493 - NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-, Rev. 1, Supplement 3, Guidance for Protective Action Recommendations for...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-08

    ... has been proposed by these two agencies to address emergency planning and preparedness for Nuclear..., to measure the adequacy of emergency preparedness plans of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) owners and... changes proposed in FEMA's draft Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program Manual and Supplement 4 to...

  6. Wisconsin Works (W-2) Program, Department of Workforce Development: An Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stuiber, Paul; Lecoanet, Robin; Lathrop, Jessica; Miller, David; Russell, Matthew; Schoenbrunn, Rob; Smith, Joshua; Specht, Christine

    Wisconsin Works (W-2) is a time-limited employment assistance program that, in September 1997, replaced cash entitlements provided to low-income families under Aid to Families with Dependent Children. W-2 provides subsidized or unsubsidized placements for participants, based upon their level of preparedness for employment. Participants in both…

  7. Minigrants to Local Health Departments: An Opportunity to Promote Climate Change Preparedness.

    PubMed

    Grossman, Elena; Hathaway, Michelle; Bush, Kathleen F; Cahillane, Matthew; English, Dorette Q; Holmes, Tisha; Moran, Colleen E; Uejio, Christopher K; York, Emily A; Dorevitch, Samuel

    2018-06-20

    Human health is threatened by climate change. While the public health workforce is concerned about climate change, local health department (LHD) administrators have reported insufficient knowledge and resources to address climate change. Minigrants from state to LHDs have been used to promote a variety of local public health initiatives. To describe the minigrant approach used by state health departments implementing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework, to highlight successes of this approach in promoting climate change preparedness at LHDs, and to describe challenges encountered. Cross-sectional survey and discussion. State-level recipients of CDC funding issued minigrants to local public health entities to promote climate change preparedness, adaptation, and resilience. The amount of funding, number of LHDs funded per state, goals, selection process, evaluation process, outcomes, successes, and challenges of the minigrant programs. Six state-level recipients of CDC funding for BRACE framework implementation awarded minigrants ranging from $7700 to $28 500 per year to 44 unique local jurisdictions. Common goals of the minigrants included capacity building, forging partnerships with entities outside of health departments, incorporating climate change information into existing programs, and developing adaptation plans. Recipients of minigrants reported increases in knowledge, engagement with diverse stakeholders, and the incorporation of climate change content into existing programs. Challenges included addressing climate change in regions where the topic is politically sensitive, as well as the uncertainty about the long-term sustainability of local projects beyond the term of minigrant support. Minigrants can increase local public health capacity to address climate change. Jurisdictions that wish to utilize minigrant mechanisms to promote climate change adaptation and preparedness at the local level may benefit from the experience of the 6 states and 44 local health programs described.

  8. Federal funding for health security in FY2015.

    PubMed

    Boddie, Crystal; Sell, Tara Kirk; Watson, Matthew

    2014-01-01

    Previous articles in this series have provided funding information for federal civilian biodefense programs and programs focused on radiological and nuclear preparedness and consequence management. This year the authors have expanded the focus of the analysis to US federal funding for health security. This article provides proposed funding amounts for FY2015, estimated amounts for FY2014, and actual amounts for FY2010 through FY2013 in 5 domains critical to health security: biodefense programs, radiological and nuclear programs, chemical programs, pandemic influenza and emerging infectious disease programs, and multiple-hazard and preparedness programs.

  9. Transition to Work: Effects of Preparedness and Goal Construction on Employment and Depressive Symptoms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koivisto, Petri; Vuori, Jukka; Vinokur, Amiram D.

    2010-01-01

    This study examines the mediating role of employment preparedness in improving employment, mental health, and construction of work-life goals among young vocational school graduates who participated in the School-to-Work effectiveness trial. The trial included a 1-week intervention program that focused on enhancing employment preparedness. In this…

  10. The effect of an active shooter response intervention on hospital employees' response knowledge, perceived program usefulness, and perceived organizational preparedness.

    PubMed

    Landry, Gail; Zimbro, Kathie S; Morgan, Merri K; Maduro, Ralitsa S; Snyder, Tim; Sweeney, Nancy L

    2018-04-02

    Active shooter events occur frequently across the United States in a variety of locations, including health care facilities. Hospital health care worker response to an active shooter event may mean the difference in life or death for self or others. There is little research on how hospitals prepare nonmanagers to respond to active shooter events. We conducted a study to explore differences in knowledge, perceived organizational preparedness, and program utility following participation in an active shooter response program. Self-efficacy, personal characteristics, and professional characteristics were also explored. Program evaluation was conducted via a one-group pretest/posttest design. There was a significant increase in knowledge and perceived organizational preparedness postintervention. Trait-level self-efficacy did not have a significant effect on retained knowledge and perceived organizational preparedness. The current study is the first known to evaluate the efficacy of an active shooter response program for nonmanagers within an inpatient health care facility. Findings from this study may inform risk managers on how to educate employees on what to expect and how to react should an active shooter event occur. © 2018 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association.

  11. Comprehensive Hands-on Training for Influenza Vaccine Manufacturing: A WHO-BARDA-BTEC Partnership for Global Workforce Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruiz, Jennifer; Gilleskie, Gary L.; Brown, Patty; Burnett, Bruce; Carbonell, Ruben G.

    2014-01-01

    The critical need for enhancing influenza pandemic preparedness in many developing nations has led the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to develop an international influenza vaccine capacity-building program. Among…

  12. Building capacity for community disaster preparedness: a call for collaboration between public environmental health and emergency preparedness and response programs.

    PubMed

    Gamboa-Maldonado, Thelma; Marshak, Helen Hopp; Sinclair, Ryan; Montgomery, Susanne; Dyjack, David T

    2012-09-01

    Partnerships among local public environmental health (EH), emergency preparedness and response (EPR) programs, and the communities they serve have great potential to build community environmental health emergency preparedness (EHEP) capacity. In the study described in this article, the beliefs and organizational practices pertaining to community EHEP outreach and capacity were explored through key informant (KI) interviews (N = 14) with a sample of governmental EH and EPR administrators and top-level managers from Riverside and San Bernardino counties in Southern California. The results indicate that KIs were highly confident in their workforces' efficacy, ability, willingness, and motivation to directly engage local communities in EHEP. Best practices to combat organizational and systematic barriers to community EHEP outreach were identified. Based on the authors' results, training in participatory methods is needed to bridge technical knowledge in emergency management to daily practice. The lessons learned will form the basis of future interventions aimed to prepare EH and EPR professions to implement community-focused emergency preparedness strategies.

  13. Earthquake Information System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1991-01-01

    IAEMIS (Integrated Automated Emergency Management Information System) is the principal tool of an earthquake preparedness program developed by Martin Marietta and the Mid-America Remote Sensing Center (MARC). It is a two-component set of software, data and procedures to provide information enabling management personnel to make informed decisions in disaster situations. The NASA-developed program ELAS, originally used to analyze Landsat data, provides MARC with a spatially-oriented information management system. Additional MARC projects include land resources management, and development of socioeconomic data.

  14. Preceptors, Interns, and Newly Registered Pharmacists' Perceptions of New Zealand Pharmacy Graduates' Preparedness to Practice

    PubMed Central

    Noble, Christy; Shaw, John

    2010-01-01

    Objective To determine the perceptions of pharmacy interns and newly registered pharmacists and preceptors regarding the preparedness of graduates to enter professional practice. Methods A questionnaire was developed from the New Zealand Competence Standards for the Pharmacy Profession (pharmacist level), with additional questions on communication skills included. The instrument contained 16 items and was mailed to preceptors (n=141), interns (n=72), and newly-registered pharmacists (n=101). Microsoft Excel (pivot tables) was used to analyse the quantitative responses. The final question asked respondents to provide free-text comments about the questionnaire, graduates and the program and responses were analyzed quantitatively and thematically. Results The response rates were 54.6% (n = 77) for preceptors, 100% (n = 72) for interns and 45.5% (n = 46), for newly registered pharmacists. The majority of responses (87.6%; n=2,562) were in agreement that the degree had prepared graduates for practice. Overall, preceptor perceptions of graduates' preparedness for practice were less favorable than graduates' self-perceptions of their preparedness. Four themes were identified from the free-text comments: the need for improved skills, more professional attitudes, better English communication, and additional training in extemporaneous compounding. Conclusion Feedback elicited from graduates and preceptors was helpful in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a new bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) program and proved useful in both the accreditation and curriculum revision processes. PMID:21045950

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

    Vogt, B.M.; Sorensen, J.H.

    The CSEPP (Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program) was created to improve emergency planning and response capabilities at the eight sites around the country that store chemical weapons. These weapons are scheduled to be destroyed in the near future. In preparation of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program (CSDP), it was proposed that the Army mitigate accidents through an enhanced community emergency preparedness program at the eight storage sites. In 1986, the Army initiated the development of an Emergency Response Concept Plan (ERCP) for the CSDP, one of 12 technical support studies conducted duringmore » preparation of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS). The purpose of this document is to provide a fairly comprehensive source book on risk, risk management, risk communication research and recommended risk communication practices. It does not merely summarize each publication in the risk communication literature, but attempts to synthesize them along the lines of a set of organizing principles. Furthermore, it is not intended to duplicate other guidance manuals (such as Covello et al.`s manual on risk comparison). The source book was developed for the CSEPP in support of the training module on risk communications. Although the examples provided are specific to CSEPP, its use goes beyond that of CSEPP as the findings apply to a broad spectrum of risk communication topics. While the emphasis is on communication in emergency preparedness and response specific to the CSEPP, the materials cover other non-emergency communication settings. 329 refs.« less

  16. BAREPP: Earthquake preparedness for the San Francisco Bay area

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    1986-01-01

    The threat of major and damaging earthquakes in California is a fact. How people respond to that threat is a concern shared by many local, state, federal, volunteer and private sector organizations. The Bay Area Regional Earthquake Preparedness Project (BAREPP) promotes comprehensive earthquake preparedness actions by these organizations and provides technical and planning assistance for a variety of programs.

  17. National Assessment of Educational Progress Grade 12 Preparedness Research College Course Content Analysis Study: Final Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Educational Policy Improvement Center, 2014

    2014-01-01

    The National Assessment Governing Board is an independent, bipartisan organization that sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The Governing Board established the NAEP Program of 12th Grade Preparedness Research to assess what NAEP can report on the academic preparedness of 12th grade students entering college and…

  18. Promoting Undergraduate Interest, Preparedness, and Professional Pursuit in the Sciences: An Outcomes Evaluation of the SURE Program at Emory University

    PubMed Central

    Quiñones, Catherine; Kakietek, Jakub; Teodorescu, Daniel; Marsteller, Pat

    2010-01-01

    We report on an outcomes assessment of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Using follow-up survey data and academic transcripts, we gauge SURE's impact on levels of interest in, preparedness for, and actual pursuit of graduate study and professional careers in the sciences for the program's first 15 summer cohorts (1990–2004). Our follow-up survey indicated significant increases in all research preparedness skills considered, notably in ability to give a poster research presentation, to discuss research at a graduate school interview, and to apply research ethics principles. About a third of SURE graduates went on to complete a graduate degree >90% considered SURE as important or very important in their academic development. Respondents reported postprogram increases in the level of interest in academic and research careers, and reported high levels of employment in science careers and job satisfaction. Regression analyses of Emory SURE participant transcripts revealed that participants take significantly more science courses as seniors and earn higher grades in those courses than nonparticipants. This trend held after correcting for indicators of prior interest (first-year course work, GPA, and math SAT scores), gender, and minority status. We also report on an external survey completed by SURE participants. PMID:20516357

  19. Industrial Preparedness Sector Study Guideline

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1990-03-01

    This guideline relates to special studies under the Army Industrial Preparedness Program where domestic industrial sectors or commodity sectors are evaluated for meeting Defense requirements. Modern sector study activities are described in a framewor...

  20. Federal Funding for Health Security in FY2015

    PubMed Central

    Sell, Tara Kirk; Watson, Matthew

    2014-01-01

    Previous articles in this series have provided funding information for federal civilian biodefense programs and programs focused on radiological and nuclear preparedness and consequence management. This year the authors have expanded the focus of the analysis to US federal funding for health security. This article provides proposed funding amounts for FY2015, estimated amounts for FY2014, and actual amounts for FY2010 through FY2013 in 5 domains critical to health security: biodefense programs, radiological and nuclear programs, chemical programs, pandemic influenza and emerging infectious disease programs, and multiple-hazard and preparedness programs. PMID:24988432

  1. Easing student transition to graduate nurse: a SIMulated Professional Learning Environment (SIMPLE) for final year student nurses.

    PubMed

    Liaw, Sok Ying; Koh, Yiwen; Dawood, Rabiah; Kowitlawakul, Yanika; Zhou, Wentao; Lau, Siew Tiang

    2014-03-01

    Preparing nursing students for making the transition to graduate nurse is crucial for entry into practice. Final year student nurses at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are required to undergo a consolidated clinical practice to prepare them for their transition to graduate nurse. To describe the development, implementation and evaluation of a simulation program known as SIMulated Professional Learning Environment (SIMPLE) in preparing the final year student nurses for their clinical practicum in transition to graduate nurse practice. A set of simulation features and best practices were used as conceptual framework to develop and implement the simulation program. 94 final year student nurses participated in the 15-hour SIMPLE program that incorporated multiple simulation scenarios based on actual ward clinical practices. Pre and post-tests were conducted to assess the students' preparedness for their clinical practice in transition to graduate nurse practice. The students also completed a satisfaction questionnaire and open questions to evaluate their simulation experiences. The student nurses demonstrated a significant improvement (t=12.06, p<0.01) on post-test score (mean=117.21, SD=15.17) from pre-test score (mean=97.86, SD=15.08) for their perceived preparedness towards their clinical practicum in transition to graduate nurse practice. They were highly satisfied with their simulation learning. Themes emerged from the comments on the most valuable aspects of the SIMPLE program and ways to improve the program. The study provided evidences on the effectiveness of the SIMPLE program in enhancing the students' preparedness for their transition to graduate nurse practice. A key success of the SIMPLE program was the used of simulation strategy and the involvement of practicing nurses that closely linked the students with the realities of current nursing practice to prepare them for the role of staff nurses. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Evaluation of a model training program for respiratory-protection preparedness at local health departments.

    PubMed

    Alfano-Sobsey, Edie; Kennedy, Bobby; Beck, Frank; Combs, Brian; Kady, Wendy; Ramsey, Steven; Stockweather, Allison; Service, Will

    2006-04-01

    Respiratory-protection programs have had limited application in local health departments and have mostly focused on protecting employees against exposure to tuberculosis (TB). The need to provide the public health workforce with effective respiratory protection has, however, been underscored by recent concerns about emerging infectious diseases, bioterrorism attacks, drug-resistant microbes, and environmental exposures to microbial allergens (as in recent hurricane flood waters). Furthermore, OSHA has revoked the TB standard traditionally followed by local health departments, replacing it with a more stringent regulation. The additional OSHA requirements may place increased burdens on health departments with limited resources and time. For these reasons, the North Carolina Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response and industrial hygienists of the Public Health Regional Surveillance Teams have developed a training program to facilitate implementation of respiratory protection programs at local health departments. To date, more than 1,400 North Carolina health department employees have been properly fit-tested for respirator use and have received training in all aspects of respiratory protection. This article gives an overview of the development and evaluation of the program. The training approach presented here can serve as a model that other health departments and organizations can use in implementing similar respiratory-protection programs.

  3. Disaster Preparedness Among University Students in Guangzhou, China: Assessment of Status and Demand for Disaster Education.

    PubMed

    Tan, Yibing; Liao, Xiaolan; Su, Haihao; Li, Chun; Xiang, Jiagen; Dong, Zhaoyang

    2017-06-01

    This study had 2 aims. First, we evaluated the current levels of disaster preparedness among university students in southern China. Second, we assessed students' demands for future disaster education. In addition, we examined the influence of demographic factors on current disaster preparedness status and demand. A cross-sectional design was used. The data were collected from 1893 students in 10 universities in the Guangzhou Higher Education Mega (GHEM) center. A self-administered questionnaire developed for this study was administered to assess the current status and demand for disaster education. The results are based on 1764 valid questionnaires. Among the participants, 77.8% reported having had disaster education experiences before, 85.5% indicated their desire for a systematic disaster course, and 75.4% expressed their willingness to take such a course upon its availability. The total mean score for demand for disaster course content (5-point Likert scale) was 4.17±0.84, with items relating to rescue skills given the highest scores. These results suggested that students had high desires for disaster preparedness knowledge, especially knowledge concerning rescue skills. We observed significant differences in disaster education experiences between male and female students and across programs, school years, and home locations. Furthermore, we observed significant differences in demand for disaster course content between male and female students and across universities, student programs, years of school, and students' majors. A systematic disaster course focused on rescue skills is needed by all types of universities. To improve the disaster education system in universities, disaster drills should be performed on a semester basis as a refresher and to enhance disaster preparedness. The government and universities should support building a simulated disaster rescue center and recruit faculty from the emergency department, especially those who have had disaster relief experience. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:310-317).

  4. A national survey of terrorism preparedness training among pediatric, family practice, and emergency medicine programs.

    PubMed

    Martin, Shelly D; Bush, Anneke C; Lynch, Julia A

    2006-09-01

    Domestic terrorism is a real threat focusing on a need to engage in effective emergency preparedness planning and training. Front-line physicians are an important component of any emergency preparedness plan. Potential victims of an attack include children who have unique physiologic and psychological vulnerabilities in disasters. Front-line providers need to have adequate training to effectively participate in local planning initiatives and to recognize and treat casualties including children. The goal of the survey was to assess the current state of terrorism preparedness training, including child victims, by emergency medicine, family practice, and pediatric residency programs in the United States and to assess methods of training and barriers to establishing effective training. A survey was e-mailed to a comprehensive list of all US pediatric, family practice, and emergency medicine residency programs 3 times between September 2003 and January 2004. The survey measured the perceived risk of terrorist attack, level of training by type of attack, level of training regarding children, method of training, and barriers to training. Overall, 21% of programs responded (46 of 182 pediatric, 75 of 400 family practice, and 29 of 125 emergency medicine programs). Across all of the event types, emergency medicine programs were more likely to report adequate/comprehensive training. However, < 50% of emergency medicine programs report adequate training for children. Didactic classroom-based lectures were the most commonly used method of training. Emergency medicine programs were more likely to use scenario-based exercises. Among programs that use scenario exercises, 93% report that they never (40%) or only sometimes (53%) incorporate child victims into the scenarios. Time, funding, access to subject matter experts, and availability of training material are the most important barriers to effective training. Children are a precious national resource and a vulnerable population in disasters. Despite the availability of terrorism preparedness funding, these data suggest that we are failing to provide adequate training to front-line providers who may care for children in a catastrophic domestic terrorist event.

  5. Perceptions of preparedness of LBS I teachers in the state of Illinois and graduates of Illinois State University's LBS I program to collaborate in teaching grade 7--12 math, science, and social science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caldwell, Janet E.

    The expectations for no child to be left behind are leading to increased emphasis on teaching math, science, and social science effectively to students with disabilities. This study utilized information collected from online surveys to examine how current LBS I teachers and individuals graduating from the Illinois State University teacher certification program in LBS I perceive their preparedness to teach these subjects. Participants provided information about coursework and life experiences, and they made suggestions about teacher preparation and professional development programs. Six key items forming the composite variable focused on level of preparation in (a) best practices, (b) selecting materials, (c) selecting objectives, (d) adapting instructional strategies, (e) planning lessons, and (f) and evaluating outcomes. Only 30 LBS I teachers of the 282 contacted by e-mail completed surveys. Of 115 graduates contacted, 71 participated in the original survey and 23 participated in a follow-up survey. Data were analyzed to learn more about the teachers' self-perceptions regarding preparedness to teach math, science, or social science. There was a correlation between perceived level of knowledge and the composite preparation variable for all subjects, but no correlation with length of teaching. Both groups indicated high school content courses were important in preparation to teach. Teachers also indicated collaboration and graduates indicated grade school learning. The most frequent recommendation for both teacher preparation and professional development was additional methods courses. A survey distributed to math, science, and social science teachers of Grades 7--12 asked about their perceptions of the preparedness of LBS I teachers to teach their area of content. Few surveys were completed for each subject so they were examined qualitatively. There was variability among participants, but generally the content area teachers rated themselves as more prepared than the LBS I teachers.

  6. Defining Roles for Pharmacy Personnel in Disaster Response and Emergency Preparedness.

    PubMed

    Alkhalili, Mohammad; Ma, Janice; Grenier, Sylvain

    2017-08-01

    Ongoing provision of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies is of key importance during and following a disaster or other emergency event. An effectively coordinated response involving locally available pharmacy personnel-drawing upon the efforts of licensed pharmacists and unlicensed support staff-can help to mitigate harms and alleviate hardship in a community after emergency events. However, pharmacists and their counterparts generally receive limited training in disaster medicine and emergency preparedness as part of their initial qualifications, even in countries with well-developed professional education programs. Pharmacy efforts have also traditionally focused on medical supply activities, more so than on general emergency preparedness. To facilitate future work between pharmacy personnel on an international level, our team undertook an extensive review of the published literature describing pharmacists' experiences in responding to or preparing for both natural and manmade disasters. In addition to identifying key activities that must be performed, we have developed a classification scheme for pharmacy personnel. We believe that this framework will enable pharmacy personnel working in diverse practice settings to identify and undertake essential actions that are necessary to ensure an effective emergency response and will promote better collaboration between pharmacy team members during actual disaster situations. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:496-504).

  7. A Study of the Level of Math Preparedness of Manufacturing Sciences Students in the Fall Semester of 2005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henning, Mark C.

    2007-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to gauge preparedness in math with achievement in first semester math for the fall 2005 intake of Manufacturing Sciences Division post-secondary program students. The data used to measure this level of preparedness was gleaned from students' high school Grade 12 (new and old curriculum) or Ontario Academic…

  8. Integrating Standard Operating Procedures and Industry Notebook Standards to Evaluate Students in Laboratory Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallert, Mark A.; Provost, Joseph J.

    2014-01-01

    To enhance the preparedness of graduates from the Biochemistry and Biotechnology (BCBT) Major at Minnesota State University Moorhead for employment in the bioscience industry we have developed a new Industry certificate program. The BCBT Industry Certificate was developed to address specific skill sets that local, regional, and national industry…

  9. Online public health preparedness training programs: an evaluation of user experience with the technological environment.

    PubMed

    Nambisan, Priya

    2010-01-01

    Several public health education programs and government agencies across the country have started offering virtual or online training programs in emergency preparedness for people who are likely to be involved in managing or responding to different types of emergency situations such as natural disasters, epidemics, bioterrorism, etc. While such online training programs are more convenient and cost-effective than traditional classroom-based programs, their success depends to a great extent on the underlying technological environment. Specifically, in an online technological environment, different types of user experiences come in to play-users' utilitarian or pragmatic experience, their fun or hedonic experience, their social experience, and most importantly, their usability experience-and these different user experiences critically shape the program outcomes, including course completion rates. This study adopts a multi-disciplinary approach and draws on theories in human computer interaction, distance learning theories, usability research, and online consumer behavior to evaluate users' experience with the technological environment of an online emergency preparedness training program and discusses its implications for the design of effective online training programs. . Data was collected using a questionnaire from 377 subjects who had registered for and participated in online public health preparedness training courses offered by a large public university in the Northeast. Analysis of the data indicates that as predicted, participants had higher levels of pragmatic and usability experiences compared to their hedonic and sociability experiences. Results also indicate that people who experienced higher levels of pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences were more likely to complete the course(s) they registered for compared to those who reported lower levels. The study findings hold important implications for the design of effective online emergency preparedness training targeted at diverse audiences including the general public, health care and public health professionals, and emergency responders. Strategies for improving participants' pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences are outlined. There are ample opportunities to improve the pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences of the target audience. This is critical to improve the participants' learning and retention as well as the completion rates for the courses offered. Online emergency preparedness programs are likely to play a crucial role in preparing emergency responders at all levels in the future and their success has critical implications for public health informatics.

  10. Examining the importance of incorporating emergency preparedness and disaster training core competencies into allied health curricula.

    PubMed

    Curtis, Tammy

    2015-01-01

    Preparation for responding to emergency events that does not warrant outside help beyond the local community resources or responding to disaster events that is beyond the capabilities of the local community both require first responders and healthcare professionals to have interdisciplinary skills needed to function as a team for saving lives. To date, there is no core emergency preparedness and disaster planning competencies that have been standardized at all levels across the various allied health curricula disciplines. To identify if emergency preparedness and disaster training content are currently being taught in allied health program courses, to identify possible gaps within allied health curricula, and to explore the perceptions of allied health college educators for implementing emergency preparedness and disaster training core competencies into their existing curricula, if not already included. A quantitative Internet-based survey was conducted in 2013. Convenient sample. Fifty-one allied health college educators completed the survey. Descriptive statistics indicated that the majority of allied health college instructors do not currently teach emergency preparedness and disaster training core competency content within their current allied health discipline; however, their perceived level of importance for inclusion of the competencies was high. The results of this study supported the need for developing and establishing a basic national set of standardized core emergency preparedness and disaster planning competencies at all levels across various allied health curricula disciplines to ensure victims receive the best patient care and have the best possible chance of survival.

  11. 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

  12. 44 CFR 334.2 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ..., each Federal department and agency shall prepare its national security emergency preparedness plans and... preparedness plans and programs to provide appropriate and effective response options for consideration in... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY...

  13. 3 CFR 8700 - Proclamation 8700 of August 31, 2011. National Preparedness Month, 2011

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... sectors. Individuals also play a vital role in securing our country. The National Preparedness Month.... Americans can also support volunteer programs through www.Serve.gov, or find tools to prepare for any...

  14. Fighting the flu: developing sustained community resilience and preparedness.

    PubMed

    Paton, Douglas; Parkes, Bruce; Daly, Michele; Smith, Leigh

    2008-10-01

    A pandemic will impose considerable demands on communities over a period of several weeks; thus, people must develop means to facilitate their resilience in such an event. This article describes the development and testing of a model to inform public education strategies to facilitate the sustained adoption of the preparedness and protective measures that underpin community resilience. The model is derived from the premise that decisions to act reflect how people interpret information to make it meaningful to them. The model describes how this outcome reflects the interaction among personal beliefs about preparing, community characteristics influencing how risk beliefs and risk management strategies are developed, and the relationship between the community and health information sources. It highlights a need to distinguish those who decide not to prepare from those who accept a need to prepare but need guidance. Implications for developing pandemic public education and risk communication programs are discussed.

  15. Promoting Undergraduate Interest, Preparedness, and Professional Pursuit in the Sciences: An Outcomes Evaluation of the SURE Program at Emory University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Junge, Benjamin; Quinones, Catherine; Kakietek, Jakub; Teodorescu, Daniel; Marsteller, Pat

    2010-01-01

    We report on an outcomes assessment of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Using follow-up survey data and academic transcripts, we gauge SURE's impact on levels of interest in, preparedness for, and actual pursuit of graduate study and professional careers in the sciences for the…

  16. Interactive hazards education program for youth in a low SES community: a quasi-experimental pilot study.

    PubMed

    Webb, Michelle; Ronan, Kevin R

    2014-10-01

    A pilot study of an interactive hazards education program was carried out in Canberra (Australia), with direct input from youth participants. Effects were evaluated in relation to youths' interest in disasters, motivation to prepare, risk awareness, knowledge indicators, perceived preparedness levels, planning and practice for emergencies, and fear and anxiety indicators. Parents also provided ratings, including of actual home-based preparedness activities. Using a single group pretest-posttest with benchmarking design, a sample of 20 youths and their parents from a low SES community participated. Findings indicated beneficial changes on a number of indicators. Preparedness indicators increased significantly from pre- to posttest on both youth (p < 0.01) and parent ratings (p < 0.01). Parent ratings reflected an increase of just under six home-based preparedness activities. Youth knowledge about disaster mitigation also was seen to increase significantly (p < 0.001), increasing 39% from pretest levels. While personalized risk perceptions significantly increased (p < 0.01), anxiety and worry levels were seen either not to change (generalized anxiety, p > 0.05) or to reduce between pre- and posttest (hazards-specific fears, worry, and distress, ps ranged from p < 0.05 to < 0.001). In terms of predictors of preparedness, a number of variables were found to predict posttest preparedness levels, including information searching done by participants between education sessions. These pilot findings are the first to reflect quasi-experimental outcomes for a youth hazards education program carried out in a setting other than a school that focused on a sample of youth from a low SES community. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

  17. Development and Application of a Message Metric for NOAA NWS Tsunami Warnings and Recommended Guidelines for the NWS TsunamiReady Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gregg, C. E.; Johnston, D. M.; Ricthie, L.; Meinhold, S.; Johnson, V.; Scott, C.; Farnham, C.; Houghton, B. F.; Horan, J.; Gill, D.

    2012-12-01

    Improving the quality and effectiveness of tsunami warning messages and the TsunamiReady community preparedness program of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service's (NWS), Tsunami Program are two key objectives of a three year project (Award NA10NWS4670015) to help integrate social science into the NWS' Tsunami Program and improve the preparedness of member states and territories of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP). Research was conducted in collaboration with state and local emergency managers. Based on findings from focus group meetings with a purposive sample of local, state and Federal stakeholders and emergency managers in six states (AK, WA, OR, CA, HI and NC) and two US Territories (US Virgin Islands and American Samoa), and upon review of research literature on behavioral response to warnings, we developed a warning message metric to help guide revisions to tsunami warning messages issued by the NWS' West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, Alaska and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, Hawaii. The metric incorporates factors that predict response to warning information, which are divided into categories of Message Content, Style, Order and Formatting and Receiver Characteristics. A message is evaluated by cross-referencing the message with the meaning of metric factors and assigning a maximum score of one point per factor. Findings are then used to guide revisions of the message until the characteristics of each factor are met. From focus groups that gathered information on the usefulness and achievability of tsunami preparedness actions, we developed recommendations for revisions to the proposed draft guidelines of the TsunamiReady Improvement Program. Proposed key revisions include the incorporation of community vulnerability to distant (far-field) versus local (near-field) tsunamis as a primary determinant of mandatory actions, rather than community population. Our team continues to work with NWS personnel, including a NWS Tsunami Warning Improvement Team, and the focus group participants to finalize and pilot test prototype warning products and the draft TsunamiReady guidelines.

  18. 44 CFR 351.20 - The Federal Emergency Management Agency.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... plans. (f) Assess, with the assistance of other Federal agencies, the adequacy of State and local... emergency plans and preparedness. (i) Develop and manage a radiological emergency response training program... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2012-10-01 2011-10-01 true The Federal Emergency...

  19. 44 CFR 351.20 - The Federal Emergency Management Agency.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... plans. (f) Assess, with the assistance of other Federal agencies, the adequacy of State and local... emergency plans and preparedness. (i) Develop and manage a radiological emergency response training program... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false The Federal Emergency...

  20. Preparing for Volcanic Hazards: An Examination of Lahar Knowledge, Risk Perception, and Preparedness around Mount Baker and Glacier Peak, WA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Corwin, K.; Brand, B. D.

    2015-12-01

    As the number of people living at risk from volcanic hazards in the U.S. Pacific Northwest continues to rise, so does the need for improved hazard science, mitigation, and response planning. The effectiveness of these efforts relies not only on scientists and policymakers, but on individuals and their risk perception and preparedness levels. This study examines the individual knowledge, perception, and preparedness of over 500 survey respondents living or working within the lahar zones of Mount Baker and Glacier Peak volcanoes. We (1) explore the common disconnect between accurate risk perception and adequate preparedness; (2) determine how participation in hazard response planning influences knowledge, risk perception, and preparedness; and (3) assess the effectiveness of current lahar hazard maps for public risk communication. Results indicate that a disconnect exists between perception and preparedness for the majority of respondents. While 82% of respondents accurately anticipate that future volcanic hazards will impact the Skagit Valley, this knowledge fails to motivate increased preparedness. A majority of respondents also feel "very responsible" for their own protection and provision of resources during a hazardous event (83%) and believe they have the knowledge and skills necessary to respond effectively to such an event (56%); however, many of these individuals still do not adequately prepare. When asked what barriers prevent them from preparing, respondents primarily cite a lack of knowledge about relevant local hazards. Results show that participation in response-related activities—a commonly recommended solution to this disconnect—minimally influences preparedness. Additionally, although local hazard maps successfully communicate the primary hazard—97% of respondents recognize the lahar hazard—many individuals incorrectly interpret other important facets of the maps. Those who participate in response-related activities fail to understand these maps better than the general public. This study's findings will be provided to emergency managers to assist in the development of educational programs and response plans.

  1. An Economic Analysis and Approach for Health Care Preparedness in a Substate Region.

    PubMed

    Stryckman, Benoit; Grace, Thomas L; Schwarz, Peter; Marcozzi, David

    2015-08-01

    To demonstrate the application of economics to health care preparedness by estimating the financial return on investment in a substate regional emergency response team and to develop a financial model aimed at sustaining community-level disaster readiness. Economic evaluation methods were applied to the experience of a regional Pennsylvania response capability. A cost-benefit analysis was performed by using information on funding of the response team and 17 real-world events the team responded to between 2008 and 2013. By use of the results of the cost-benefit analysis as well as information on the response team's catchment area, a risk-based insurance-like membership model was built. The cost-benefit analysis showed a positive return after 6 years of investment in the regional emergency response team. Financial modeling allowed for the calculation of premiums for 2 types of providers within the emergency response team's catchment area: hospitals and long-term care facilities. The analysis indicated that preparedness activities have a positive return on their investment in this substate region. By applying economic principles, communities can estimate their return on investment to make better business decisions in an effort to increase the sustainability of emergency preparedness programs at the regional level.

  2. Alternative Certification Programs & Pre-Service Teacher Preparedness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koehler, Adrie; Feldhaus, Charles Robert; Fernandez, Eugenia; Hundley, Stephen

    2013-01-01

    This explanatory sequential mixed methods research study investigated motives and purpose exhibited by professionals transitioning from careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to secondary education. The study also analyzed personal perceptions of teaching preparedness, and explored barriers to successful teaching. STEM career…

  3. 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.

  4. A Coordination, Education, and Mitigation Model for Disaster Preparedness in Coastal Areas.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-09-01

    necessary. None will be immediately available. * Prepare a lunch and a snack for your family because it may be some time before food or beverages can be...findings, a regional disaster preparedness Mprogram is outlined as well as an implementation strategy . The program is designed to be implemented by...on the mail-out survey to local news media. In an effort to identify special disaster preparedness needs of businesses and industries, a survey was

  5. Research participation among state and local public health emergency preparedness and response programs.

    PubMed

    Yusuf, H; Ekperi, L; Groseclose, S; Siegfried, A; Meit, M; Carbone, E

    2018-06-01

    The objective of our study was to assess whether state and local health staff participated in public health emergency preparedness research activities and what partner organizations they collaborated with on research. This is a cross-sectional study. Data were derived from a 2014 web-based survey of state, territorial, and local health departments conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and NORC at the University of Chicago as part of a larger project to assess the public health emergency preparedness and response research priorities of state and local health departments. Overall, 30% of survey respondents indicated that health department staff were involved in public health preparedness and response research-related activities. Thirty-four percent indicated that they were extremely or moderately familiar with emergency preparedness research and literature. Approximately 67% of respondents reported interest in receiving additional information and/or training related to the preparedness research and literature. The most frequently reported partners for collaboration in preparedness research-related activities were schools of public health (34%). Our findings suggest that there is health department interest in learning more about preparedness and response science and that additional efforts are needed to increase health department participation in public health emergency preparedness and response research-related activities. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. Evidence-based support for the all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background During the last decade there has been a need to respond and recover from various types of emergencies including mass casualty events (MCEs), mass toxicological/chemical events (MTEs), and biological events (pandemics and bio-terror agents). Effective emergency preparedness is more likely to be achieved if an all-hazards response plan is adopted. Objectives To investigate if there is a relationship among hospitals' preparedness for various emergency scenarios, and whether components of one emergency scenario correlate with preparedness for other emergency scenarios. Methods Emergency preparedness levels of all acute-care hospitals for MCEs, MTEs, and biological events were evaluated, utilizing a structured evaluation tool based on measurable parameters. Evaluations were made by professional experts in two phases: evaluation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) followed by a site visit. Relationships among total preparedness and different components' scores for various types of emergencies were analyzed. Results Significant relationships were found among preparedness for different emergencies. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for biological events correlated with preparedness for all investigated emergency scenarios. Strong correlations were found between training and drills with preparedness for all investigated emergency scenarios. Conclusions Fundamental critical building blocks such as SOPs, training, and drill programs improve preparedness for different emergencies including MCEs, MTEs, and biological events, more than other building blocks, such as equipment or knowledge of personnel. SOPs are especially important in unfamiliar emergency scenarios. The findings support the adoption of an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness. PMID:23098065

  7. Applying the 15 Public Health Emergency Preparedness Capabilities to Support Large-Scale Tuberculosis Investigations in Complex Congregate Settings

    PubMed Central

    Toren, Katelynne Gardner; Elsenboss, Carina; Narita, Masahiro

    2017-01-01

    Public Health—Seattle and King County, a metropolitan health department in western Washington, experiences rates of tuberculosis (TB) that are 1.6 times higher than are state and national averages. The department’s TB Control Program uses public health emergency management tools and capabilities sustained with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant funding to manage large-scale complex case investigations. We have described 3 contact investigations in large congregate settings that the TB Control Program conducted in 2015 and 2016. The program managed the investigations using public health emergency management tools, with support from the Preparedness Program. The 3 investigations encompassed medical evaluation of more than 1600 people, used more than 100 workers, identified nearly 30 individuals with latent TB infection, and prevented an estimated 3 cases of active disease. These incidents exemplify how investments in public health emergency preparedness can enhance health outcomes in traditional areas of public health. PMID:28892445

  8. Factors associated with the ability and willingness of essential workers to report to duty during a pandemic.

    PubMed

    Gershon, Robyn R M; Magda, Lori A; Qureshi, Kristine A; Riley, Halley E M; Scanlon, Eileen; Carney, Maria Torroella; Richards, Reginald J; Sherman, Martin F

    2010-10-01

    To determine essential workers' ability and willingness to report to duty during a serious pandemic outbreak and to identify modifiable risk factors. Workers (N = 1103) from six essential workgroups completed an anonymous, cross-sectional survey. Although a substantial proportion of participants reported that they would be able (80%), fewer would be willing (65%) to report to duty. Only 49% of participants would be both able and willing. Factors significantly associated with ability/willingness included individual-level (eg, intentions to adhere to respiratory protection and pandemic vaccination recommendations) and organizational-level factors (eg, preparedness planning for respiratory protection and worker vaccination programs). During a serious pandemic event, non-illness-related shortfalls among essential workers could be substantial. Organizational preparedness efforts should focus on worker protection programs and the development of policies that would facilitate the attendance of healthy workers.

  9. 76 FR 77547 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, FEMA Preparedness...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-13

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID: FEMA-2011-0039..., FEMA Preparedness Grants: Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Grant Program AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its...

  10. Assessing school disaster preparedness by applying a comprehensive school safety framework: A case of elementary schools in Banda Aceh City

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakurai, A.; Bisri, M. B. F.; Oda, T.; Oktari, R. S.; Murayama, Y.

    2017-02-01

    The study assessed the depth of school disaster safety at public elementary schools in Banda Aceh City, Indonesia in terms of comprehensive school safety, especially school location, disaster management and disaster education. The findings indicate that 56% of public elementary schools in Banda Aceh City are exposed to high tsunami risk, and most externally driven school disaster preparedness activities were not continued by the schools due to lack of ownership and funding. To realize comprehensive school safety, disaster preparedness programs should neither be brought in by external donors, nor be in a patchwork. Rather, it should be conducted jointly and sustainably by the local school and the community and supported by multi-sectoral support in the city. Comprehensive school safety of public elementary schools in Banda Aceh City could be realized by reviewing, updating and localizing school disaster preparedness programs by all the education partners in the city with strong political will and commitment.

  11. Preparedness for natural disasters among older US adults: a nationwide survey.

    PubMed

    Al-Rousan, Tala M; Rubenstein, Linda M; Wallace, Robert B

    2015-10-01

    We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents. We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness. Participant (n = 1304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness. Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society.

  12. [Preparedness for natural disasters among older US adults: a nationwide survery].

    PubMed

    Al-rousan, Tala M; Rubenstein, Linda M; Wallace, Robert B

    2014-12-01

    We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents. We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1 304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness. Participant (n = 1 304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness. Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society.

  13. 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.

  14. The current state of bioterrorist attack surveillance and preparedness in the US

    PubMed Central

    Grundmann, Oliver

    2014-01-01

    The use of biological agents as weapons to disrupt established structures, such as governments and especially larger urban populations, has been prevalent throughout history. Following the anthrax letters sent to various government officials in the fall of 2001, the US has been investing in prevention, surveillance, and preparation for a potential bioterrorism attack. Additional funding authorized since 2002 has assisted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency to invest in preventative research measures as well as preparedness programs, such as the Laboratory Response Network, Hospital Preparedness Program, and BioWatch. With both sentinel monitoring systems and epidemiological surveillance programs in place for metropolitan areas, the immediate threat of a large-scale bioterrorist attack may be limited. However, early detection is a crucial factor to initiate immediate response measures to prevent further spread following dissemination of a biological agent. Especially in rural areas, an interagency approach to train health care workers and raise awareness for the general public remain primary tasks, which is an ongoing challenge. Risk-management approaches in responding to dissemination of biological agents, as well as appropriate decontamination measures that reduce the probability of further contamination, have been provided, and suggest further investments in preparedness and surveillance. Ongoing efforts to improve preparedness and response to a bioterrorist attack are crucial to further reduce morbidity, mortality, and economic impact on public health. PMID:25328421

  15. Increasing tsunami preparedness through educator professional development in coastal Cascadia communities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pratt-Sitaula, B. A.; Butler, R. F.; Hunter, N.; Lillie, R. J.; Magura, B.; Groom, R.; Johnson, J. A.; Coe, M.

    2016-12-01

    Increasing society's ability to mitigate risks is one of the major goals of geohazard research. Therefore part of tsunami science research must be finding effective ways to communicate scientific findings to the public to be used in community preparedness plans. The "Cascadia EarthScope Earthquake and Tsunami Education Program" (CEETEP; ceetep.oregonstate.edu) has worked to bridge the gap between scientific researchers and the public by providing professional development workshops for educators from coastal communities in Oregon, Washington, and northern California. CEETEP translates cutting edge EarthScope and other geoscience research into educational resources appropriate for K-12 teachers, park and museum interpreters, and emergency management outreach educators and their learners. Local educators have the potential to reach a wide segment of coastal residents. The tsunami generated by the next Great Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake will arrive only 10-30 minutes after shaking, making mitigation and community-wide education an imperative. An essential component of CEETEP is collaboration with experts in science, pedagogy, and emergency preparedness. CEETEP provided two 4-day workshops and a follow-up Share-a-thon each year for three years (2013-2015). 151 educators participated in the program. Results from CEETEP are very encouraging. Participant content knowledge improved from 49% to 82% over the course of the workshop. Similarly, confidence in teaching about workshop topics increased from an average of 3.0 to 5.3 on a 6-point scale. Participant optimism about the efficacy and tractability of community-level planning also increased from 6.1 to 7.8 on a 9-point scale. Nearly 90% of participants continued to be active with the program through their March Share-a-thon and presented on a wide range of activities that they and their learners undertook related to earthquake and tsunami science and preparedness. Participants were also quite favorable about the innovative design of combining formal and informal educators into a single workshop. On a 6-point scale, they rated this professional exchange 5.5 for effectiveness. In all, the format and accomplishments of CEETEP can serve as a model for tsunami researchers interested in collaborating on outreach efforts.

  16. Primordial Prevention: Promoting Preparedness for Ebola Virus Disease

    PubMed Central

    Jain, Meena; Sharma, Ankur; Arora, Kapil; Khari, Puneet Mohan; Jain, Vishal

    2015-01-01

    Background: India may face a danger of immediate spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) if it enters the subcontinent. Preparedness for such a condition is a part of its prevention. Dentists form a sizeable chunk of healthcare in India and may help in augmenting the health care team at the time of such outbreaks. This paper details the development and evaluation of a specially tailored program for dental students and faculty for imparting knowledge on EVD and its prevention strategies. Aim: To assess the knowledge score for EVD and its prevention after attending a specially tailored program. Materials and Methods: A multidisciplinary team was selected for content development and providing an insight on the topic. The program was attended by students and faculty members of Manav Rachna Dental College. The knowledge of the attendees about EVD was assessed at the end of the program through a structured questionnaire. The response rate was 96%. Result: According to the knowledge score attained, 52.4% of the participant had good knowledge level and 2.8% had poor knowledge level. There was no significant difference in knowledge scores between the participants having prior knowledge and those having no previous knowledge about the disease (p = 0.135). Conclusion: High response rate and good knowledge level attained by most of the participants established evidence of a successful program. PMID:25954650

  17. 76 FR 72431 - Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID FEMA-2008-0022... Preparedness Program Manual AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is issuing two final guidance documents...

  18. vTrain: a novel curriculum for patient surge training in a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE).

    PubMed

    Greci, Laura S; Ramloll, Rameshsharma; Hurst, Samantha; Garman, Karen; Beedasy, Jaishree; Pieper, Eric B; Huang, Ricky; Higginbotham, Erin; Agha, Zia

    2013-06-01

    During a pandemic influenza, emergency departments will be overwhelmed with a large influx of patients seeking care. Although all hospitals should have a written plan for dealing with this surge of health care utilization, most hospitals struggle with ways to educate the staff and practice for potentially catastrophic events. Hypothesis/Problem To better prepare hospital staff for a patient surge, a novel educational curriculum was developed utilizing an emergency department for a patient surge functional drill. A multidisciplinary team of medical educators, evaluators, emergency preparedness experts, and technology specialists developed a curriculum to: (1) train novice users to function in their job class in a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE); (2) obtain appropriate pre-drill disaster preparedness training; (3) perform functional team exercises in a MUVE; and (4) reflect on their performance after the drill. A total of 14 students participated in one of two iterations of the pilot training program; seven nurses completed the emergency department triage course, and seven hospital administrators completed the Command Post (CP) course. All participants reported positive experiences in written course evaluations and structured verbal debriefings, and self-reported increase in disaster preparedness knowledge. Students also reported improved team communication, planning, team decision making, and the ability to visualize and reflect on their performance. Data from this pilot program suggest that the immersive, virtual teaching method is well suited to team-based, reflective practice and learning of disaster management skills.

  19. Assessing Hospital Disaster Readiness Over Time at the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

    PubMed

    Der-Martirosian, Claudia; Radcliff, Tiffany A; Gable, Alicia R; Riopelle, Deborah; Hagigi, Farhad A; Brewster, Pete; Dobalian, Aram

    2017-02-01

    Introduction There have been numerous initiatives by government and private organizations to help hospitals become better prepared for major disasters and public health emergencies. This study reports on efforts by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration, Office of Emergency Management's (OEM) Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP) to assess the readiness of VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) across the nation. Hypothesis/Problem This study conducts descriptive analyses of preparedness assessments of VAMCs and examines change in hospital readiness over time. To assess change, quantitative analyses of data from two phases of preparedness assessments (Phase I: 2008-2010; Phase II: 2011-2013) at 137 VAMCs were conducted using 61 unique capabilities assessed during the two phases. The initial five-point Likert-like scale used to rate each capability was collapsed into a dichotomous variable: "not-developed=0" versus "developed=1." To describe changes in preparedness over time, four new categories were created from the Phase I and Phase II dichotomous variables: (1) rated developed in both phases; (2) rated not-developed in Phase I but rated developed in Phase II; (3) rated not-developed in both phases; and (4) rated developed in Phase I but rated not- developed in Phase II. From a total of 61 unique emergency preparedness capabilities, 33 items achieved the desired outcome - they were rated either "developed in both phases" or "became developed" in Phase II for at least 80% of VAMCs. For 14 items, 70%-80% of VAMCs achieved the desired outcome. The remaining 14 items were identified as "low-performing" capabilities, defined as less than 70% of VAMCs achieved the desired outcome. Measuring emergency management capabilities is a necessary first step to improving those capabilities. Furthermore, assessing hospital readiness over time and creating robust hospital readiness assessment tools can help hospitals make informed decisions regarding allocation of resources to ensure patient safety, provide timely access to high-quality patient care, and identify best practices in emergency management during and after disasters. Moreover, with some minor modifications, this comprehensive, all-hazards-based, hospital preparedness assessment tool could be adapted for use beyond the VA. Der-Martirosian C , Radcliff TA , Gable AR , Riopelle D , Hagigi FA , Brewster P , Dobalian A . Assessing hospital disaster readiness over time at the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Prehsop Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):46-57.

  20. The Culturally Responsive Teacher Preparedness Scale: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsiao, Yun-Ju

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the competencies of culturally responsive teaching and construct a Culturally Responsive Teacher Preparedness Scale (CRTPS) for the use of teacher preparation programs and preservice teachers. Competencies listed in the scale were identified through literature reviews and input from experts. The…

  1. 44 CFR 354.6 - Billing and payment of fees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM § 354.6 Billing and payment of fees. (a) Electronic billing and payment. We will deposit all funds collected under this part to the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Fund as... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Billing and payment of fees...

  2. 78 FR 23775 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request: Community...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-22

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID: FEMA-2013-0014... Preparedness and Participation Survey used to identify progress and gaps in citizen and community preparedness... direction in Executive Order 13254 to study and track the progress of public service programs. Citizen Corps...

  3. Transportation of Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Hazards Assessment

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

    Blanchard, A.

    This report documents the Emergency Preparedness Hazards Assessment (EPHA) for the Transportation of Hazardous Materials (THM) at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS). This hazards assessment is intended to identify and analyze those transportation hazards significant enough to warrant consideration in the SRS Emergency Management Program.

  4. Primary Care Emergency Preparedness Network, New York City, 2015: Comparison of Member and Nonmember Sites

    PubMed Central

    Jean, Marc C.; Chen, Bei; Molinari, Noelle-Angelique M.; LeBlanc, Tanya T.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives. To assess whether Primary Care Emergency Preparedness Network member sites reported indicators of preparedness for public health emergencies compared with nonmember sites. The network—a collaboration between government and New York City primary care associations—offers technical assistance to primary care sites to improve disaster preparedness and response. Methods. In 2015, we administered an online questionnaire to sites regarding facility characteristics and preparedness indicators. We estimated differences between members and nonmembers with natural logarithm–linked binomial models. Open-ended assessments identified preparedness gaps. Results. One hundred seven sites completed the survey (23.3% response rate); 47 (43.9%) were nonmembers and 60 (56.1%) were members. Members were more likely to have completed hazard vulnerability analysis (risk ratio [RR] = 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28, 2.93), to have identified essential services for continuity of operations (RR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.03, 1.86), to have memoranda of understanding with external partners (RR = 2.49; 95% CI = 1.42, 4.36), and to have completed point-of-dispensing training (RR = 4.23; 95% CI = 1.76, 10.14). Identified preparedness gaps were improved communication, resource availability, and train-the-trainer programs. Public Health Implications. Primary Care Emergency Preparedness Network membership is associated with improved public health emergency preparedness among primary care sites. PMID:28892448

  5. High School-College Partnerships: Conceptual Models, Programs, and Issues. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberg, Arthur R.

    This brief report summarizes a monograph of the same title. Evidence of increasing interest in high school-college partnerships is presented. Among the reasons cited for renewed interest are: changing student population, students' frequent lack of skills preparedness, and the awareness of a need for new models of inservice staff development for…

  6. Risk communications and the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program

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

    Vogt, B.M.

    1995-12-31

    One of the greater challenges the Army faces is effectively dealing with the concerns of the public, local officials and the news media on the disposal of aging chemical agents. This paper describes the method developed for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). The purpose was to provide a fairly comprehensive document on risk communication research and recommended practices as they related to the CSEPP. Using the communications perspective suggested by Covello and colleagues, the existing practices of communicating risk information about chemical weapons and the associated efforts in emergency planning, storage and eventual disposal are described. Risk communicationmore » problems specific to the CSEPP are then examined and described via scenarios. A framework is developed that distinguishes between the major components of risk communication, flow and intent. Within this framework, the research and recommendations are summarized as to direction of flow -- dialogue, or two-way interaction, versus monologue, or one-way communication -- and that of intent -- exchange versus persuasion. The findings and recommendations are synthesized and related to risk events for the CSEPP as posited in the scenarios.« less

  7. Earthquake Education in Prime Time

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Groot, R.; Abbott, P.; Benthien, M.

    2004-12-01

    Since 2001, the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) has collaborated on several video production projects that feature important topics related to earthquake science, engineering, and preparedness. These projects have also fostered many fruitful and sustained partnerships with a variety of organizations that have a stake in hazard education and preparedness. The Seismic Sleuths educational video first appeared in the spring season 2001 on Discovery Channel's Assignment Discovery. Seismic Sleuths is based on a highly successful curriculum package developed jointly by the American Geophysical Union and The Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency. The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) and the Institute for Business and Home Safety supported the video project. Summer Productions, a company with a reputation for quality science programming, produced the Seismic Sleuths program in close partnership with scientists, engineers, and preparedness experts. The program has aired on the National Geographic Channel as recently as Fall 2004. Currently, SCEC is collaborating with Pat Abbott, a geology professor at San Diego State University (SDSU) on the video project Written In Stone: Earthquake Country - Los Angeles. Partners on this project include the California Seismic Safety Commission, SDSU, SCEC, CEA, and the Insurance Information Network of California. This video incorporates live-action demonstrations, vivid animations, and a compelling host (Abbott) to tell the story about earthquakes in the Los Angeles region. The Written in Stone team has also developed a comprehensive educator package that includes the video, maps, lesson plans, and other supporting materials. We will present the process that facilitates the creation of visually effective, factually accurate, and entertaining video programs. We acknowledge the need to have a broad understanding of the literature related to communication, media studies, science education, and hazard response to create a program that is both educational and provides a public service. Seismic Sleuths and Written in Stone are the harbingers of a new genre of earthquake programs that are the antithesis of the 1974 film Earthquake and the 2004 miniseries 10.5. Film producers and those in the earthquake education community are demonstrating that it is possible to tell an exciting story, inspire awareness, and encourage empowerment without sensationalism.

  8. Emergency Preparedness Education for Nurses: Core Competency Familiarity Measured Utilizing an Adapted Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Georgino, Madeline M; Kress, Terri; Alexander, Sheila; Beach, Michael

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this project was to measure trauma nurse improvement in familiarity with emergency preparedness and disaster response core competencies as originally defined by the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire after a focused educational program. An adapted version of the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire was utilized to measure familiarity of nurses with core competencies pertinent to first responder capabilities. This project utilized a pre- and postsurvey descriptive design and integrated education sessions into the preexisting, mandatory "Trauma Nurse Course" at large, level I trauma center. A total of 63 nurses completed the intervention during May and September 2014 sessions. Overall, all 8 competencies demonstrated significant (P < .001; 98% confidence interval) improvements in familiarity. In conclusion, this pilot quality improvement project demonstrated a unique approach to educating nurses to be more ready and comfortable when treating victims of a disaster.

  9. Progress in Public Health Emergency Preparedness—United States, 2001–2016

    PubMed Central

    Molinari, Noelle-Angelique M.; LeBlanc, Tanya T.; Vagi, Sara J.; Avchen, Rachel N.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives. To evaluate the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program’s progress toward meeting public health preparedness capability standards in state, local, and territorial health departments. Methods. All 62 PHEP awardees completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s self-administered PHEP Impact Assessment as part of program review measuring public health preparedness capability before September 11, 2001 (9/11), and in 2014. We collected additional self-reported capability self-assessments from 2016. We analyzed trends in congressional funding for public health preparedness from 2001 to 2016. Results. Before 9/11, most PHEP awardees reported limited preparedness capabilities, but considerable progress was reported by 2016. The number of jurisdictions reporting established capability functions within the countermeasures and mitigation domain had the largest increase, almost 200%, by 2014. However, more than 20% of jurisdictions still reported underdeveloped coordination between the health system and public health agencies in 2016. Challenges and barriers to building PHEP capabilities included lack of trained personnel, plans, and sustained resources. Conclusions. Considerable progress in public health preparedness capability was observed from before 9/11 to 2016. Support, sustainment, and advancement of public health preparedness capability is critical to ensure a strong public health infrastructure. PMID:28892440

  10. Preparedness for Natural Disasters Among Older US Adults: A Nationwide Survey

    PubMed Central

    Rubenstein, Linda M.; Wallace, Robert B.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents. Methods. We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness. Results. Participant (n = 1304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness. Conclusions. Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society. PMID:24432877

  11. Preparedness for Natural Disasters Among Older US Adults: A Nationwide Survey

    PubMed Central

    Rubenstein, Linda M.; Wallace, Robert B.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents. Methods. We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness. Results. Participant (n = 1304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness. Conclusions. Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society. PMID:26313052

  12. Roles and contributions of pharmacists in regulatory affairs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for public health emergency preparedness and response.

    PubMed

    Bhavsar, Tina R; Kim, Hye-Joo; Yu, Yon

    To provide a general description of the roles and contributions of three pharmacists from the Regulatory Affairs program (RA) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who are involved in emergency preparedness and response activities, including the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) public health emergency. Atlanta, GA. RA consists of a staff of nine members, three of whom are pharmacists. The mission of RA is to support CDC's preparedness and emergency response activities and to ensure regulatory compliance for critical medical countermeasures against potential threats from natural, chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear events. RA was well involved in the response to the H1N1 outbreak through numerous activities, such as submitting multiple Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) requests to the Food and Drug Administration, including those for medical countermeasures to be deployed from the Strategic National Stockpile, and developing the CDC EUA website (www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/eua). RA will continue to support current and future preparedness and emergency response activities by ensuring that the appropriate regulatory mechanisms are in place for the deployment of critical medical countermeasures from the Strategic National Stockpile against threats to public health.

  13. Earthquake Hoax in Ghana: Exploration of the Cry Wolf Hypothesis

    PubMed Central

    Aikins, Moses; Binka, Fred

    2012-01-01

    This paper investigated the belief of the news of impending earthquake from any source in the context of the Cry Wolf hypothesis as well as the belief of the news of any other imminent disaster from any source. We were also interested in the correlation between preparedness, risk perception and antecedents. This explorative study consisted of interviews, literature and Internet reviews. Sampling was of a simple random nature. Stratification was carried out by sex and residence type. The sample size of (N=400), consisted of 195 males and 205 Females. Further stratification was based on residential classification used by the municipalities. The study revealed that a person would believe news of an impending earthquake from any source, (64.4%) and a model significance of (P=0.000). It also showed that a person would believe news of any other impending disaster from any source, (73.1%) and a significance of (P=0.003). There is association between background, risk perception and preparedness. Emergency preparedness is weak. Earthquake awareness needs to be re-enforced. There is a critical need for public education of earthquake preparedness. The authors recommend developing emergency response program for earthquakes, standard operating procedures for a national risk communication through all media including instant bulk messaging. PMID:28299086

  14. Nurse Educators' Preceptions of Preparedness to Guide Clinical Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenkins-Cameron, Stella L.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine nurse educators' (NEs) perceptions of their level of preparedness to guide learning in clinical rotations of associate degree pre-licensure nursing programs of a South Atlantic state. The study also sought to determine the relationship between clinical experience, formal education, and teaching experience to…

  15. A Delphi-Based Investigation on Principal Preparedness for Managing School Finance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christian, Arthur Isaac, III

    2017-01-01

    Background: Research on principal preparedness for managing school finance is limited. Grounded in theory, principal preparation programs are without practical exercises for leadership readiness on budgets and finance. On its face, this topic is held the most responsible aspect of operations management, but the least studied in school leadership…

  16. Teacher Education Admission Criteria as Measure of Preparedness for Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casey, Catherine; Childs, Ruth

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between commonly used admission criteria, found in a one-year, post Bachelor's degree, initial, teacher education program, and the preparedness of teacher candidates in mathematics for independent teaching. The admission criteria used in this study were grade point average (GPA) and a written profile. The…

  17. Assessing Student Teaching Experiences: Teacher Candidates' Perceptions of Preparedness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Joohi; Tice, Kathleen; Collins, Denise; Brown, Amber; Smith, Cleta; Fox, Jill

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of student teaching experiences by measuring teacher candidates' perceptions of their preparedness. The participants were 130 teacher candidates who had completed their student teaching as part of a program preparing them to teach children in pre-K through grade 4. Teacher candidates…

  18. Preparedness to Implement Wellness Strategies: Perceptions of School Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burnett, Tena

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to survey school counselors to determine their knowledge and perceived preparedness to implement wellness strategies in school counseling programs. Wellness plans are a requirement for thousands of public school districts in the United States. There are no established standards for the training of school counselors in…

  19. Health-based Provisional Advisory Levels (PALs) for homeland security.

    PubMed

    Adeshina, Femi; Sonich-Mullin, Cynthia; Ross, Robert H; Wood, Carol S

    2009-12-01

    The Homeland Security Presidential Directive #8 (HSPD-8) for National Emergency Preparedness was issued to " establish policies to strengthen the preparedness of the United States to prevent and respond to threatened or actual domestic terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies by requiring a national domestic all- hazards preparedness goal. "In response to HSPD-8 and HSPD-22 (classified) on Domestic Chemical Defense, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) is developing health-based Provisional Advisory Levels (PALs) for priority chemicals (including chemical warfare agents, pesticides, and toxic industrial chemicals) in air and drinking water. PALs are temporary values that will neither be promulgated, nor be formally issued as regulatory guidance. They are intended to be used at the discretion of risk managers in emergency situations. The PAL Program provides advisory exposure levels for chemical agents to assist in emergency planning and response decision-making, and to aid in making informed risk management decisions for evacuation, temporary re-entry into affected areas, and resumed-use of infrastructure, such as water resources. These risk management decisions may be made at the federal, state, and local levels. Three exposure levels (PAL 1, PAL 2, and PAL 3), distinguished by severity of toxic effects, are developed for 24-hour, 30-day, 90-day, and 2-year durations for potential exposure to drinking water and ambient air by the general public. Developed PALs are evaluated both by a US EPA working group, and an external multidisciplinary panel to ensure scientific credibility and wide acceptance. In this Special Issue publication, we present background information on the PAL program, the methodology used in deriving PALs, and the technical support documents for the derivation of PALs for acrylonitrile, hydrogen sulfide, and phosgene.

  20. Upstream Disaster Management to Support People Experiencing Homelessness.

    PubMed

    Sundareswaran, Madura; Ghazzawi, Andrea; O'Sullivan, Tracey L

    2015-08-18

    The unique context of day-to-day living for people who are chronically homeless or living with housing insecurity puts them at high risk during community disasters. The impacts of extreme events, such as flooding, storms, riots, and other sources of community disruption, underscore the importance of preparedness efforts and fostering community resilience. This study is part of larger initiative focused on enhancing resilience and preparedness among high risk populations. The purpose of this study was to explore critical issues and strategies to promote resilience and disaster preparedness among people who are homeless in Canada. A sample of interviews (n=21) from key informants across Canada was analyzed to explore existing programs and supports for homeless populations. The data was selected from a larger sample of (n=43) interviews focused on programs and supports for people who are at heightened risk for negative impacts during disasters. Qualitative content analysis was used to extract emergent themes and develop a model of multi-level collaboration to support disaster resilience among people who are homeless. The results indicate there is a need for more upstream continuity planning, collaboration and communication between the emergency management sector and community service organizations that support people who are homeless. Prioritization and investment in the social determinants of health and community supports is necessary to promote resilience among this high-risk population. The findings from this study highlight the importance of acknowledging community support organizations as assets in disaster preparedness. Day-to-day resilience is an ongoing theme for people who are chronically homeless or living with housing insecurity. Upstream investment to build adaptive capacity and collaborate with community organizations is an important strategy to enhance community resilience.

  1. A culture of tsunami preparedness and applying knowledge from recent tsunamis affecting California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, K. M.; Wilson, R. I.

    2012-12-01

    It is the mission of the California Tsunami Program to ensure public safety by protecting lives and property before, during, and after a potentially destructive or damaging tsunami. In order to achieve this goal, the state has sought first to use finite funding resources to identify and quantify the tsunami hazard using the best available scientific expertise, modeling, data, mapping, and methods at its disposal. Secondly, it has been vital to accurately inform the emergency response community of the nature of the threat by defining inundation zones prior to a tsunami event and leveraging technical expertise during ongoing tsunami alert notifications (specifically incoming wave heights, arrival times, and the dangers of strong currents). State scientists and emergency managers have been able to learn and apply both scientific and emergency response lessons from recent, distant-source tsunamis affecting coastal California (from Samoa in 2009, Chile in 2010, and Japan in 2011). Emergency managers must understand and plan in advance for specific actions and protocols for each alert notification level provided by the NOAA/NWS West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. Finally the state program has provided education and outreach information via a multitude of delivery methods, activities, and end products while keeping the message simple, consistent, and focused. The goal is a culture of preparedness and understanding of what to do in the face of a tsunami by residents, visitors, and responsible government officials. We provide an update of results and findings made by the state program with support of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program through important collaboration with other U.S. States, Territories and agencies. In 2009 the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) and the California Geological Survey (CGS) completed tsunami inundation modeling and mapping for all low-lying, populated coastal areas of California to assist local jurisdictions on the coast in the identification of areas possible to be inundated in a tsunami. "Tsunami Inundation Maps for Emergency Planning" have provided the basis for some of the following preparedness, planning, and education activities in California: Improved evacuation and emergency response plans; Production of multi-language brochures: statewide, community, and boating; Development and support of tsunami scenario-driven exercises and drills; Development of workshops to educate both emergency managers and public; and Establishment of a comprehensive information website www.tsunami.ca.gov; and a preparedness website myhazards.calema.ca.gov. In addition, the California Tsunami Program has a number of initiatives underway through existing work plans to continue to apply scientifically vetted information toward comprehensive public understanding of the threat from future tsunamis to constituents on the coast. These include projects to: Complete tsunami land-use planning maps for California communities, Develop in-harbor tsunami hazard maps statewide, Complete modeling of offshore safety zones for the maritime community, Complete preliminary tsunami risk analysis for state utilizing new HAZUS tsunami module and probabilistic analysis results, and Develop a post-tsunami recovery and resiliency plan for the state.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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

  6. Bioterror Preparedness-Educational Programming for Military, Public Health and Civilian Medical Personnel

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-10-01

    agents. Page 5 of 42 BODY Research Study Design & Survey Development: Study Design We designed a prospective quantitative study looking at the...to bioterrorism to different groups of healthcare learners as follows: This research study design was developed in collaboration with the...PDA based format, and printed monograph based format. The research will focus on the effectiveness of distance learning and self-study methodologies

  7. Teaching English to a Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Regular Classroom in Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Padmadewi, Ni Nyoman; Artini, Luh Putu

    2017-01-01

    The recognition of students with special needs has been increasing significantly in Indonesia recently and the better understanding as well as supportive school programs is urgently needed. It was found out that schools and teachers in Indonesia had very limited preparedness either in teaching skills or material development to meet the actual…

  8. Student Average Academic Preparation: The Development of a College-Level Summary Measure of Student Preparedness for Academic Coursework.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bahr, Peter Riley

    The Board of Governors of California's Community College System, in executing California's Partnership for Excellence (PFE) Program, has recognized that the colleges operate within remarkably disparate social and economic environments, and that these differences include variation in factors that are likely to affect the performance of colleges on…

  9. Community-Based Academic Level I Trauma Center Prepares for the 2016 Republican National Convention.

    PubMed

    Keefe, Judy; Cern, Kathy; Wiita, Sharon; Raubenolt, Amy; Atkins, Elizabeth

    Disaster preparedness has come to the forefront for hospitals since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Many improvements have been made in emergency management and planning for catastrophic events. Both urban and community hospitals have the same responsibilities and commitments to their patients and communities. When the announcement was made that the 2016 Republican National Convention was going to be held in Cleveland, OH, Cleveland Clinic Akron General (CCAG) had to be confident in its abilities to handle any situation that might arise not just as a community hospital but also as a Level I trauma center. Organizing and preparing for more than a year, CCAG developed a detailed and well-thought-out preparedness program, with senior leadership implementing a clear chain of command. Developing and maintaining a strong and steady defense through detailed preparation, communication, teamwork, and organization are the keys to success.

  10. Safety Awareness and Preparedness in Secondary Schools in Kenya: A Case of Turkana District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kipngeno, Ronoh Richard; Benjamin, Kyalo Wambua

    2009-01-01

    Safety for students and staff from hazards that can be created by unsafe conditions, behaviour, disasters or emergencies in schools cannot be guaranteed. This is because of inadequate preparedness and awareness programs for safety needs. This study investigated the adequacy of procedures, precautions and infrastructure to respond to fire outbreaks…

  11. The New Mexico School Nurse and Emergency Medical Services Emergency Preparedness Course: Program Description and Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elgie, Robert; Sapien, Robert E.; Fullerton-Gleason, Lynne

    2005-01-01

    Illness and injuries are common among students and school staff. Therefore, school nurses must be prepared. In this study, a 16-hour scenario-based emergency preparedness course for school nurses was evaluated for its effectiveness. Effectiveness was measured by (a) traditional methods (written exams and confidence surveys) and (b) skills and…

  12. Using and improving social capital to increase community preparedness for wildfire

    Treesearch

    Shruti Agrawal; Martha C. Monroe

    2006-01-01

    Communities with more social capital are better able to work together to cope with problems such as a wildfire threat. This study found a positive relationship between perceiving greater social capital and participating in wildfire preparedness educational programs. Results suggest that managers can take advantage of existing social capital in communities to improve...

  13. Increasing the College Preparedness of At-Risk Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cabrera, Alberto F.; Prabhu, Radhika; Deil-Amen, Regina; Terenzini, Patrick T.; Lee, Chul; Franklin, Robert E., Jr.

    This study, first in a planned series, sought to examine the aggregate, or overall, impact of comprehensive intervention programs (CIPs) on students' preparedness for college, as reflected in their reading and mathematics abilities. All of the schools in the study were involved in GEAR UP, but it is important to be clear that GEAR UP is something…

  14. Self-Perceptions of Preparedness for Teaching of Teacher Education Graduates.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lang, Catherine

    This study, currently in progress, explores the perceptions of 75 near graduate primary teacher education students at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand, about their preparedness to teach. It investigates the students' views about the areas of teaching for which they feel the 3-year program of teacher education at the School of…

  15. 44 CFR 312.3 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.3... civil defense preparedness. (2) Encouraging the development of comprehensive disaster preparedness and...

  16. 44 CFR 312.3 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.3... civil defense preparedness. (2) Encouraging the development of comprehensive disaster preparedness and...

  17. 44 CFR 312.3 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.3... civil defense preparedness. (2) Encouraging the development of comprehensive disaster preparedness and...

  18. 44 CFR 312.3 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.3... civil defense preparedness. (2) Encouraging the development of comprehensive disaster preparedness and...

  19. 44 CFR 312.3 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.3... civil defense preparedness. (2) Encouraging the development of comprehensive disaster preparedness and...

  20. Toward Establishing the Validity of the Transformative Optimism Construct Measurement for Tsunami Preparedness: A Structural Equation Model for Visitors of the Pacific Northwest Coast

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rios-Uribe, Carlos Andres

    2009-01-01

    Measurements of social constructs that evaluate natural hazard preparedness are important to decrease natural hazard vulnerability. Preparedness reduces natural hazard impacts and human vulnerability. Investment in education and education research contribute to human sustainable development and natural hazard preparedness. Faced with other needs,…

  1. An evaluation of the opportunities for collaborative practice occurring in and the impact of interprofessional education on advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

    PubMed

    Umland, Elena M; Valenzano, Jonathan; Brown, Caitlin; Giordano, Carolyn

    2017-05-01

    To evaluate the impact of interprofessional (IP) education (IPE) programs during the first three years of a four-year doctor of pharmacy program on student preparedness and ability to function as a collaborative team member and to garner student feedback on collaboration experienced during the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs). Likert scale based statements and open-ended questions were added to the student course evaluations for the APPEs for two graduating classes of students. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS (repeated measures ANOVA and MANOVA). Thematic analysis by three reviewers reaching consensus was used to evaluate the qualitative data. Students reported being well prepared for IP collaboration (average ratings ranged from a mean of 3.37-3.46 on a scale of 1-4; 1=not at all prepared and 4=very well prepared). On average, students spent 26-50% of their time working with colleagues from other healthcare professions. In describing their preparedness for IP collaboration, the IP core competency of teams/teamwork was addressed in 50% of the submitted responses. The competencies of values/ethics, roles/responsibilities and IP communication were addressed by 2%, 20% and 28% of the written responses, respectively. Required longitudinal IP programs in the first three years of the pharmacy curriculum contribute to the students' perceived preparedness for collaborative practice during their APPEs. Developing practice sites to increase the opportunities for students to practice collaboratively is key. Further education of and emphasis by preceptors relative to the IPE competencies is desired. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Pubertal Preparedness Program in Terms of Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Pubertal Changes Among Pre-Adolescent Girls.

    PubMed

    Rani, Manisha; Sheoran, Poonam; Kumar, Yogesh; Singh, Navjyot

    2016-09-01

    Objective: To compare the knowledge and attitude regarding pubertal changes among pre - adolescent girls before and after the pubertal preparedness program (PPP) in experimental and comparison group. Materials and methods: A Quasi experimental (non- equivalent comparison group pretest posttest) design was adopted with 104pre-adolescentgirls (52 in each experimental and comparison group) of age 12-14years, selected by purposive sampling from two different Government schools of Ambala District. Knowledge and attitude was assessed using structured knowledge questionnaire (KR-20 = 0.74) and 5 point likert scale (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79) respectively. On the same day of pretest, PPP was administered and on 12 th day FAQs reinforcement session was held only for experimental group. After 28 days, posttest was taken. Results: The computed t value of pretest of knowledge and attitude scores of pre-adolescent girls (1.97), (1.95) respectively in experimental and comparison group was found non-significant at 0.05 level of significance which shows that both group didn't differ significantly in their knowledge and attitude before the administration of intervention. Findings of unpaired 't' value of posttest knowledge and attitude scores of pre-adolescent girls (19.77), (17.17) respectively in experimental and comparison group were found significant at 0.05 level of significance, Thus knowledge and attitude of pre-adolescent girls were improved with PPP and FAQs session. Conclusion: Pubertal preparedness program and FAQs reinforcement session are effective in enhancing knowledge and developing favorable attitude among pre-adolescent girls.

  3. San Francisco childcare centers' preparedness in the prevention and management of asthma among preschool-aged children.

    PubMed

    Young, Chelsea A; Stookey, Jodi; Patel, Anisha I; Chan, Curtis; Evans, Jane; Cohn, Karen; Agana, Luz; Yen, Irene H; Fernandez, Alicia; Cabana, Michael D

    2016-09-01

    Asthma is a common health condition for children in childcare. National recommendations for asthma in childcare exist. However, no studies have investigated the extent to which childcare centers adhere to these recommendations. We aimed to assess childcare center adherence to National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) recommendations for asthma care and preparedness and to identify characteristics associated with increased adherence to national asthma recommendations. We developed a standardized instrument. Each childcare center received a score of 0 through 7 based on number of recommendations met. We conducted t-tests, chi square tests and linear regression to identify childcare center factors associated with increased asthma preparedness. 36 out of 40 eligible childcare centers (90%) participated. These sites served 1570 children primarily between the ages of 2 to 5 years. On average, centers met 3.8 out of 7 (SD  =  1.3) recommendations. Staff familiarity caring for children with asthma (p < 0.001) and the center's asthma prevalence (p  =  0.01) was positively associated with the center's asthma preparedness. The 3 areas most in need of improvement related to asthma medications, asthma action plans and asthma policies. None of the managers reported being familiar with the NAEPP recommendations. There is room for improvement in the asthma care and preparedness of childcare centers. The 3 areas in which centers performed poorly (appropriate asthma medication management, use of asthma action plans, and presence of appropriate asthma policies) suggest that closer collaboration between clinicians and childcare centers may be a key to improving asthma management for young children.

  4. Developing Valid Measures of Emergency Management Capabilities within US Department of Veterans Affairs Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Dobalian, Aram; Stein, Judith A; Radcliff, Tiffany A; Riopelle, Deborah; Brewster, Pete; Hagigi, Farhad; Der-Martirosian, Claudia

    2016-10-01

    Introduction Hospitals play a critical role in providing health care in the aftermath of disasters and emergencies. Nonetheless, while multiple tools exist to assess hospital disaster preparedness, existing instruments have not been tested adequately for validity. Hypothesis/Problem This study reports on the development of a preparedness assessment tool for hospitals that are part of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA; Washington, DC USA). The authors evaluated hospital preparedness in six "Mission Areas" (MAs: Program Management; Incident Management; Safety and Security; Resiliency and Continuity; Medical Surge; and Support to External Requirements), each composed of various observable hospital preparedness capabilities, among 140 VA Medical Centers (VAMCs). This paper reports on two successive assessments (Phase I and Phase II) to assess the MAs' construct validity, or the degree to which component capabilities relate to one another to represent the associated domain successfully. This report describes a two-stage confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of candidate items for a comprehensive survey implemented to assess emergency preparedness in a hospital setting. The individual CFAs by MA received acceptable fit statistics with some exceptions. Some individual items did not have adequate factor loadings within their hypothesized factor (or MA) and were dropped from the analyses in order to obtain acceptable fit statistics. The Phase II modified tool was better able to assess the pre-determined MAs. For each MA, except for Resiliency and Continuity (MA 4), the CFA confirmed one latent variable. In Phase I, two sub-scales (seven and nine items in each respective sub-scale) and in Phase II, three sub-scales (eight, four, and eight items in each respective sub-scale) were confirmed for MA 4. The MA 4 capabilities comprise multiple sub-domains, and future assessment protocols should consider re-classifying MA 4 into three distinct MAs. The assessments provide a comprehensive and consistent, but flexible, approach for ascertaining health system preparedness. This approach can provide an organization with a clear understanding of areas for improvement and could be adapted into a standard for hospital readiness. Dobalian A , Stein JA , Radcliff TA , Riopelle D , Brewster P , Hagigi F , Der-Martirosian C . Developing valid measures of emergency management capabilities within US Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(5):475-484.

  5. Emergency preparedness academy adds public health to readiness equation.

    PubMed

    Livet, Melanie; Richter, Jane; Ellison, LuAnne; Dease, Bill; McClure, Lawrence; Feigley, Charles; Richter, Donna L

    2005-11-01

    From November 2003 to May 2004, the University of South Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control co-sponsored a 6-month-long Academy for Public Health Emergency Preparedness. Six-member teams made up of public health staff and community partner representatives (N = 78) attended from their respective health districts. The Academy consisted of three 6-day training sessions designed to prepare the teams to complete a team-based covert biological bioterrorism tabletop exercise. Program evaluation results revealed increases in (1) public health emergency preparedness core competencies; (2) capacity to plan, implement, and evaluate a tabletop exercise; and (3) successful collaboration and partnership formation between participating Public Health District teams and their local partner agencies. Lessons learned are also described.

  6. Assessing regional public health preparedness: a new tool for considering cross-border issues.

    PubMed

    Jones, Maggie; O'Carroll, Patrick; Thompson, Jack; D'Ambrosio, Luann

    2008-01-01

    To provide regional, state, and local public health officials a conceptual framework and checklist for assessing regional public health emergency preparedness, specifically in regard to cross-border public health preparedness needs. The project had four phases that are as follows: defining the scope, conducting a literature review, soliciting expert opinion, and creating the assessment framework and checklist. A conceptual framework was developed to define the scope of the project on the basis of the kinds of resources likely to be shared across borders in a public health response (eg, data, supplies, staff), in support of the public health functions likely to be important in a health emergency (eg, epidemiology, laboratory). A literature review was then conducted to identify key articles and tools addressing regional preparedness. Key informant interviews (n = 23) were conducted with public health and emergency management professionals in the Pacific Northwest to identify a set of systems, agreements, and protocols that should be systematically considered in assessing regional public health preparedness. Using the literature review and themes from interviews, a checklist was developed. A checklist was developed for use by public health leaders, which recommends 24 specific agreements, protocols, systems, and management structures that should be considered to foster cross-border public health preparedness. Regional public health preparedness represents not only the sum of state-level preparedness of the states in a region but also the capacity of those states to collaborate across state and international borders during a public health emergency. This checklist provides a tool to systematically consider cross-border preparedness issues.

  7. WHO-REMPAN for global health security and strengthening preparedness and response to radiation emergencies.

    PubMed

    Carr, Zhanat

    2010-06-01

    In response to the changing global environment and emerging new issues related to health security, the World Health Organization (WHO) is putting in place new tools for collective defense, such as the revised International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005). The new framework puts additional responsibilities on both Member States and WHO itself in order to effectively implement the IHR (2005) and react effectively in case of public health emergency events of any nature. Since its establishment in 1987, the Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness and Assistance Network of WHO (WHO-REMPAN) has become an important asset for the organization's capacity to respond to radiation emergencies and to assist its Member States to strengthen their own response capacities. The paper describes in detail the framework for the WHO's role in preparedness and response to radiation emergencies, including Emergency Conventions and IHR (2005), and how the WHO-REMPAN, through its activities (i.e., technical guidelines development, training, education, research, and information sharing), provides a significant contribution to the organization's program of work towards achievement of the global health security goal.

  8. The Development of an Earthquake Preparedness Plan for a Child Care Center in a Geologically Hazardous Region.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wokurka, Linda

    The director of a child care center at a community college in California developed an earthquake preparedness plan for the center which met state and local requirements for earthquake preparedness at schools. The plan consisted of: (1) the identification and reduction of nonstructural hazards in classrooms, office, and staff rooms; (2) storage of…

  9. Vested Interest theory and disaster preparedness.

    PubMed

    Miller, Claude H; Adame, Bradley J; Moore, Scott D

    2013-01-01

    Three studies were designed to extend a combination of vested interest theory (VI) and the extended parallel process model of fear appeals (EPPM) to provide formative research for creating more effective disaster preparedness social action campaigns. The aim was to develop an effective VI scale for assessing individual awareness and 'vestedness' relevant to disaster preparedness. Typical preparedness behaviours are discussed with emphasis on earthquakes and tornados in particular. Brief overviews of VI and the EPPM are offered, and findings are presented from three studies (one dealing with earthquakes, and two with tornados) conducted to determine the factor structure of the key VI components involved, and to develop and test subscales derived from the two theories. The paper finishes with a discussion of future research needs and suggestions on how the new subscales may be applied in the design and execution of more effective disaster preparedness campaigns. © 2013 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2013.

  10. Marketing Plan for the National Security Technology Incubator

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

    None

    This marketing plan was developed as part of the National Security Preparedness Project by the Arrowhead Center of New Mexico State University. The vision of the National Security Technology Incubator program is to be a successful incubator of technologies and private enterprise that assist the NNSA in meeting new challenges in national safety and security. The plan defines important aspects of developing the incubator, such as defining the target market, marketing goals, and creating strategies to reach the target market while meeting those goals. The three main marketing goals of the incubator are: 1) developing marketing materials for the incubatormore » program; 2) attracting businesses to become incubator participants; and 3) increasing name recognition of the incubator program on a national level.« less

  11. Mass fatality preparedness among medical examiners/coroners in the United States: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Gershon, Robyn R M; Orr, Mark G; Zhi, Qi; Merrill, Jacqueline A; Chen, Daniel Y; Riley, Halley E M; Sherman, Martin F

    2014-12-15

    In the United States (US), Medical Examiners and Coroners (ME/Cs) have the legal authority for the management of mass fatality incidents (MFI). Yet, preparedness and operational capabilities in this sector remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was twofold; first, to identify appropriate measures of preparedness, and second, to assess preparedness levels and factors significantly associated with preparedness. Three separate checklists were developed to measure different aspects of preparedness: MFI Plan Elements, Operational Capabilities, and Pre-existing Resource Networks. Using a cross-sectional study design, data on these and other variables of interest were collected in 2014 from a national convenience sample of ME/C using an internet-based, anonymous survey. Preparedness levels were determined and compared across Federal Regions and in relation to the number of Presidential Disaster Declarations, also by Federal Region. Bivariate logistic and multivariable models estimated the associations between organizational characteristics and relative preparedness. A large proportion (42%) of respondents reported that less than 25 additional fatalities over a 48-hour period would exceed their response capacities. The preparedness constructs measured three related, yet distinct, aspects of preparedness, with scores highly variable and generally suboptimal. Median scores for the three preparedness measures also varied across Federal Regions and as compared to the number of Presidential Declared Disasters, also by Federal Region. Capacity was especially limited for activating missing persons call centers, launching public communications, especially via social media, and identifying temporary interment sites. The provision of staff training was the only factor studied that was significantly (positively) associated (p < .05) with all three preparedness measures. Although ME/Cs ranked local partners, such as Offices of Emergency Management, first responders, and funeral homes, as the most important sources of assistance, a sizeable proportion (72%) expected federal assistance. The three measures of MFI preparedness allowed for a broad and comprehensive assessment of preparedness. In the future, these measures can serve as useful benchmarks or criteria for assessing ME/Cs preparedness. The study findings suggest multiple opportunities for improvement, including the development and implementation of national strategies to ensure uniform standards for MFI management across all jurisdictions.

  12. Tsunami Preparedness in Washington (video)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Loeffler, Kurt; Gesell, Justine

    2010-01-01

    Tsunamis are a constant threat to the coasts of our world. Although tsunamis are infrequent along the West coast of the United States, it is possible and necessary to prepare for potential tsunami hazards to minimize loss of life and property. Community awareness programs are important, as they strive to create an informed society by providing education and training. This video about tsunami preparedness in Washington distinguishes between a local tsunami and a distant event and focus on the specific needs of this region. It offers guidelines for correct tsunami response and community preparedness from local emergency managers, first-responders, and leading experts on tsunami hazards and warnings, who have been working on ways of making the tsunami affected regions safer for the people and communities on a long-term basis. This video was produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Washington Emergency Management Division (EMD) and with funding by the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program.

  13. Terrorism-preparedness training for non-clinical hospital workers: tailoring content and presentation to meet workers' needs.

    PubMed

    Thorne, Craig D; Oliver, Marc; Al-Ibrahim, Mohamed; Gucer, Patricia W; McDiarmid, Melissa A

    2004-07-01

    Clinicians have been the primary focus of health care worker training in response to the 2001 terrorist and anthrax attacks. However, many nonclinical hospital workers also are critical in providing medical care during any large-scale emergency. We designed a training program, guided by focus groups, to provide them with information to recognize unusual events and to protect themselves. We compared four different training methods: workbook, video, lecture, and a small-group discussion. One hundred and ninety-one workers participated. After the training, they were more confident in their employer's preparedness to respond to a terrorist attack but specific knowledge did not change substantially. Fortunately, the self-directed workbook (the more economical and least disruptive method) was as effective as the other methods. Our experience may be useful to others who are planning terrorism-preparedness training programs.

  14. The Effect of Coping Knowledge on Emergency Preparedness in Elementary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Shin-Jeong; Kang, So-Ra; Lee, Seung-Hee; Kang, Kyung-Ah

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of coping knowledge for emergency preparedness in Korean elementary school students. A school-based coping education program was provided seven times to 271 fourth- and fifth-grade students in two urban schools by researchers with the school nurses. The Process Model of Stress and Coping and…

  15. Preparedness of Educators to Implement Modern Information Technologies in Their Work with Preschool Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Velickovic, Sonja; Stošic, Lazar

    2016-01-01

    This study explores the issue of the preparedness of educators to realize the contents of the PPP (Preschool Preparatory Program) from the point of view of digitalization and informatization of the society. The authors are in favour of the implementation of modern educational technology in the process of educating preschool children with the aim…

  16. Analytical Thinking, Analytical Action: Using Prelab Video Demonstrations and e-Quizzes to Improve Undergraduate Preparedness for Analytical Chemistry Practical Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jolley, Dianne F.; Wilson, Stephen R.; Kelso, Celine; O'Brien, Glennys; Mason, Claire E.

    2016-01-01

    This project utilizes visual and critical thinking approaches to develop a higher-education synergistic prelab training program for a large second-year undergraduate analytical chemistry class, directing more of the cognitive learning to the prelab phase. This enabled students to engage in more analytical thinking prior to engaging in the…

  17. A Language Support Program for English-Medium Instruction Courses: Its Development and Evaluation in an EFL Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, Ji-Yeon; Kim, Wooyeon; Lee, Heewon

    2017-01-01

    Many English as a foreign language universities have increased the number of English-medium instruction (EMI) courses regardless of their students' preparedness for them. As a result, previous studies have reflected the necessity of additional language assistance to students who have to take EMI courses with limited English proficiency. Drawing…

  18. A systematic approach to very important person preparedness for a trauma center.

    PubMed

    Bulson, Julie; Mattice, Connie; Bulson, Timothy

    2012-01-01

    Hospitals across the United States are more involved in disaster/rapid response planning than ever. This collaboration is often driven by continuing federal and state preparedness and all-hazards planning efforts that provide cooperative agreement and/or grant support. These efforts currently include programs administered by the US assistant secretary for preparedness and response, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Department of Defense, and the US Department of Homeland Security. Beyond legislated support or mandates, key emergency management regulations governing hospital-specific disaster planning and response activities are required of hospitals by The Joint Commission, the largest national hospital accrediting body. Despite this ongoing, heightened awareness and inclusion of health care in local and regional emergency response planning, there is 1 partnership to yet strengthen: the relationship between community trauma centers and US Secret Service staff responsible for White House travel and health care contingency plans. One Michigan hospital system designed a program that has made preevent communications and preparedness for rapid very important person response with the Secret Service as important as other local all-hazards planning; the evolution of this partnership is the focus of this article.

  19. Input from Key Stakeholders in the National Security Technology Incubator

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

    None

    This report documents the input from key stakeholders of the National Security Technology Incubator (NSTI) in developing a new technology incubator and related programs for southern New Mexico. The technology incubator is being developed as part of the National Security Preparedness Project (NSPP), funded by a Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) grant. This report includes identification of key stakeholders as well as a description and analysis of their input for the development of an incubator.

  20. Preparedness for Protecting the Health of Community-Dwelling Vulnerable Elderly People in Eastern and Western Japan in the Event of Natural Disasters.

    PubMed

    Tsukasaki, Keiko; Kanzaki, Hatsumi; Kyota, Kaoru; Ichimori, Akie; Omote, Shizuko; Okamoto, Rie; Kido, Teruhiko; Sakakibara, Chiaki; Makimoto, Kiyoko; Nomura, Atsuko; Miyamoto, Yukari

    2016-01-01

    We clarified the preparedness necessary to protect the health of community-dwelling vulnerable elderly people following natural disasters. We collected data from 304 community general support centres throughout Japan. We found the following in particular to be challenging: availability of disaster-preparedness manuals; disaster countermeasures and management systems; creation of lists of people requiring assistance following a disaster; evacuation support systems; development of plans for health management following disasters; provision of disaster-preparedness guidance and training; disaster-preparedness systems in the community; disaster information management; the preparedness of older people themselves in requiring support; and support from other community residents.

  1. Defining bioterrorism preparedness for nurses: concept analysis.

    PubMed

    Rebmann, Terri

    2006-06-01

    This paper reports a concept analysis to define the concept of nursing bioterrorism preparedness. Nursing bioterrorism preparedness is necessary, yet no theoretical or operational definition exists. The concept is often misinterpreted as being synonymous with organizational preparedness or confused with the bioterrorism preparedness needs of other professions, such as medicine. There is no standardized definition of the concept that is specific to the profession of nursing. A concept analysis was conducted using a systematic literature review; the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Psych Info and Medline databases for years 1966-2005 were used. One hundred and eighteen references were identified, 41 of which were deemed relevant. Data from the 41 relevant articles were analysed and synthesized to develop a theoretical definition, defining attributes, antecedents, consequences and related concepts. Nursing bioterrorism preparedness is the continual process of nurses becoming better prepared to recognize and respond to a bioterrorism attack. Nurses, regardless of their level of education, areas of expertise or practice settings must participate in at least one educational session and one exercise each year to meet the minimum requirements of engaging in the bioterrorism preparedness process. The antecedents are acceptance and readiness to change. Defining attributes include gaining knowledge, planning, practising response behaviours and evaluating knowledge level and content of response plan. Consequences include recognition of an event and implementation of appropriate response actions. Nursing bioterrorism preparedness is essential. To assess nurses' level of preparedness, a definition is needed of what bioterrorism preparedness means to the profession. The theoretical definition developed in this paper needs to be further refined and operationalized.

  2. Rural Hospital Preparedness for Neonatal Resuscitation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jukkala, Angela; Henly, Susan J.; Lindeke, Linda

    2008-01-01

    Context: Neonatal resuscitation is a critical component of perinatal services in all settings. Purpose: To systematically describe preparedness of rural hospitals for neonatal resuscitation, and to determine whether delivery volume and level of perinatal care were associated with overall preparedness or its indicators. Methods: We developed the…

  3. 44 CFR 302.4 - Merit personnel systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA... maintained in public agencies administering or supervising the administration of the civil defense program in...

  4. DOE Partnerships with States, Tribes and Other Federal Programs Help Responders Prepare for Challenges Involving Transport of Radioactive Materials

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

    Marsha Keister

    2001-02-01

    DOE Partnerships with States, Tribes and Other Federal Programs Help Responders Prepare for Challenges Involving Transport of Radioactive Materials Implementing adequate institutional programs and validating preparedness for emergency response to radiological transportation incidents along or near U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) shipping corridors poses unique challenges to transportation operations management. Delayed or insufficient attention to State and Tribal preparedness needs may significantly impact the transportation operations schedule and budget. The DOE Transportation Emergency Preparedness Program (TEPP) has successfully used a cooperative planning process to develop strong partnerships with States, Tribes, Federal agencies and other national programs to support responder preparednessmore » across the United States. DOE TEPP has found that building solid partnerships with key emergency response agencies ensures responders have access to the planning, training, technical expertise and assistance necessary to safely, efficiently and effectively respond to a radiological transportation accident. Through the efforts of TEPP over the past fifteen years, partnerships have resulted in States and Tribal Nations either using significant portions of the TEPP planning resources in their programs and/or adopting the Modular Emergency Response Radiological Transportation Training (MERRTT) program into their hazardous material training curriculums to prepare their fire departments, law enforcement, hazardous materials response teams, emergency management officials, public information officers and emergency medical technicians for responding to transportation incidents involving radioactive materials. In addition, through strong partnerships with Federal Agencies and other national programs TEPP provided technical expertise to support a variety of radiological response initiatives and assisted several programs with integration of the nationally recognized MERRTT program into other training venues, thus ensuring consistency of radiological response curriculums delivered to responders. This presentation will provide an overview of the steps to achieve coordination, to avoid redundancy, and to highlight several of the successful partnerships TEPP has formed with States, Tribes, Federal agencies and other national programs. Events, accident scenarios, and training where TEPP was proven to be integral in building the radiological response capabilities for first responders to actual radiological incidents are also highlighted. Participants will gain an appreciation for the collaborative efforts States and Tribes are engaging in with the DOE to ensure that responders all along the DOE transportation corridors are adequately prepared to respond to shipments of radioactive materials through their communities.« less

  5. Demography and Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Making the Connection

    PubMed Central

    Katz, Rebecca

    2009-01-01

    The tools and techniques of population sciences are extremely relevant to the discipline of public health emergency preparedness: protecting and securing the population’s health requires information about that population. While related fields such as security studies have successfully integrated demographic tools into their research and literature, the theoretical and practical connection between the methods of demography and the practice of public health emergency preparedness is weak. This article suggests the need to further the interdisciplinary use of demography by examining the need for a systematic use of population science techniques in public health emergency preparedness. Ultimately, we demonstrate how public health emergency preparedness can incorporate demography to develop more effective preparedness plans. Important policy implications emerge: demographers and preparedness experts need to collaborate more formally in order to facilitate community resilience and mitigate the consequences of public health emergencies. PMID:20694030

  6. Promoting Intercultural Competency in the Nuclear Workplace

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

    Bachner K. M.

    Intercultural preparedness training is a staple of many workplaces that require international competence, including government, business, and non-profits. Even highly experienced diplomats are often advised to attend training sessions on this topic. Intercultural preparedness training promises to be especially relevant and useful for professionals working in the field of nuclear nonproliferation, including in the application of international nuclear safeguards. This paper outlines the fundamental philosophies underlying a training program that will benefit professionals in the nuclear arena, whether practitioners of nonproliferation or other sub-fields relying on international cooperation and collaboration, and how such a training program might be implemented efficiently.

  7. Catastrophic events and older adults.

    PubMed

    Cloyd, Elizabeth; Dyer, Carmel B

    2010-12-01

    The plight of older adults during catastrophic events is a societal concern. Older persons have an increased prevalence of cognitive disorders, chronic illnesses, and mobility problems that limit their ability to cope. These disorders may result in a lack of mental capacity and the ability to discern when they should evacuate or resolve problems encountered during a catastrophe. Some older persons may have limited transportation options, and many of the elderly survivors are at increased risk for abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Recommendations for future catastrophic events include the development of a federal tracking system for elders and other vulnerable adults, the designation of separate shelter areas for elders and other vulnerable adults, and involvement of gerontological professionals in all aspects of emergency preparedness and care delivery, including training of frontline workers. Preparation through preevent planning that includes region-specific social services, medical and public health resources, volunteers, and facilities for elders and vulnerable adults is critical. Elders need to be protected from abuse and fraud during catastrophic events. A public health triage system for elders and other vulnerable populations in pre- and postdisaster situations is useful, and disaster preparedness is paramount. Communities and members of safety and rescue teams must address ethical issues before an event. When older adults are involved, consideration needs to be given to triage decision making, transporting those who are immobile, the care of older adults who receive palliative care, and the equitable distribution of resources. Nurses are perfectly equipped with the skills, knowledge, and training needed to plan and implement disaster preparedness programs. In keeping with the tradition of Florence Nightingale, nurses can assume several crucial roles in disaster preparedness for older adults. Nurses possess the ability to participate and lead community policy development, serve on rescue teams, perform patient assessments, and deliver care. Nurses are crucial to well-planned and executed programs for catastrophic events that affect older adults. Also, all health care providers involved must be aware of the physical and psychological ramifications of disaster relief. The health and resilience of disaster-relief teams depend on paying attention to signs and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and seeking appropriate treatment should it occur. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. A Public Health Preparedness Logic Model: Assessing Preparedness for Cross-border Threats in the European Region

    PubMed Central

    Nelson, Christopher; Savoia, Elena; Ljungqvist, Irina; Ciotti, Massimo

    2017-01-01

    Improving preparedness in the European region requires a clear understanding of what European Union (EU) member states should be able to do, whether acting internally or in cooperation with each other or the EU and other multilateral organizations. We have developed a preparedness logic model that specifies the aims and objectives of public health preparedness, as well as the response capabilities and preparedness capacities needed to achieve them. The capabilities, which describe the ability to effectively use capacities to identify, characterize, and respond to emergencies, are organized into 5 categories. The first 3 categories—(1) assessment; (2) policy development, adaptation, and implementation; and (3) prevention and treatment services in the health sector—represent what the public health system must accomplish to respond effectively. The fourth and fifth categories represent a series of interrelated functions needed to ensure that the system fulfills its assessment, policy development, and prevention and treatment roles: (4) coordination and communication regards information sharing within the public health system, incident management, and leadership, and (5) emergency risk communication focuses on communication with the public. This model provides a framework for identifying what to measure in capacity inventories, exercises, critical incident analyses, and other approaches to assessing public health emergency preparedness, not how to measure them. Focusing on a common set of capacities and capabilities to measure allows for comparisons both over time and between member states, which can enhance learning and sharing results and help identify both strengths and areas for improvement of public health emergency preparedness in the EU. PMID:29058967

  9. A Public Health Preparedness Logic Model: Assessing Preparedness for Cross-border Threats in the European Region.

    PubMed

    Stoto, Michael A; Nelson, Christopher; Savoia, Elena; Ljungqvist, Irina; Ciotti, Massimo

    Improving preparedness in the European region requires a clear understanding of what European Union (EU) member states should be able to do, whether acting internally or in cooperation with each other or the EU and other multilateral organizations. We have developed a preparedness logic model that specifies the aims and objectives of public health preparedness, as well as the response capabilities and preparedness capacities needed to achieve them. The capabilities, which describe the ability to effectively use capacities to identify, characterize, and respond to emergencies, are organized into 5 categories. The first 3 categories-(1) assessment; (2) policy development, adaptation, and implementation; and (3) prevention and treatment services in the health sector-represent what the public health system must accomplish to respond effectively. The fourth and fifth categories represent a series of interrelated functions needed to ensure that the system fulfills its assessment, policy development, and prevention and treatment roles: (4) coordination and communication regards information sharing within the public health system, incident management, and leadership, and (5) emergency risk communication focuses on communication with the public. This model provides a framework for identifying what to measure in capacity inventories, exercises, critical incident analyses, and other approaches to assessing public health emergency preparedness, not how to measure them. Focusing on a common set of capacities and capabilities to measure allows for comparisons both over time and between member states, which can enhance learning and sharing results and help identify both strengths and areas for improvement of public health emergency preparedness in the EU.

  10. Nuclear power plant emergency preparedness: results from an evaluation of Michigan's potassium iodide distribution program.

    PubMed

    Zwolinski, Laura R; Stanbury, Martha; Manente, Susan

    2012-10-01

    In 2009, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) made potassium iodide (KI), a nonprescription radio-protective drug, available by mailing vouchers redeemable at local pharmacies for KI tablets, at no cost to residents living within 10 miles of Michigan's 3 nuclear power plants (NPPs). MDCH conducted an evaluation of this program to determine Michigan's KI coverage and to assess general emergency preparedness among residents living near the NPPs. KI coverage was estimated based on redeemed voucher counts and the 2010 Census. Telephone surveys were administered to a random sample (N = 153) of residents living near Michigan's NPPs to evaluate general emergency preparedness, reasons for voucher use or nonuse, and KI knowledge. Only 5.3% of eligible residences redeemed KI vouchers. Most surveyed residents (76.5%) were aware of living near an NPP, yet 42.5% reported doing "nothing" to plan for an emergency. Almost half of surveyed voucher users did not know when to take KI or which body part KI protects. Among voucher nonusers, 48.0% were either unaware of the program or did not remember receiving a voucher. Additional efforts are needed to ensure that all residents are aware of the availability of KI and that recipients of the drug understand when and why it should be taken. Minimal emergency planning among residents living near Michigan's NPPs emphasizes the need for increased emergency preparedness and awareness. Findings are particularly salient given the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant emergency in Japan.

  11. Transition to surgical residency: a multi-institutional study of perceived intern preparedness and the effect of a formal residency preparatory course in the fourth year of medical school.

    PubMed

    Minter, Rebecca M; Amos, Keith D; Bentz, Michael L; Blair, Patrice Gabler; Brandt, Christopher; D'Cunha, Jonathan; Davis, Elisabeth; Delman, Keith A; Deutsch, Ellen S; Divino, Celia; Kingsley, Darra; Klingensmith, Mary; Meterissian, Sarkis; Sachdeva, Ajit K; Terhune, Kyla; Termuhlen, Paula M; Mullan, Patricia B

    2015-08-01

    To evaluate interns' perceived preparedness for defined surgical residency responsibilities and to determine whether fourth-year medical school (M4) preparatory courses ("bootcamps") facilitate transition to internship. The authors conducted a multi-institutional, mixed-methods study (June 2009) evaluating interns from 11 U.S. and Canadian surgery residency programs. Interns completed structured surveys and answered open-ended reflective questions about their preparedness for their surgery internship. Analyses include t tests comparing ratings of interns who had and had not participated in formal internship preparation programs. The authors calculated Cohen d for effect size and used grounded theory to identify themes in the interns' reflections. Of 221 eligible interns, 158 (71.5%) participated. Interns self-reported only moderate preparation for most defined care responsibilities in the medical knowledge and patient care domains but, overall, felt well prepared in the professionalism, interpersonal communication, practice-based learning, and systems-based practice domains. Interns who participated in M4 preparatory curricula had higher self-assessed ratings of surgical technical skills, professionalism, interpersonal communication skills, and overall preparation, at statistically significant levels (P < .05) with medium effect sizes. Themes identified in interns' characterizations of their greatest internship challenges included anxiety or lack of preparation related to performance of technical skills or procedures, managing simultaneous demands, being first responders for critically ill patients, clinical management of predictable postoperative conditions, and difficult communications. Entering surgical residency, interns report not feeling prepared to fulfill common clinical and professional responsibilities. As M4 curricula may enhance preparation, programs facilitating transition to residency should be developed and evaluated.

  12. Effects of resource-building group intervention on career management and mental health in work organizations: randomized controlled field trial.

    PubMed

    Vuori, Jukka; Toppinen-Tanner, Salla; Mutanen, Pertti

    2012-03-01

    A resource-building group intervention was developed to enhance career management, mental health, and job retention in work organizations. The in-company training program provided employees with better preparedness to manage their own careers. The program activities were universally implemented using an organization-level, 2-trainer model with trainers from the human resources management and occupational health services. The study was a within-organizations, randomly assigned field experimental study; it investigated the impacts of the intervention on immediate career management preparedness and later mental health and intentions to retire early. A total of 718 eligible individuals returned a questionnaire in 17 organizations and became voluntary participants. The respondents were randomly assigned to either an intervention (N = 369) or a comparison group (N = 349). Those in the intervention group were invited to group intervention workshops, whereas those in the comparison group received printed information about career and health-related issues. The 7-month follow-up results showed that the program significantly decreased depressive symptoms and intentions to retire early and increased mental resources among the group participants compared to the others. The mediation analyses demonstrated that the increase in career management preparedness as a proximal impact of the intervention mediated the longer term mental health effects. Those who benefited most from the intervention as regards their mental health were employees with elevated levels of depression or exhaustion and younger employees, implying additional benefits of a more targeted use of the intervention. The results demonstrated the benefits of the enhancement of individual-level career management and resilience resources as career and health promotion practice in work organizations.

  13. 76 FR 78173 - Options for Developing the Regulatory Basis for Streamlining Non-Power Reactor License Renewal...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-16

    ... Emergency Preparedness AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. SUMMARY: The... non-power reactor license renewal and non-power reactor emergency preparedness. This meeting is a... potential enhancements to emergency preparedness requirements. This meeting is open to the public. DATES...

  14. People’s perspectives and expectations on preparedness against earthquakes: Tehran case study

    PubMed Central

    Jahangiri, Katayoun; Izadkhah, Yasamin O; Montazeri, Ali; Hosseini, Mahmood

    2010-01-01

    Abstract: Background: Public education is one of the most important elements of earthquake preparedness. The present study identifies methods and appropriate strategies for public awareness and education on preparedness for earthquakes based on people's opinions in the city of Tehran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study and a door-to-door survey of residents from 22 municipal districts in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. It involved a total of 1 211 individuals aged 15 and above. People were asked about different methods of public information and education, as well as the type of information needed for earthquake preparedness. Results: "Enforcing the building contractors' compliance with the construction codes and regulations" was ranked as the first priority by 33.4% of the respondents. Over 70% of the participants (71.7%) regarded TV as the most appropriate means of media communication to prepare people for an earthquake. This was followed by "radio" which was selected by 51.6% of respondents. Slightly over 95% of the respondents believed that there would soon be an earthquake in the country, and 80% reported that they obtained this information from "the general public". Seventy percent of the study population felt that news of an earthquake should be communicated through the media. However, over fifty (58%) of the participants believed that governmental officials and agencies are best qualified to disseminate information about the risk of an imminent earthquake. Just over half (50.8%) of the respondents argued that the authorities do not usually provide enough information to people about earthquakes and the probability of their occurrence. Besides seismologists, respondents thought astronauts (32%), fortunetellers (32.3%), religious figures (34%), meteorologists (23%), and paleontologists (2%) can correctly predict the occurrence of an earthquake. Furthermore, 88.6% listed aid centers, mosques, newspapers and TV as the most important sources of information during the aftermath of an earthquake, Discussion: A participatory approach to earthquake-preparedness planning is recommended. This would ensure that program planners use methods, tools, media, and educational materials that are compatible with the culture, needs, and skills of the local communities. Conclusions: The findings of this study also reveal methods and tools that the local community considers to be most effective for earthquake-preparedness planning and management. The development of an earthquake-resistance and a safe community requires a high level of collaboration between broadcasting organizations, seismologists, experts in the disaster- preparedness field, as well as the local community. This will allow for timely planning, development, and dissemination of essential information to all stakeholders including the local communities. PMID:21483203

  15. People's perspectives and expectations on preparedness against earthquakes: Tehran case study.

    PubMed

    Jahangiri, Katayoun; Izadkhah, Yasamin Ostovar; Montazeri, Ali; Hosseinip, Mahmood

    2010-06-01

    Public education is one of the most important elements of earthquake preparedness. The present study identifies methods and appropriate strategies for public awareness and education on preparedness for earthquakes based on people's opinions in the city of Tehran. This was a cross-sectional study and a door-to-door survey of residents from 22 municipal districts in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. It involved a total of 1 211 individuals aged 15 and above. People were asked about different methods of public information and education, as well as the type of information needed for earthquake preparedness. "Enforcing the building contractors' compliance with the construction codes and regulations" was ranked as the first priority by 33.4% of the respondents. Over 70% of the participants (71.7%) regarded TV as the most appropriate means of media communication to prepare people for an earthquake. This was followed by "radio" which was selected by 51.6% of respondents. Slightly over 95% of the respondents believed that there would soon be an earthquake in the country, and 80% reported that they obtained this information from "the general public". Seventy percent of the study population felt that news of an earthquake should be communicated through the media. However, over fifty (58%) of the participants believed that governmental officials and agencies are best qualified to disseminate information about the risk of an imminent earthquake. Just over half (50.8%) of the respondents argued that the authorities do not usually provide enough information to people about earthquakes and the probability of their occurrence. Besides seismologists, respondents thought astronauts (32%), fortunetellers (32.3%), religious figures (34%), meteorologists (23%), and paleontologists (2%) can correctly predict the occurrence of an earthquake. Furthermore, 88.6% listed aid centers, mosques, newspapers and TV as the most important sources of information during the aftermath of an earthquake, Discussion: A participatory approach to earthquake-preparedness planning is recommended. This would ensure that program planners use methods, tools, media, and educational materials that are compatible with the culture, needs, and skills of the local communities. The findings of this study also reveal methods and tools that the local community considers to be most effective for earthquake-preparedness planning and management. The development of an earthquake-resistance and a safe community requires a high level of collaboration between broadcasting organizations, seismologists, experts in the disaster- preparedness field, as well as the local community. This will allow for timely planning, development, and dissemination of essential information to all stakeholders including the local communities. ‎

  16. A Phenomenology Study on Dental Faculty Preparedness for Using Technology in Face-to-Face, Hybrid Courses, and Online Course to Reach Digital Native Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liberman, Leila Helene

    2018-01-01

    The exponential growth of online and hybrid education is most pressing and rapidly changing, increasing the need for faculty development programs for the traditional and online educator (Herman, 2012; Quinn & Kennedy-Clark, 2015). The students of today are referred to as the digital native student (DNS; Akcayir, Dundar, & Akcayir, 2016).…

  17. Map Your Hazards! - an Interdisciplinary, Place-Based Educational Approach to Assessing Natural Hazards, Social Vulnerability, Risk and Risk Perception.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brand, B. D.; McMullin-Messier, P. A.; Schlegel, M. E.

    2014-12-01

    'Map your Hazards' is an educational module developed within the NSF Interdisciplinary Teaching about Earth for a Sustainable Future program (InTeGrate). The module engages students in place-based explorations of natural hazards, social vulnerability, and the perception of natural hazards and risk. Students integrate geoscience and social science methodologies to (1) identify and assess hazards, vulnerability and risk within their communities; (2) distribute, collect and evaluate survey data (designed by authors) on the knowledge, risk perception and preparedness within their social networks; and (3) deliver a PPT presentation to local stakeholders detailing their findings and recommendations for development of a prepared, resilient community. 'Map your Hazards' underwent four rigorous assessments by a team of geoscience educators and external review before being piloted in our classrooms. The module was piloted in a 300-level 'Volcanoes and Society' course at Boise State University, a 300-level 'Environmental Sociology' course at Central Washington University, and a 100-level 'Natural Disasters and Environmental Geology' course at the College of Western Idaho. In all courses students reported a fascination with learning about the hazards around them and identifying the high risk areas in their communities. They were also surprised at the low level of knowledge, inaccurate risk perception and lack of preparedness of their social networks. This successful approach to engaging students in an interdisciplinary, place-based learning environment also has the broad implications of raising awareness of natural hazards (survey participants are provided links to local hazard and preparedness information). The data and preparedness suggestions can be shared with local emergency managers, who are encouraged to attend the student's final presentations. All module materials are published at serc.carleton.edu/integrate/ and are appropriate to a wide range of classrooms.

  18. Emergency preparedness in a sample of persons with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Gershon, Robyn R M; Kraus, Lewis E; Raveis, Victoria H; Sherman, Martin F; Kailes, June I

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to characterize emergency preparedness in this vulnerable population, and to ascertain the role of the personal assistant (PA) and the potential impact of prior emergency experience on preparedness efforts. Cross-sectional Internet-based survey conducted in 2011. Convenience sample. Two-hundred fifty-three community residents with cognitive and /or physical disabilities, all receiving personal assistance services. Emergency preparedness, operationalized as responses to a seven-item scale. The mean score for the emergency preparedness scale was 2.32 (SD = 2.74), range 0-7. Even though 62.8 percent (n = 159) of the participants had previously experienced one or more large-scale emergencies, only 47.4 percent (n = 120) of the entire sample and 55.3 percent (n = 88) of those with actual emergency experience reported preparing an emergency plan. Sixty-three percent (n = 76) of those reporting a plan had involved their PA in its development. Participants who reported such involvement were significantly more likely to have higher scores on the emergency preparedness scale (p < 0.001). Participants who had experienced a prior emergency were also more likely to score higher on the emergency preparedness scale (p < 0.001). In general, participants reported limited attention to other basic preparedness recommendations: only 28 percent (n = 70) had prepared a "go-bag" with necessary supplies, 29 percent (n = 74) had developed a strategy for communicating with their PA during emergencies, and 32 percent (n = 81) had stockpiled emergency supplies. Of particular importance, only 26 percent (n = 66) had made alternative back-up plans for personal assistance. Involving the PA in the planning process and experiencing an emergency were both significantly associated with higher emergency preparedness scores in this sample of people living with disabilities. However, critical deficiencies in preparedness were noted, such as lack of back-up plans for replacing their PA. Despite a concerted national effort to improve preparedness in the population of people living with disabilities, important preparedness gaps remain. These findings highlight the need for additional study on emergency preparedness barriers in people living with disabilities so that effective strategies to reduce vulnerabilities can be identified.

  19. The predictors of earthquake preparedness in Tehran households

    PubMed Central

    Ranjbar, Maryam; Soleimani, Ali Akbar; Shahboulaghi, Farahnaz Mohammadi; Paton, Douglas; Noroozi, Mehdi

    2018-01-01

    Background The high risk of an earthquake happening and the harmful consequences that it leaves, besides the unsuccessful policies for preparing the community for mitigation, suggested that social factors should be considered more in this regard. Social trust is an influencing factor that can have significant impact on people’s behavior. Objective To determine the relationship of the influencing factors on the preparedness of Tehran households against earthquake. Methods This was a cross-sectional study with 369 participants (February to April 2017) involved through stratified random sampling from selected urban districts of Tehran. The Persian version of an ‘Intention to be prepared’ measurement tool and a standard checklist of earthquake preparedness behaviors were used. The tool was evaluated for internal consistency and test-retest reliability in a pilot study (Cronbach’s α =0.94 and Intra Class Correlation Coefficient =0.92). Results Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that social trust is the most important predictor for the preparedness mean of changes in Tehran (R2=0.109, p<0.001, β: 0.187 for the Preparedness behavior; R2=0.117, β: 0.298, p<0.001 for Intention to be prepared; and R2=0.142, β: 0.345, p<0.001 for the Perceived preparedness). Conclusion The relationship between social trust and preparedness dimensions suggested that changing a social behavior is not possible through considering only individual characteristics of community members and not their social networks relations. The programs and policies which try to enhance the social trust in general, may be able to increase public preparedness against earthquakes in the future. PMID:29765572

  20. An Innovative, Comprehensive Faculty Recruitment and Development Program at One U.S. Dental School: Early Results.

    PubMed

    Sabato, Emily; DeCastro, Jeanette E; Fenesy, Kim

    2017-06-01

    Dental faculty recruitment and development are critical to replenish and cultivate sufficient and adequately prepared educators to educate future generations of dentists. At Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, the From Practice to Preceptor (FP2P) program, now in the last of its five years of funding from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has an overall aim of recruiting, training, and retaining a diverse and well-prepared dental faculty workforce. The FP2P program introduced novel methods for recruiting and preparing new faculty members since its goal is to help participants transition from being practicing dentists to becoming part- or full-time faculty members. The recruitment and selection process has emphasized reaching community practitioners in general or pediatric dentistry, individuals from underrepresented groups, and those with a passion for teaching. The two-year program with weekly meetings was designed to develop participants' skills to meet the teaching, clinical, and administrative roles of dental faculty. The aims of this study were to determine if the program recruitment methods used would result in participants who were more ethnically and racially diverse than the school's current faculty and to determine if, after training, participants perceived they had increased knowledge, skills, and abilities in specified areas as compared to before training. Participants completed pre- and post-program surveys assessing their perceived level of preparedness in critical competencies for dental faculty. Surveys were completed by 94% of participants in cohorts one through four; 75% (n=15) of cohorts two and three completed both the pre- and post-program surveys, which were used for this analysis. Over 30% of the 35 participants to date were from an underrepresented group. Survey results suggest the participants increased their perceived preparedness in administrative, clinical, and educational competencies. Follow-up is needed to ascertain how many go on to become dental educators and whether they are better prepared to succeed as new faculty compared to nonparticipants.

  1. An Academic-Government-Faith Partnership to Build Disaster Mental Health Preparedness and Community Resilience

    PubMed Central

    Semon, Natalie L.; Lating, Jeffrey M.; Everly, George S.; Perry, Charlene J.; Moore, Suzanne Straub; Mosley, Adrian M.; Thompson, Carol B.; Links, Jonathan M.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Faculty and affiliates of the Johns Hopkins Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center partnered with local health departments and faith-based organizations to develop a dual-intervention model of capacity-building for public mental health preparedness and community resilience. Project objectives included (1) determining the feasibility of the tri-partite collaborative concept; (2) designing, delivering, and evaluating psychological first aid (PFA) training and guided preparedness planning (GPP); and (3) documenting preliminary evidence of the sustainability and impact of the model. Methods We evaluated intervention effectiveness by analyzing pre- and post-training changes in participant responses on knowledge-acquisition tests administered to three urban and four rural community cohorts. Changes in percent of correct items and mean total correct items were evaluated. Criteria for model sustainability and impact were, respectively, observations of nonacademic partners engaging in efforts to advance post-project preparedness alliances, and project-attributable changes in preparedness-related practices of local or state governments. Results The majority (11 of 14) test items addressing technical or practical PFA content showed significant improvement; we observed comparable testing results for GPP training. Government and faith partners developed ideas and tools for sustaining preparedness activities, and numerous project-driven changes in local and state government policies were documented. Conclusions Results suggest that the model could be an effective approach to promoting public health preparedness and community resilience. PMID:25355980

  2. An academic-government-faith partnership to build disaster mental health preparedness and community resilience.

    PubMed

    McCabe, O Lee; Semon, Natalie L; Lating, Jeffrey M; Everly, George S; Perry, Charlene J; Moore, Suzanne Straub; Mosley, Adrian M; Thompson, Carol B; Links, Jonathan M

    2014-01-01

    Faculty and affiliates of the Johns Hopkins Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center partnered with local health departments and faith-based organizations to develop a dual-intervention model of capacity-building for public mental health preparedness and community resilience. Project objectives included (1) determining the feasibility of the tri-partite collaborative concept; (2) designing, delivering, and evaluating psychological first aid (PFA) training and guided preparedness planning (GPP); and (3) documenting preliminary evidence of the sustainability and impact of the model. We evaluated intervention effectiveness by analyzing pre- and post-training changes in participant responses on knowledge-acquisition tests administered to three urban and four rural community cohorts. Changes in percent of correct items and mean total correct items were evaluated. Criteria for model sustainability and impact were, respectively, observations of nonacademic partners engaging in efforts to advance post-project preparedness alliances, and project-attributable changes in preparedness-related practices of local or state governments. The majority (11 of 14) test items addressing technical or practical PFA content showed significant improvement; we observed comparable testing results for GPP training. Government and faith partners developed ideas and tools for sustaining preparedness activities, and numerous project-driven changes in local and state government policies were documented. Results suggest that the model could be an effective approach to promoting public health preparedness and community resilience.

  3. Leadership, collaboration, and effective training principles and practices from a decade of training by a center for public health preparedness.

    PubMed

    Reid, William Michael; Brown, Lisa M; Landis, Danielle C

    2014-01-01

    To review a decade's experience of a Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness (CDC) funded Center for Public Health Preparedness (hereafter referred to as the Center) and to identify interventions that led to surmounting serious obstacles to achieving the Center's CDC-mandated goals and objectives. The Center's purpose was to train the public health workforce to protect the population from bioterrorism, infectious diseases, and emerging public health threats. This case study used the concepts of the judgment process as developed by Noel Tichy and Warren Bennis to describe the experiences and actions of the Center's leaders. Center staff used public health principles of collaboration, the use of relevant science, and professional training principles in developing and delivering training in epidemiology, behavioral health, crisis leadership, and other fields through distance learning and on-site methods. The study's primary focus was on training in Florida, although the program's reach was national and international. Preparedness training was provided to approximately 10,000 public health officials, primarily drawn from Florida. This is a descriptive study of the Center's activities. The interventions were the steps taken by Center leadership to accomplish the federal and state goals of the program, despite meeting major challenges. The outcome measures were degrees of success, as measured by federal and state officials and other indicators, in delivering high quality training that met CDC and state goals. The Center delivered trainings in fields determined to be needed in Florida and nationally. Participant and observer evaluations were strongly positive. Nationally published papers and presentations contributed to the training evidence base. The Florida Department of Health incorporated the trainings into Florida's mandatory training for Incident Command strike teams. The leaders of the Center and the Florida Department of Health developed a formal statement of principles to guide the training. These could be useful to other training organizations. The study illustrates the value of the Tichy and Bennis judgment process framework to describe actions of the Center leadership's successful effort to overcome system obstacles and provide high quality training to public health workers. The framework can be used by leaders in other organizations to increase their ability to make good judgments.

  4. A comparative assessment of major international disasters: the need for exposure assessment, systematic emergency preparedness, and lifetime health care.

    PubMed

    Lucchini, Roberto G; Hashim, Dana; Acquilla, Sushma; Basanets, Angela; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Bushmanov, Andrey; Crane, Michael; Harrison, Denise J; Holden, William; Landrigan, Philip J; Luft, Benjamin J; Mocarelli, Paolo; Mazitova, Nailya; Melius, James; Moline, Jacqueline M; Mori, Koji; Prezant, David; Reibman, Joan; Reissman, Dori B; Stazharau, Alexander; Takahashi, Ken; Udasin, Iris G; Todd, Andrew C

    2017-01-07

    The disasters at Seveso, Three Mile Island, Bhopal, Chernobyl, the World Trade Center (WTC) and Fukushima had historic health and economic sequelae for large populations of workers, responders and community members. Comparative data from these events were collected to derive indications for future preparedness. Information from the primary sources and a literature review addressed: i) exposure assessment; ii) exposed populations; iii) health surveillance; iv) follow-up and research outputs; v) observed physical and mental health effects; vi) treatment and benefits; and vii) outreach activities. Exposure assessment was conducted in Seveso, Chernobyl and Fukushima, although none benefited from a timely or systematic strategy, yielding immediate and sequential measurements after the disaster. Identification of exposed subjects was overall underestimated. Health surveillance, treatment and follow-up research were implemented in Seveso, Chernobyl, Fukushima, and at the WTC, mostly focusing on the workers and responders, and to a lesser extent on residents. Exposure-related physical and mental health consequences were identified, indicating the need for a long-term health care of the affected populations. Fukushima has generated the largest scientific output so far, followed by the WTCHP and Chernobyl. Benefits programs and active outreach figured prominently in only the WTC Health Program. The analysis of these programs yielded the following lessons: 1) Know who was there; 2) Have public health input to the disaster response; 3) Collect health and needs data rapidly; 4) Take care of the affected; 5) Emergency preparedness; 6) Data driven, needs assessment, advocacy. Given the long-lasting health consequences of natural and man-made disasters, health surveillance and treatment programs are critical for management of health conditions, and emergency preparedness plans are needed to prevent or minimize the impact of future threats.

  5. Examining occupational therapy education through faculty engagement in curriculum mapping and pedagogical reflection.

    PubMed

    MacNeil, Cheryl; Hand, Theresa

    2014-01-01

    This article discusses a 1-yr evaluation study of a master of science in occupational therapy program to examine curriculum content and pedagogical practices as a way to gauge program preparedness to move to a clinical doctorate. Faculty members participated in a multitiered qualitative study that included curriculum mapping, semistructured individual interviewing, and iterative group analysis. Findings indicate that curriculum mapping and authentic dialogue helped the program formulate a more streamlined and integrated curriculum with increased faculty collaboration. Curriculum mapping and collaborative pedagogical reflection are valuable evaluation strategies for examining preparedness to offer a clinical doctorate, enhancing a self-study process, and providing information for ongoing formative curriculum review. Copyright © 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  6. 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.

  7. Science preparedness and science response: perspectives on the dynamics of preparedness conference.

    PubMed

    Lant, Timothy; Lurie, Nicole

    2013-01-01

    The ability of the scientific modeling community to meaningfully contribute to postevent response activities during public health emergencies was the direct result of a discrete set of preparedness activities as well as advances in theory and technology. Scientists and decision-makers have recognized the value of developing scientific tools (e.g. models, data sets, communities of practice) to prepare them to be able to respond quickly--in a manner similar to preparedness activities by first-responders and emergency managers. Computational models have matured in their ability to better inform response plans by modeling human behaviors and complex systems. We advocate for further development of science preparedness activities as deliberate actions taken in advance of an unpredicted event (or an event with unknown consequences) to increase the scientific tools and evidence-base available to decision makers and the whole-of-community to limit adverse outcomes.

  8. Emergency preparedness for genetics centers, laboratories, and patients: the Southeast Region Genetics Collaborative strategic plan.

    PubMed

    Andersson, Hans C; Perry, William; Bowdish, Bruce; Floyd-Browning, Phaidra

    2011-10-01

    Emergencies occur unpredictably and interrupt routine genetic care. The events after hurricanes Katrina and Rita have led to the recognition that a coherent plan is necessary to ensure continuity of operations for genetic centers and laboratories, including newborn screening. No geographic region is protected from the effects of a variety of potential emergencies. Regional and national efforts have begun to address the need for such preparedness, but a plan for ensuring continuity of operations by creating an emergency preparedness plan must be developed for each genetic center and laboratory, with attention to the interests of patients. This article describes the first steps in development of an emergency preparedness plan for individual centers.

  9. Combating terrorism : threat and risk assessments can help prioritize and target program investments

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-04-01

    The Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 1996 established the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici (NLD) domestic preparedness program. The General Accounting Office (GAO) was requested to review implementation of the NLD program. Specifically, the GAO ...

  10. Pandemic influenza: a note on international planning to reduce the risk from air transport.

    PubMed

    Evans, Anthony; Finkelstein, Silvio; Singh, Jarnail; Thibeault, Claude

    2006-09-01

    The rapid and intercontinental spread of avian influenza in 2005 and the potential for human pandemic influenza caused preparedness plans for such an event to be highlighted. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a global influenza preparedness plan, but this document does not address in detail the contribution necessary by the aviation community. The International Civil Aviation Organization, with assistance from WHO, the Airports Council International, and the International Air Transport Association, and others, has developed preparedness guidelines that are in accord with those of WHO but which are focused on the aviation aspects. Effective communication between stakeholders is the single most important issue that is addressed in the preparedness guidelines. States are recommended to appoint a clear contact point at the national aviation level that has responsibility for ensuring that all stakeholders are adequately consulted in the development of an aviation preparedness plan and that the relevant communication links are established. It is also important that the aviation preparedness plan is incorporated into the State's general preparedness plan, which demands efficient collaboration between the departments of health and transport at the government level. Communication with passengers, and those considering traveling, is important so that individuals are made aware of the risks associated with travel to particular parts of the globe and of the risk-reduction measures they may experience, or can take themselves, at airports and on aircraft. The guidelines will be web-based and will evolve as more knowledge becomes available.

  11. A prospective survey of chiropractic student experiences with pediatric care and variability of case mix while on clinical placement in Rarotonga.

    PubMed

    Todd, Angela J; Carroll, Matthew T; Russell, David G; Mitchell, Eleanor K L

    2017-03-01

    To compare chiropractic students' perceptions of preparedness for practice before and after a clinical placement in Rarotonga and to report demographics from these experiences. The students completed deidentified pre- and postplacement surveys assessing pediatric practice preparedness. Students tallied the patient numbers, age, and chiropractic techniques used per visit for each day of clinic placement. On completion of the program, participating students (27/34, or 79% of the student cohort) did a postplacement survey on their perception of practice preparedness. Data were analyzed with the Spearman rho correlation, the Mann-Whitney U test, and regression analysis. There was an increase in perceived preparedness for pediatric practice, ranging from 24.1% of the student cohort at the start of the study to 82.1% following clinical placement in Rarotonga. The change in student preparedness to practice with children was positively correlated with the total number of children managed (r s = .05, p = .01) and the number of children managed who were under 10 years of age (r s = .60, p = .001). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated a medium positive effect for postprogram preparedness (F [4, 20] = 3.567, p = .024). Clinical outreach to Rarotonga provided a broad case mix of patients and a change in student perceptions of preparedness to practice with children, which was positively affected by the total number of children managed and the number of children managed who were under 10 years of age.

  12. Educational competencies and technologies for disaster preparedness in undergraduate nursing education: an integrative review.

    PubMed

    Jose, Mini M; Dufrene, Claudine

    2014-04-01

    This integrative review of literature was conducted to determine (1) what are the suitable disaster preparedness competencies for undergraduate nursing curriculum? and (2) what are the suitable methods of instruction to deliver disaster preparedness content? A literature search was conducted on three major electronic databases: Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed and the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) using the keywords; Disaster Preparedness, Disaster and nursing education; disaster response and nursing education. Limiters used were published within the last 10 years and in nursing field. Out of the 190 articles retrieved, eight were research articles that met the inclusion criteria. These articles were carefully reviewed and the results are summarized in two sections to answer the research questions. There was no uniformity of intended competencies among the studies, though all studies used resources from reputed national and international organizations. All the studies reviewed adhered to a systematic approach in delivering content and used eclectic methods including multiple technologies to enhance the educational outcomes. Most of the studies had incorporated simulation in different ways involving low to high fidelity simulators, virtual simulation and live actors. Content and length of the programs were greatly varied but stayed focused on the general principles of disaster management and appropriate for the level of the students within the programs. More rigorous research is needed in this area since all published articles had deficiencies in the methodologies, especially in data collection and analysis. Disaster preparedness education was found to be a suitable activity for interprofessional education. © 2013.

  13. Methodology for a Community Based Stroke Preparedness Intervention: The ASPIRE Study

    PubMed Central

    Boden-Albala, Bernadette; Edwards, Dorothy F.; Clair, Shauna St; Wing, Jeffrey J; Fernandez, Stephen; Gibbons, Chris; Hsia, Amie W.; Morgenstern, Lewis B.; Kidwell, Chelsea S.

    2014-01-01

    Background and Purpose Acute stroke education has focused on stroke symptom recognition. Lack of education about stroke preparedness and appropriate actions may prevent people from seeking immediate care. Few interventions have rigorously evaluated preparedness strategies in multiethnic community settings. Methods The Acute Stroke Program of Interventions Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities (ASPIRE) project is a multi-level program utilizing a community engaged approach to stroke preparedness targeted to underserved black communities in the District of Columbia (DC). This intervention aimed to decrease acute stroke presentation times and increase intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) utilization for acute ischemic stroke. Results Phase 1 included: 1) enhancement of EMS focus on acute stroke; 2) hospital collaborations to implement and/or enrich acute stroke protocols and transition DC hospitals toward Primary Stroke Center certification; and 3) pre-intervention acute stroke patient data collection in all 7 acute care DC hospitals. A community advisory committee, focus groups, and surveys identified perceptions of barriers to emergency stroke care. Phase 2 included a pilot intervention and subsequent citywide intervention rollout. A total of 531 community interventions were conducted with over 10,256 participants reached; 3289 intervention evaluations were performed, and 19,000 preparedness bracelets and 14,000 stroke warning magnets were distributed. Phase 3 included an evaluation of EMS and hospital processes for acute stroke care and a yearlong post-intervention acute stroke data collection period to assess changes in IV tPA utilization. Conclusions We report the methods, feasibility, and pre-intervention data collection efforts of the ASPIRE intervention. PMID:24876243

  14. 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.

  15. Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness grants program : assessment of the alignment between local activities and program goals

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-10-01

    This report has been commissioned as a first step in determining the extent of the links between the HMEP Grants Program and the DOT hazardous materials program, and in identifying opportunities to strengthen these links. It presents findings from an...

  16. Perception of Preparedness of Novice Teachers from Alternative and Traditional Licensing Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buchanan, Tenielle; Lang, Nathan; Morin, Laura-Lee

    2013-01-01

    Alternative teacher licensing programs have become very popular; however, very little research has been conducted on the efficacy of the programs. Alternative licensing programs (ALPs) have evolved and multiplied rapidly over the last few decades. The Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) is attempting to determine…

  17. 75 FR 23223 - Multi-Agency Informational Meeting Concerning Compliance With the Federal Select Agent Program...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-03

    ...] Multi-Agency Informational Meeting Concerning Compliance With the Federal Select Agent Program; Public... Select Agent Program established under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and... Roberson, Veterinary Permit Examiner, APHIS Select Agent Program, VS, ASAP, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 2...

  18. The POP Program: the patient education advantage.

    PubMed

    Claeys, M; Mosher, C; Reesman, D

    1998-01-01

    In 1992, a preoperative education program was developed for total joint replacement patients in a small community hospital. The goals of the program were to increase educational opportunities for the joint replacement patients, prepare patients for hospitalization, plan for discharge needs, and increase efficiency of the orthopaedic program. Since 1992, approximately 600 patients have attended the education program. Outcomes have included positive responses from patients regarding their preparedness for surgery, increased participation in their plan of care, coordinated discharge planning, decreased length of stay, and progression across the continuum of care. A multidisciplinary approach to preparing patients for surgery allows for a comprehensive and efficient education program. Marketing of successful programs can enhance an institution's competitive advantage and help ensure the hospital's viability in the current health care arena.

  19. The Development of a Multi-Level Model for Crisis Preparedness and Intervention in the Greek Educational System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatzichristiou, Chryse; Issari, Philia; Lykitsakou, Konstantina; Lampropoulou, Aikaterini; Dimitropoulou, Panayiota

    2011-01-01

    This article proposes a multi-level model for crisis preparedness and intervention in the Greek educational system. It presents: a) a brief overview of leading models of school crisis preparedness and intervention as well as cultural considerations for contextually relevant crisis response; b) a description of existing crisis intervention…

  20. Influences of Preparedness Knowledge and Beliefs on Household Disaster Preparedness.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Tracy N; Leander-Griffith, Michelle; Harp, Victoria; Cioffi, Joan P

    2015-09-11

    In response to concern about strengthening the nation's ability to protect its population and way of life (i.e., security) and ability to adapt and recover from emergencies (i.e., resilience), the President of the United States issued Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness (PPD-8) (1). Signed on March 30, 2011, PPD-8 is a directive for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to coordinate a comprehensive campaign across government, private and nonprofit sectors, and individuals to build and sustain national preparedness. Despite efforts by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other organizations to educate U.S. residents on becoming prepared, growth in specific preparedness behaviors, including actions taken in advance of a disaster to be better prepared to respond to and recover, has been limited (2). In 2012, only 52% of U.S. residents surveyed by FEMA reported having supplies for a disaster (2), a decline from 57% who reported having such supplies in 2009 (3). It is believed that knowledge influences behavior, and that attitudes and beliefs, which are correlated with knowledge, might also influence behavior (4). To determine the association between knowledge and beliefs and household preparedness, CDC analyzed baseline data from Ready CDC, a personal disaster preparedness intervention piloted among Atlanta- and Morgantown-based CDC staff members during 2013–2015. Compared with persons with basic preparedness knowledge, persons with advanced knowledge were more likely to have assembled an emergency kit (44% versus 17%), developed a written household disaster plan (9% versus 4%), and received county emergency alert notifications (63% versus 41%). Similarly, differences in household preparedness behaviors were correlated with beliefs about preparedness. Persons identified as having strong beliefs in the effectiveness of disaster preparedness engaged in preparedness behaviors at levels 7%–30% higher than those with weaker preparedness beliefs. Understanding the influences of knowledge and beliefs on household disaster preparedness might provide an opportunity to inform messages promoting household preparedness.

  1. Creating a state medical response system for medical disaster management: the North Carolina experience.

    PubMed

    Kearns, Randy D; Skarote, Mary Beth; Peterson, Jeff; Hubble, Michael W; Winslow, James E

    2014-09-01

    The purpose of this work was to examine the creation and evolution of the North Carolina state medical response system (SMRS). During the past 30 years, states and local communities have developed a somewhat incongruent patchwork of medical disaster response systems. Several local or regional programs participated in the National Disaster Medical System; however, aside from the Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, most of these local resources lacked national standards and national direction. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in Washington, DC and New York, and the anthrax-laced letters mailed to prominent individuals in the US media and others (bioterrorism) in the months that followed were tragic, but they served as both a tipping point and a unifying factor to drive preparedness activities on a national level. Each state responded to the September 11, 2001 attacks by escalating planning and preparedness efforts for a medical disaster response. The North Carolina SMRS was created based on the overall national direction and was tailored to meet local needs such as hurricane response. This article reviews the accomplishments to date and examines future aims. From regional medical response teams to specialty programs such as ambulance strike teams, burn surge planning, electronic inventory and tracking systems, and mobile pharmacy resources, the North Carolina SMRS has emerged as a national leader. Each regional coalition, working with state leadership, has developed resources and has used those resources while responding to disasters in North Carolina. The program is an example of how national leadership can work with state and local agencies to develop a comprehensive and effective medical disaster response system.

  2. Addressing the gaps in preparation for quarantine.

    PubMed

    Nathawad, Rita; Roblin, Patricia M; Pruitt, Darrin; Arquilla, Bonnie

    2013-04-01

    In the event of an outbreak of a communicable respiratory illness, quarantine may become necessary. The New York Institute for All Hazard Preparedness (NYIAHP) of the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, in cooperation with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Program, (NYC DOHMH-HEPP) quarantine working group, has developed a series of clinical protocols to help health care facilities respond to such an event. Two full-scale exercises (FSEs) were designed and conducted a year apart in the quarantine unit at Kings County Hospital Center (KCHC) to test the efficacy and feasibility of these quarantine protocols. The goal of these exercises was to identify the gaps in preparedness for quarantine and increase hospital readiness for such an event. Evaluators monitored for efficient management of critical physical plants, personnel and material resources. Players were expected to integrate and practice emergency response plans and protocols specific to quarantine. In developing the exercise objectives, five activities were selected for evaluation: Activation of the Unit, Staffing, Charting/Admission, Symptom Monitoring and Infection Control, and Client Management. The results of the initial FSE found that there were incomplete critical tasks within all five protocols: These deficiencies were detailed in an After Action Report and an Improvement Plan was presented to the KCHC Disaster Preparedness Committee a month after the initial FSE. In the second FSE a year later, all critical tasks for Activation of the unit, Staffing and Charting/Admission were achieved. Completion of critical tasks related to Symptom Monitoring and Infection Control and Client Management was improved in the second FSE, but some tasks were still not performed appropriately. In short, these exercises identified critical needs in disaster preparedness of the KCHC Quarantine Unit. The lessons learned from this logistical exercise enabled the planning group to have a better understanding of leadership needs, communication capabilities, and infection control procedures. Kings County Hospital Center performed well during these exercises. It was clear that performance in the second exercise was improved, and many problems noted in the first exercise were corrected. Staff also felt better prepared the second time. This supports the idea that frequent exercises are vital to maintain disaster readiness.

  3. The feasibility of a telephone coaching program on heart failure home management for family caregivers

    PubMed Central

    Piamjariyakul, Ubolrat; Smith, Carol E.; Russell, Christy; Werkowitch, Marilyn; Elyachar, Andrea

    2012-01-01

    Objectives To test the feasibility of delivery and evaluate the helpfulness of a coaching heart failure (HF) home management program for family caregivers. Background The few available studies on providing instruction for family caregivers are limited in content for managing HF home care and guidance for program implementation. Method This pilot study employed a mixed methods design. The measures of caregiver burden, confidence, and preparedness were compared at baseline and 3 months post-intervention. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize program costs and demographic data. Content analysis research methods were used to evaluate program feasibility and helpfulness. Results Caregiver (n=10) burden scores were significantly reduced and raw scores of confidence and preparedness for HF home management improved 3 months after the intervention. Content analyses of nurse and caregiver post-intervention data found caregivers rated the program as helpful and described how they initiated HF management skills based on the program. Conclusion The program was feasible to implement. These results suggest the coaching program should be further tested with a larger sample size to evaluate its efficacy. PMID:23116654

  4. Improving Community Stroke Preparedness in the HHS (Hip-Hop Stroke) Randomized Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Williams, Olajide; Leighton-Herrmann Quinn, Ellyn; Teresi, Jeanne; Eimicke, Joseph P; Kong, Jian; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Noble, James

    2018-04-01

    Deficiencies in stroke preparedness cause major delays to stroke thrombolysis, particularly among economically disadvantaged minorities. We evaluated the effectiveness of a stroke preparedness intervention delivered to preadolescent urban public school children on the stroke knowledge/preparedness of their parents. We recruited 3070 fourth through sixth graders and 1144 parents from 22 schools into a cluster randomized trial with schools randomized to the HHS (Hip-Hop Stroke) intervention or attentional control (nutrition classes). HHS is a 3-hour culturally tailored, theory-based, multimedia stroke literacy intervention targeting school children, which systematically empowers children to share stroke information with parents. Our main outcome measures were stroke knowledge/preparedness of children and parents using validated surrogates. Among children, it was estimated that 1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-1%) of controls and 2% (95% CI, 1%-4%; P =0.09) of the intervention group demonstrated optimal stroke preparedness (perfect scores on the knowledge/preparedness test) at baseline, increasing to 57% (95% CI, 44%-69%) immediately after the program in the intervention group compared with 1% (95% CI, 0%-1%; P <0.001) among controls. At 3-month follow-up, 24% (95% CI, 15%-33%) of the intervention group retained optimal preparedness, compared with 2% (95% CI, 0%-3%; P <0.001) of controls. Only 3% (95% CI, 2%-4%) of parents in the intervention group could identify all 4 letters of the stroke FAST (Facial droop, Arm weakness, Speech disturbance, Time to call 911) acronym at baseline, increasing to 20% at immediate post-test (95% CI, 16%-24%) and 17% at 3-month delayed post-test (95% CI, 13%-21%; P =0.0062), with no significant changes (3% identification) among controls. Four children, all in the intervention group, called 911 for real-life stroke symptoms, in 1 case overruling a parent's wait-and-see approach. HHS is an effective, intergenerational model for increasing stroke preparedness among economically disadvantaged minorities. URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01497886. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

  5. Steps Towards the Implementation of a Tsunami Detection, Warning, Mitigation and Preparedness Program for Southwestern Coastal Areas of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farreras, Salvador; Ortiz, Modesto; Gonzalez, Juan I.

    2007-03-01

    The highly vulnerable Pacific southwest coast of Mexico has been repeatedly affected by local, regional and remote source tsunamis. Mexico presently has no national tsunami warning system in operation. The implementation of key elements of a National Program on Tsunami Detection, Monitoring, Warning and Mitigation is in progress. For local and regional events detection and monitoring, a prototype of a robust and low cost high frequency sea-level tsunami gauge, sampling every minute and equipped with 24 hours real time transmission to the Internet, was developed and is currently in operation. Statistics allow identification of low, medium and extreme hazard categories of arriving tsunamis. These categories are used as prototypes for computer simulations of coastal flooding. A finite-difference numerical model with linear wave theory for the deep ocean propagation, and shallow water nonlinear one for the near shore and interaction with the coast, and non-fixed boundaries for flooding and recession at the coast, is used. For prevention purposes, tsunami inundation maps for several coastal communities, are being produced in this way. The case of the heavily industrialized port of Lázaro Cárdenas, located on the sand shoals of a river delta, is illustrated; including a detailed vulnerability assessment study. For public education on preparedness and awareness, printed material for children and adults has been developed and published. It is intended to extend future coverage of this program to the Mexican Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas.

  6. The shock tunnel : history and results

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1978-03-01

    This report summarizes the results of a program conducted by the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency to determine blast resistance of wall panels typically found in existing structures. The objective of this program was to determine the blast shelterin...

  7. Assessing the Preparedness and Achievement of Greenville Technical College Students Enrolled in a First Year Physical Science Course: A Preliminary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farmer, Michael H.

    In December 1990, faculty members of the Greenville Technical College (GTC) Physical Sciences Department met to develop methods for improving student achievement and preparedness in the physical sciences. Given the variety of student preparedness levels and lack of data on student backgrounds, the faculty agreed that student achievement and…

  8. Have Maryland local health departments effectively put in place the information technology relevant to emergency preparedness?

    PubMed

    Nguh, Jonas

    2013-01-01

    Ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the federal government has increased funding for emergency preparedness. However, the literature continues to document several areas of weaknesses in public health emergency management by local health departments (LHD). This lack of preparedness affects the entire public. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not Maryland LHDs have effectively put in place the information technology (IT) that is relevant for emergency preparedness. Base Firm-wide IT Infrastructure Services and the Feeny/Willcocks Framework for Core IS Capabilities are the two conceptual frameworks used in this study. This qualitative study used the survey method and the data were analyzed through content analysis. The results revealed that utilization, practice, and performance of IT by Maryland LHDs are not efficient or effective. Recommendations included the development of "best practices," increased funding for IT infrastructure and the establishment of strategic management framework for IT initiatives. Implications for positive social change include the development of recommendations to enhance emergency preparedness practice, and advancement of knowledge so as to facilitate the functions, and duties of health departments in emergency preparedness operations.

  9. Preparing nurses internationally for emergency planning and response.

    PubMed

    Weiner, Elizabeth

    2006-09-30

    Competency-based education provides an international infrastructure for nurses to learn about emergency preparedness and response. The International Nursing Coalition for Mass Casualty Education (INCMCE) has developed competencies for all nurses, as well as online modules for meeting those competencies. In addition, other curriculum resources are available that range from face-to-face classes, web-based modules, and electronic journals, to complete pre-packaged materials. The author of this article describes competencies needed for emergency preparedness identified by Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, and the International Nursing Coalition for Mass Casualty Education, as well as various curriculum resources for emergency planning and response and also processes to prepare nurses for emergency responses. Examples of international "Best Practices" feature programs that provide examples of innovative educational strategies for preparing nurses for emergency response are presented. The author concludes that while curriculum resources are widely available, a better centralized clearinghouse could be made available for both faculty and students.

  10. Quality and Importance of Health Policy, Reform, and Public Health Topics: A Study in Physician Assistant Education.

    PubMed

    Angerer-Fuenzalida, Frances M

    2018-06-01

    As key players in a changing US health care system, physician assistants (PAs) must be prepared to act with a clear understanding of health policy as reform changes are enacted. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of graduating PA students about the importance of health policy, reform, and public health and their perception of their preparedness in these areas. The research question was: Do PA students identify these topic areas as important, and, for each topic area, do they feel adequately prepared with sufficient knowledge for clinical practice? Participants in the study included 352 PA students from 14 PA programs randomly selected from 4 geographic regions of the continental United States. A 20-item instrument, the Health Policy Perception Tool, was developed and validated for data collection. Physician assistant students rated content items high on the importance scale and displayed a wide range of ratings on their perceived preparedness in each content area. Health policy/reform items demonstrated the highest disparity, with students indicating that they were least prepared in content areas relating to the Affordable Care Act, such as patient-centered medical home and accountable care organizations. They also rated health system structure/function items as moderately important, but indicated that they were ill prepared on this topic. Public health topics were rated highly on both scales. Physician assistant programs appear to be addressing public health issues well; however, PA education leaders must address the low levels of preparedness in the other areas of health care, specifically those related to health structure/function and health reform.

  11. Nuclear security and radiological preparedness for the olympic games, athens 2004: lessons learned for organizing major public events.

    PubMed

    Kamenopoulou, Vassiliki; Dimitriou, Panayiotis; Hourdakis, Constantine J; Maltezos, Antonios; Matikas, Theodore; Potiriadis, Constantinos; Camarinopoulos, Leonidas

    2006-10-01

    In light of the exceptional circumstances that arose from hosting the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and from recent terrorist events internationally, Greece attributes the highest priority to security issues. According to its statutory role, the Greek Atomic Energy Commission is responsible for emergency preparedness and response in case of nuclear and radiological events, and advises the Government on the measures and interventions necessary to protect the public. In this context, the Commission participated in the Nuclear, Radiological, Biological, and Chemical Threat National Emergency Plan, specially developed for the Olympic Games, and coordinated by the Olympic Games Security Division. The objective of this paper is to share the experience gained during the organization of the Olympic Games and to present the nuclear security program implemented prior to, during, and beyond the Games, in order to prevent, detect, assess, and respond to the threat of nuclear terrorism. This program adopted a multi-area coverage of nuclear security, including physical protection of nuclear and radiological facilities, prevention of smuggling of radioactive materials through borders, prevention of dispersion of these materials into the Olympic venues, enhancement of emergency preparedness and response to radiological events, upgrading of the technical infrastructure, establishment of new procedures for assessing the threat and responding to radiological incidents, and training personnel belonging to several organizations involved in the National Emergency Response Plan. Finally, the close cooperation of Greek Authorities with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, under the coordination of the Greek Atomic Energy Commission, is also discussed.

  12. Collaboration Between Academia and Practice: Interprofessional Crises Leadership and Disaster Management.

    PubMed

    Hoying, Cheryl; Farra, Sharon; Mainous, Rosalie; Baute, Rebecca; Gneuhs, Matthew

    2017-02-01

    An innovative interprofessional disaster preparedness program was designed and implemented through an academic-practice partnership between a large midwestern children's hospital and a community-based state university. This course was part of a constellation of courses developed in response to Presidential Directive (HSPD) 8, a mandate to standardize disaster response training that was issued after the inefficiencies following Hurricane Katrina. A hybrid immersive and didactic approach was used to train senior leadership and frontline clinicians. Included were simulated experiences at the National Center for Medical Readiness, a workshop, and online modules. The program that focused on crisis leadership and disaster management was developed and implemented to serve patient-centered organizations.

  13. 44 CFR 360.2 - Description of program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... application, to be accompanied by a Training and Education (T&E) plan for a total of three years, only the... three year comprehensive Training and Education Program planning can proceed in a timely and logical... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE...

  14. 44 CFR 360.2 - Description of program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... application, to be accompanied by a Training and Education (T&E) plan for a total of three years, only the... three year comprehensive Training and Education Program planning can proceed in a timely and logical... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE...

  15. 44 CFR 360.2 - Description of program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... application, to be accompanied by a Training and Education (T&E) plan for a total of three years, only the... three year comprehensive Training and Education Program planning can proceed in a timely and logical... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE...

  16. 44 CFR 360.2 - Description of program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... application, to be accompanied by a Training and Education (T&E) plan for a total of three years, only the... three year comprehensive Training and Education Program planning can proceed in a timely and logical... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE...

  17. 44 CFR 360.2 - Description of program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... application, to be accompanied by a Training and Education (T&E) plan for a total of three years, only the... three year comprehensive Training and Education Program planning can proceed in a timely and logical... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE...

  18. 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.

  19. Duty hours and perceived competence in surgery: are interns ready?

    PubMed

    Lindeman, Brenessa M; Sacks, Bethany C; Hirose, Kenzo; Lipsett, Pamela A

    2014-07-01

    A fundamental shift in the structure of many surgical training programs has occurred after the July 2011 rule changes. Our intern didactic program was intensified in 2011 with targeted lectures, laboratories, and clinical cases as well as direct supervision until competency was achieved for basic clinical problems. We sought to compare interns' perceived preparedness throughout and at the end of the academic years before and after July 2011. Intern perceptions of preparedness to manage common clinical scenarios and perform procedures in general surgery were serially surveyed in academic years ending in 2011 and 2012 based on the Residency Review Committee supervision guidelines. Interns felt less prepared across all measured domains from 2011-2012. Interns felt significantly less prepared to manage hypotension (3.00/4 points to 2.67/4 points; P=0.04), place a tube thoracostomy (2.45/4 points to 1.92/4 points; P=0.04), or perform an inguinal hernia repair (1.91/4 points to 0.92/4 points; P=0.01) without supervision. Interns were also significantly less likely to agree that they were able to gain clinical skills based on experience (4.31/5 points versus 4.15/5 points; P=0.02). Longitudinal analysis throughout internship demonstrated improved preparedness to manage common clinical problems and perform procedures between the second and the fifth months of internship. First-year residents after July 2011 felt less prepared in the topics surveyed than those before July 2011. Interns made the greatest gains in preparedness between months 2 and 5, suggesting that despite planned interventions, no substitute currently exists for actual clinical experience. Planned educational interventions to improve intern preparedness are also indicated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Marketing Plan for Demonstration and Validation Assets

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

    None, None

    The National Security Preparedness Project (NSPP), is to be sustained by various programs, including technology demonstration and evaluation (DEMVAL). This project assists companies in developing technologies under the National Security Technology Incubator program (NSTI) through demonstration and validation of technologies applicable to national security created by incubators and other sources. The NSPP also will support the creation of an integrated demonstration and validation environment. This report documents the DEMVAL marketing and visibility plan, which will focus on collecting information about, and expanding the visibility of, DEMVAL assets serving businesses with national security technology applications in southern New Mexico.

  1. Tornado Preparedness Planning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC), Rockville, MD. National Weather Service.

    This pamphlet contains a set of guidelines for community leaders interested in developing preparedness plans for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Included in the guide is a list of the types of officials and agencies which should be involved in planning meetings. A set of suggestions for developing a community communications network and…

  2. 75 FR 17940 - Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Evaluation of the Grant Programs Directorate...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-08

    ... and emergency preparedness grant programs that it administers. These programs provide grant funding to... effects of communication facilities construction or modification subject to review by the Federal... have or are likely to have a measurable negative effect on migratory bird populations. Avian mortality...

  3. Identifying Indicators of Behavior Change: Insights from Wildfire Education Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Monroe, Martha C.; Agrawal, Shruti; Jakes, Pamela J.; Kruger, Linda E.; Nelson, Kristen C.; Sturtevant, Victoria

    2013-01-01

    Environmental educators are challenged to document behavior changes, because change rarely depends solely on outcomes of education programs, but on many factors. An analysis of 15 communities in the United States that have increased their preparedness for wildfire allowed us to explore how education programs encouraged individual and community…

  4. 75 FR 63655 - Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP): Administrative Implementation, Interim Final...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-15

    ... Administration (HRSA), HHS. ACTION: Interim final rule with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP or Program). The Department of...

  5. State-local policy management project. Final report

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

    Not Available

    1981-08-01

    The report describes case studies to explore new approaches for increasing state and local coordination in planning and managing programs in areas with significant scientific and technical components such as energy and environment. Specifically, the case studies reveal efforts of various states in the areas of energy conservation, weatherization, emergency preparedness, and air quality. Successes and failures of Maryland's decentralized approach to energy conservation are documented; success of the thermal and lighting efficiency standards program in Texas is discussed; state aid for local energy conservation programs in Clinton County, Michigan, is reviewed; and the success of the weatherization program inmore » Oregon is examined. Pilot programs in weatherization in Pennsylvania are shown to have led a statewide effort. Two Minnesota projects in emergency preparedness are documented and factors for success are listed. In addition, long-range planning for fuel shortages in New York is examined and the benefits of regional planning in Fairfax County, Virgina, are noted. Efforts are examined to improve air quality in Ohio, California, and New Jersey.« less

  6. Hospital strategic preparedness planning: the new imperative.

    PubMed

    Ginter, Peter M; Duncan, W Jack; Abdolrasulnia, Maziar

    2007-01-01

    Strategic preparedness planning is an important new imperative for many hospitals. Strategic preparedness planning goes beyond traditional product/market strategic planning by focusing on disaster prevention, containment, and response roles. Hospitals, because of their unique mission, size, complexity, the types of materials they handle, and the types of patients they encounter, are especially vulnerable to natural and human-initiated disasters. In addition, when disasters occur, hospitals must develop well-conceived first responder (receiver) strategies. This paper argues the case for strategic preparedness planning for hospitals and proposes a process for this relatively new and much needed type of planning.

  7. Promoting public health legal preparedness for emergencies: review of current trends and their relevance in light of the Ebola crisis

    PubMed Central

    Cohen, Odeya; Feder-Bubis, Paula; Bar-Dayan, Yaron; Adini, Bruria

    2015-01-01

    Background Public health legal preparedness (PHLP) for emergencies is a core component of the health system response. However, the implementation of health legal preparedness differs between low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and developed countries. Objective This paper examines recent trends regarding public health legal preparedness for emergencies and discusses its role in the recent Ebola outbreak. Design A rigorous literature review was conducted using eight electronic databases as well as Google Scholar. The results encompassed peer-reviewed English articles, reports, theses, and position papers dating from 2011 to 2014. Earlier articles concerning regulatory actions were also examined. Results The importance of PHLP has grown during the past decade and focuses mainly on infection–disease scenarios. Amid LMICs, it mostly refers to application of international regulations, whereas in developed states, it focuses on independent legislation and creation of conditions optimal to promoting an effective emergency management. Among developed countries, the United States’ utilisation of health legal preparedness is the most advanced, including the creation of a model comprising four elements: law, competencies, information, and coordination. Only limited research has been conducted in this field to date. Nevertheless, in both developed and developing states, studies that focused on regulations and laws activated in health systems during emergencies, identified inconsistency and incoherence. The Ebola outbreak plaguing West Africa since 2014 has global implications, challenges and paralleling results, that were identified in this review. Conclusions The review has shown the need to broaden international regulations, to deepen reciprocity between countries, and to consider LMICs health capacities, in order to strengthen the national health security. Adopting elements of the health legal preparedness model is recommended. PMID:26449204

  8. Promoting public health legal preparedness for emergencies: review of current trends and their relevance in light of the Ebola crisis.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Odeya; Feder-Bubis, Paula; Bar-Dayan, Yaron; Adini, Bruria

    2015-01-01

    Public health legal preparedness (PHLP) for emergencies is a core component of the health system response. However, the implementation of health legal preparedness differs between low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and developed countries. This paper examines recent trends regarding public health legal preparedness for emergencies and discusses its role in the recent Ebola outbreak. A rigorous literature review was conducted using eight electronic databases as well as Google Scholar. The results encompassed peer-reviewed English articles, reports, theses, and position papers dating from 2011 to 2014. Earlier articles concerning regulatory actions were also examined. The importance of PHLP has grown during the past decade and focuses mainly on infection-disease scenarios. Amid LMICs, it mostly refers to application of international regulations, whereas in developed states, it focuses on independent legislation and creation of conditions optimal to promoting an effective emergency management. Among developed countries, the United States' utilisation of health legal preparedness is the most advanced, including the creation of a model comprising four elements: law, competencies, information, and coordination. Only limited research has been conducted in this field to date. Nevertheless, in both developed and developing states, studies that focused on regulations and laws activated in health systems during emergencies, identified inconsistency and incoherence. The Ebola outbreak plaguing West Africa since 2014 has global implications, challenges and paralleling results, that were identified in this review. The review has shown the need to broaden international regulations, to deepen reciprocity between countries, and to consider LMICs health capacities, in order to strengthen the national health security. Adopting elements of the health legal preparedness model is recommended.

  9. Assessing Households Preparedness for Earthquakes: An Exploratory Study in the Development of a Valid and Reliable Persian-version Tool.

    PubMed

    Ardalan, Ali; Sohrabizadeh, Sanaz

    2016-02-25

    Iran is placed among countries suffering from the highest number of earthquake casualties. Household preparedness, as one component of risk reduction efforts, is often supported in quake-prone areas. In Iran, lack of a valid and reliable household preparedness tool was reported by previous disaster studies. This study is aimed to fill this gap by developing a valid and reliable tool for assessing household preparedness in the event of an earthquake.  This survey was conducted through three phases including literature review and focus group discussions with the participation of eight key informants, validity measurements and reliability measurements. Field investigation was completed with the participation of 450 households within three provinces of Iran. Content validity, construct validity, the use of factor analysis; internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and test-retest reliability were carried out to develop the tool.  Based on the CVIs, ranging from 0.80 to 0.100, and exploratory factor analysis with factor loading of more than 0.5, all items were valid. The amount of Cronbach's alpha (0.7) and test-retest examination by Spearman correlations indicated that the scale was also reliable. The final instrument consisted of six categories and 18 questions including actions at the time of earthquakes, nonstructural safety, structural safety, hazard map, communications, drill, and safety skills.  Using a Persian-version tool that is adjusted to the socio-cultural determinants and native language may result in more trustful information on earthquake preparedness. It is suggested that disaster managers and researchers apply this tool in their future household preparedness projects. Further research is needed to make effective policies and plans for transforming preparedness knowledge into behavior.

  10. Work Scope for Developing Standards for Emergency Preparedness and Response: Fiscal Year 2004 Final Report

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

    Stenner, Robert D.

    2005-09-28

    Summarizes the fiscal year 2004 work completed on PNNL's Department of Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness and Response Standards Development Project. Also, the report includes key draft standards, in various stages of development and publication, that were associated with various tasks of the fiscal year 2004 scope of the project.

  11. Use of after action reports (AARs) to promote organizational and systems learning in emergency preparedness.

    PubMed

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

    2012-08-01

    Many public health and healthcare organizations use formal knowledge management practices to identify and disseminate the experiences gained over time. The "lessons-learned" approach is one such example of knowledge management practice applied to the wider concept of organizational learning. In the field of emergency preparedness, the lessons-learned approach stands on the assumption that learning from experience improves practice and minimizes avoidable deaths and negative economic and social consequences of disasters. In this project, we performed a structured review of AARs to analyze how lessons learned from the response to real-incidents may be used to maximize knowledge management and quality improvement practices such as the design of public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) exercises. We chose as a source of data the "Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov)" system, a joined program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security DHS and FEMA that serves as the national, online repository of lessons learned, best practices, and innovative ideas. We identified recurring challenges reported by various states and local public health agencies in the response to different types of incidents. We also strove to identify the limitations of systematic learning that can be achieved due to existing weaknesses in the way AARs are developed.

  12. Lessons learned from Dutch deployed surgeons and anesthesiologists to Afghanistan: 2006-2010.

    PubMed

    Hoencamp, Rigo; Idenburg, Floris; Vermetten, Eric; Leenen, Luke; Hamming, Jaap

    2014-07-01

    Care for battle casualties demands special skills from surgeons and anesthesiologists. The experiences of Dutch military surgeons and anesthesiologists that deployed to South Afghanistan provided an opportunity to evaluate predeployment training and preparation of military medical specialists. A survey was conducted among all surgeons and anesthesiologists (n = 40) that deployed to South Afghanistan between February 2006 and November 2010. They were asked about their medical preparedness, deployment experience, and postdeployment impact. Most (35/40) participants reported high levels of preparedness before their deployment. All (40/40) surgeons and anesthesiologists described a positive influence of their deployment on their professional skills and 33/40 described a positive effect on their personal development. Knowledge of maxillofacial, ophthalmic, neurological, urological, gynecological, vascular, and thoracic surgery scored below average. Impact on mental health and social support network was reported as negative by 11/40 participants, 24/40 reported a neutral, and 5/40 a positive effect. A standardized predeployment training program to prepare Dutch surgeons and anesthesiologists for combat surgery is currently lacking. These results emphasize the need for a standardized predeployment medical training, despite high levels of perceived preparedness. Also, the high mental and psychological impact on the deployed surgeons and anesthesiologists warrants further assessment. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  13. Use of After Action Reports (AARs) to Promote Organizational and Systems Learning in Emergency Preparedness

    PubMed Central

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

    2012-01-01

    Many public health and healthcare organizations use formal knowledge management practices to identify and disseminate the experiences gained over time. The “lessons-learned” approach is one such example of knowledge management practice applied to the wider concept of organizational learning. In the field of emergency preparedness, the lessons-learned approach stands on the assumption that learning from experience improves practice and minimizes avoidable deaths and negative economic and social consequences of disasters. In this project, we performed a structured review of AARs to analyze how lessons learned from the response to real-incidents may be used to maximize knowledge management and quality improvement practices such as the design of public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) exercises. We chose as a source of data the “Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov)” system, a joined program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security DHS and FEMA that serves as the national, online repository of lessons learned, best practices, and innovative ideas. We identified recurring challenges reported by various states and local public health agencies in the response to different types of incidents. We also strived to identify the limitations of systematic learning that can be achieved due to existing weaknesses in the way AARs are developed. PMID:23066408

  14. Federal Funding for Health Security in FY2016.

    PubMed

    Boddie, Crystal; Sell, Tara Kirk; Watson, Matthew

    2015-01-01

    This article assesses US government funding in 5 domains critical to strengthening health security: biodefense programs, radiological and nuclear programs, chemical programs, pandemic influenza and emerging infectious disease programs, and multiple-hazard and preparedness programs. This year's article also highlights the emergency funding appropriated in FY2015 to enable the international and domestic response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

  15. Federal Funding for Health Security in FY2016

    PubMed Central

    Sell, Tara Kirk; Watson, Matthew

    2015-01-01

    This article assesses US government funding in 5 domains critical to strengthening health security: biodefense programs, radiological and nuclear programs, chemical programs, pandemic influenza and emerging infectious disease programs, and multiple-hazard and preparedness programs. This year's article also highlights the emergency funding appropriated in FY2015 to enable the international and domestic response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. PMID:26042863

  16. 78 FR 79081 - Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-27

    ... information on this effort can be found at: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/cri/ . An evaluative report of this program...' emergency plans are designed primarily to shelter in place. The GAO also found that administrators...

  17. Higher Education Program Curricula Models in Tourism and Hospitality Education: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scotland, Miriam

    2006-01-01

    The relevancy of program curricula in tourism and hospitality education has been called into question by key stakeholders in light of ongoing changes in the multifaceted tourism and hospitality industry. Various program models have been identified. Program content and quality of student preparedness have been debated. Balance and areas of emphasis…

  18. Weaving latino cultural concepts into Preparedness Core Competency training.

    PubMed

    Riley-Jacome, Mary; Parker, Blanca Angelica Gonzalez; Waltz, Edward C

    2014-01-01

    The New York • New Jersey Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center (NY•NJ PERLC) is one of 14 Centers funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed to address the preparedness and response training and education needs of the public health workforce. One of the important niches, or focus areas for the Center, is training to improve the capacity of public health workers to respond with competence to the needs of vulnerable populations. During every phase of a disaster, racial and ethnic minorities, including Latinos, suffer worse outcomes than the general population. Communities with diverse cultural origins and limited English speakers often present more complex issues during public health emergencies. Training that incorporates cultural concepts into the Preparedness Core Competencies may improve the ability of public health workers to engage the Latino community in preparedness activities and ultimately improve outcomes during disasters. This article describes initiatives undertaken by the NY•NJ PERLC to improve the capacity of the public health workforce to respond competently to the needs of Latino populations. In 2012, the Center collaborated with national, state, and local partners to develop a nationwide broadcast founded on the Preparedness Core Competencies, Latinos During Emergencies: Cultural Considerations Impacting Disaster Preparedness. The widely viewed broadcast (497 sites in 47 states and 13 nations) highlighted the commonalities and differences within Latino culture that can impact emergency preparedness and response and outlined practical strategies to enhance participation. The success of the broadcast spurred a number of partner requests for training and technical assistance. Lessons learned from these experiences, including our "undercover" work at local Points of Dispensing, are incorporated into subsequent interactive trainings to improve the competency of public health workers. Participants recommended developing similar training addressing cultural differences, especially for other ethnic groups.

  19. School District Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plans - United States, 2012.

    PubMed

    Silverman, Brenda; Chen, Brenda; Brener, Nancy; Kruger, Judy; Krishna, Nevin; Renard, Paul; Romero-Steiner, Sandra; Avchen, Rachel Nonkin

    2016-09-16

    The unique characteristics of children dictate the need for school-based all-hazards response plans during natural disasters, emerging infectious diseases, and terrorism (1-3). Schools are a critical community institution serving a vulnerable population that must be accounted for in public health preparedness plans; prepared schools are adopting policies and plans for crisis preparedness, response, and recovery (2-4). The importance of having such plans in place is underscored by the development of a new Healthy People 2020 objective (PREP-5) to "increase the percentage of school districts that require schools to include specific topics in their crisis preparedness, response, and recovery plans" (5). Because decisions about such plans are usually made at the school district level, it is important to examine district-level policies and practices. Although previous reports have provided national estimates of the percentage of districts with policies and practices in place (6), these estimates have not been analyzed by U.S. Census region* and urbanicity.(†) Using data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS), this report examines policies and practices related to school district preparedness, response, and recovery. In general, districts in the Midwest were less likely to require schools to include specific topics in their crisis preparedness plans than districts in the Northeast and South. Urban districts tended to be more likely than nonurban districts to require specific topics in school preparedness plans. Southern districts tended to be more likely than districts in other regions to engage with partners when developing plans. No differences in district collaboration (with the exception of local fire department engagement) were observed by level of urbanicity. School-based preparedness planning needs to be coordinated with interdisciplinary community partners to achieve Healthy People 2020 PREP-5 objectives for this vulnerable population.

  20. Transportation and emergency preparedness checklist

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-09-01

    This Transportation and Emergency Preparedness Checklist was developed by a gathering of public : and community transportation professionals who convened in April 2006 at the behest of the : National Consortium on the Coordination of Human Service Tr...

  1. 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.

  2. Radiological incident preparedness: planning at the local level.

    PubMed

    Tan, Clive M; Barnett, Daniel J; Stolz, Adam J; Links, Jonathan M

    2011-03-01

    Radiological terrorism has been recognized as a probable scenario with high impact. Radiological preparedness planning at the federal and state levels has been encouraging, but translating complex doctrines into operational readiness at the local level has proved challenging. Based on the authors' experience with radiological response planning for the City of Baltimore, this article describes an integrated approach to municipal-level radiological emergency preparedness planning, provides information on resources that are useful for radiological preparedness planning, and recommends a step-by-step process toward developing the plan with relevant examples from the experience in Baltimore. Local governmental agencies constitute the first line of response and are critical to the success of the operation. This article is intended as a starting framework for local governmental efforts toward developing a response plan for radiological incidents in their communities.

  3. A humanitarian preparedness toolbox: estimating flood affected figures and exposure of livelihoods to future floods events, using freely available datasets.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paron, Paolo; von Hagen, Craig; Peppino Disperati, Stefano; Hermansyah, Budi; Shaheen, Imra; Jan, Qasim; Berloffa, Andrea; Khan, Ruby; Fakhre, Alam

    2013-04-01

    Pakistan is highly disaster-prone, with three major flood disasters occurred in the past three years, yet major losses are not inevitable. Farming-based families still struggling to recover from 2010 and 2011 floods have again faced another bad monsoon season in 2012. Meanwhile, the likelihood of yet more natural disasters in the future is high as the phenomenon of climate change is increasing the prevalence of extreme weather conditions. Even with less rainfall, the risk of flooding this year remains high, while many villages have not fully recovered from the 2011-2012 floods. It is of utmost importance to support the most vulnerable rural communities to recover their flood-affected livelihoods. In the meantime, prioritizing disaster preparedness through flood hazard and population mapping is crucial to ensure that realistic contingency plans are in place to deliver an effective and timely response and reduce the impact of floods before they strike. To increase preparedness in future floods, an integrated approach that builds the resilience of flood affected community and enhances emergency preparedness based on reliable data is critical. We present here the innovative methodology developed for estimating population and livelihood that could potentially be affected by a future flood scenario, as well as a methodology for knowing where these people are located, along with an overview of their livelihood pattern. This project has used only freely available dataset, due to the urgency of providing a toolbox to the humanitarian community and the absence of readily available detailed information on natural hazards and exposure in Pakistan. The estimated figures resulting from this project, would provide the Food Security stakeholders with adequate information and data for programming a tailored response in case of floods during future monsoon season. For the purpose of preparedness, understanding the risks, and its potential magnitude, is crucial to provide decision makers with timely information that can serve as a baseline to inform assessments, data analysis and programming of response. Having an estimate of the potentially affected people and agricultural areas before a disaster occurs, can contribute to an organized, appropriate, more timely and targeted response. We also developed a web-based mapping tool to allow remote access to relevant real-time data and scenarios. By combining maps of land cover, crop zones, flood hazard and population, this project has provided essential geographic orientation for food security preparedness analysis, and is essential for the following reasons: i. It provides the basis for quantifying population at risk of food insecurity before a disaster occurs; ii. It provides a stratification for any post-disaster assessment; iii. Combined with a FS&L (Food Security and Livelihood Assessment), it helps to inform the Food Security response analyses and assistance targeting; iv. It complements and inform the district-based HLV (Hazard Livelihood and Vulnerability baseline and contingency plans) with data and analyses at country and provincial level linked with agriculture seasonal calendars, main key production cycles, and seasonal hazards; v. It provides inputs to any future activities under the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) project.

  4. Development of an Online Toolkit for Measuring Performance in Health Emergency Response Exercises.

    PubMed

    Agboola, Foluso; Bernard, Dorothy; Savoia, Elena; Biddinger, Paul D

    2015-10-01

    Exercises that simulate emergency scenarios are accepted widely as an essential component of a robust Emergency Preparedness program. Unfortunately, the variability in the quality of the exercises conducted, and the lack of standardized processes to measure performance, has limited the value of exercises in measuring preparedness. In order to help health organizations improve the quality and standardization of the performance data they collect during simulated emergencies, a model online exercise evaluation toolkit was developed using performance measures tested in over 60 Emergency Preparedness exercises. The exercise evaluation toolkit contains three major components: (1) a database of measures that can be used to assess performance during an emergency response exercise; (2) a standardized data collection tool (form); and (3) a program that populates the data collection tool with the measures that have been selected by the user from the database. The evaluation toolkit was pilot tested from January through September 2014 in collaboration with 14 partnering organizations representing 10 public health agencies and four health care agencies from eight states across the US. Exercise planners from the partnering organizations were asked to use the toolkit for their exercise evaluation process and were interviewed to provide feedback on the use of the toolkit, the generated evaluation tool, and the usefulness of the data being gathered for the development of the exercise after-action report. Ninety-three percent (93%) of exercise planners reported that they found the online database of performance measures appropriate for the creation of exercise evaluation forms, and they stated that they would use it again for future exercises. Seventy-two percent (72%) liked the exercise evaluation form that was generated from the toolkit, and 93% reported that the data collected by the use of the evaluation form were useful in gauging their organization's performance during the exercise. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of exercise planners preferred the evaluation form generated by the toolkit to other forms of evaluations. Results of this project show that users found the newly developed toolkit to be user friendly and more relevant to measurement of specific public health and health care capabilities than other tools currently available. The developed toolkit may contribute to the further advancement of developing a valid approach to exercise performance measurement.

  5. Implementation Into Curriculum of Wilderness Adventure Program. Summer of 1978.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonney, James D.

    Environmental awareness, one of eleven components of a Wilderness Adventure Program, is the focus of this guide for teachers. Introductory sections put forth the philosophy and goals of the program and list specific objectives for its components, which include first-aid, emergency preparedness, outdoor skills, and the outdoor solo experience. The…

  6. Building Management Information Systems to Coordinate Citywide Afterschool Programs: A Toolkit for Cities. Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kingsley, Chris

    2012-01-01

    This executive summary describes highlights from the report, "Building Management Information Systems to Coordinate Citywide Afterschool Programs: A Toolkit for Cities." City-led efforts to build coordinated systems of afterschool programming are an important strategy for improving the health, safety and academic preparedness of children…

  7. Design and Intervention of an Educational-Leadership Program: Student Voice and Agency, Expectations and Internationalization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    du Plessis, Anna Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores the lived experiences of a diverse student cohort enrolled in a master's degree educational-leadership program. The program's global focus was on the quality of teacher education, prospective teachers' workplace preparedness and leaders in the workforce in higher education. Internationalization, real-life experiences and…

  8. Identifying indicators of behavior change: insights from wildfire education programs

    Treesearch

    Martha C. Monroe; Shruti Agrawal; Pamela J. Jakes; Linda E. Kruger; Kristen C. Nelson; Victoria Sturtevant

    2013-01-01

    Environmental educators are challenged to document behavior changes, because change rarely depends solely on outcomes of education programs, but on many factors. An analysis of 15 communities in the United States that have increased their preparedness for wildfire allowed us to explore how education programs encouraged individual and community change. Agency-sponsored...

  9. 44 CFR 361.5 - Criteria for program assistance, matching contributions, and return of program assistance funds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... statement of work is approved. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under OMB control number... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Criteria for program... Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS...

  10. A social pedagogy approach to residential care: balancing education and placement in the development of an innovative child welfare residential program in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Gharabaghi, Kiaras; Groskleg, Ron

    2010-01-01

    This paper chronicles the exploration and development of a residential program of the child welfare authority of Renfrew County in Ontario, Canada. Recognizing that virtually its entire population of youth in care was failing to achieve positive outcomes in education, Renfrew County Family and Children Services embarked on a program development process that included many unique elements within the Ontario child welfare context. This process introduced the theoretical framework of social pedagogy to the provision of residential care, and it replaced the idea of psychotherapy as the primary agent of change for youth with the concept of living and learning. The result is a template for the Ottawa River Academy, a living and learning program for youth in care that exemplifies the possibilities embedded in creative thought, attention to research and evidence, and a preparedness to transcend traditional assumptions with respect to service designs and business models for residential care in child welfare.

  11. 44 CFR 361.4 - Matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.4 Matching contributions. (a) All State...

  12. 44 CFR 361.4 - Matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.4 Matching contributions. (a) All State...

  13. 44 CFR 361.4 - Matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.4 Matching contributions. (a) All State...

  14. 44 CFR 361.4 - Matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.4 Matching contributions. (a) All State...

  15. Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN): Preparing Families for Disaster

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Washburn, Carolyn; Saunders, Kristine

    2010-01-01

    According to the American Red Cross (n.d.), less than half of Americans have an emergency preparedness plan in place. Therefore, it is critical that the Cooperative Extension System takes a role in encouraging the development of family preparedness plans. The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) has developed a family and consumer sciences…

  16. Striking the Right Note: The Cultural Preparedness Approach to Developing Resonant Career Guidance Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arulmani, G.

    2011-01-01

    Cultural preparedness is presented as a conceptual framework that could guide the development of culture-resonant interventions. The "Jiva" careers programme is presented as a case study to illustrate a method of career and livelihood planning based upon Indian epistemology and cultural practices. Social cognitive environments and career beliefs…

  17. State of emergency preparedness for US health insurance plans.

    PubMed

    Merchant, Raina M; Finne, Kristen; Lardy, Barbara; Veselovskiy, German; Korba, Caey; Margolis, Gregg S; Lurie, Nicole

    2015-01-01

    Health insurance plans serve a critical role in public health emergencies, yet little has been published about their collective emergency preparedness practices and policies. We evaluated, on a national scale, the state of health insurance plans' emergency preparedness and policies. A survey of health insurance plans. We queried members of America's Health Insurance Plans, the national trade association representing the health insurance industry, about issues related to emergency preparedness issues: infrastructure, adaptability, connectedness, and best practices. Of 137 health insurance plans queried, 63% responded, representing 190.6 million members and 81% of US plan enrollment. All respondents had emergency plans for business continuity, and most (85%) had infrastructure for emergency teams. Some health plans also have established benchmarks for preparedness (eg, response time). Regarding adaptability, 85% had protocols to extend claim filing time and 71% could temporarily suspend prior medical authorization rules. Regarding connectedness, many plans shared their contingency plans with health officials, but often cited challenges in identifying regulatory agency contacts. Some health insurance plans had specific policies for assisting individuals dependent on durable medical equipment or home healthcare. Many plans (60%) expressed interest in sharing best practices. Health insurance plans are prioritizing emergency preparedness. We identified 6 policy modifications that health insurance plans could undertake to potentially improve healthcare system preparedness: establishing metrics and benchmarks for emergency preparedness; identifying disaster-specific policy modifications, enhancing stakeholder connectedness, considering digital strategies to enhance communication, improving support and access for special-needs individuals, and developing regular forums for knowledge exchange about emergency preparedness.

  18. Extremity war injuries: collaborative efforts in research, host nation care, and disaster preparedness.

    PubMed

    Pollak, Andrew N; Ficke, Col James R

    2010-01-01

    The fourth annual Extremity War Injuries (EWI) Symposium addressed ongoing challenges and opportunities in the management of combat-related musculoskeletal injury. The symposium, which also examined host-nation care and disaster preparedness and response, defined opportunities for synergy between several organizations with similar missions and goals. Within the Department of Defense, the Orthopaedic Extremity Trauma Research Program (OETRP) has funded basic research related to a series of protocols first identified and validated at prior EWI symposia. A well-funded clinical research arm of OETRP has been developed to help translate and validate research advances from each of the protocols. The Armed Forces Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a consortium of academic research institutions, employs a tissue-engineering approach to EWI challenges, particularly with regard to tissue loss. Programs within the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and throughout the National Institutes of Health have also expanded tissue-engineering efforts by emphasizing robust mechanistic basic science programs. Much of the clinical care delivered by US military medical personnel and nongovernmental agencies has been to host-nation populations; coordinating delivery to maximize the number of injured who receive care requires understanding of the breadth and scope of resources available within the war zone. Similarly, providing the most comprehensive care to the greatest number of injured in the context of domestic mass casualty requires discussion and planning by all groups involved.

  19. Administrative Preparedness Strategies: Expediting Procurement and Contracting Cycle Times During an Emergency.

    PubMed

    Hurst, David; Sharpe, Sharon; Yeager, Valerie A

    We assessed whether administrative preparedness processes that were intended to expedite the acquisition of goods and services during a public health emergency affect estimated procurement and contracting cycle times. We obtained data from 2014-2015 applications to the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (HPP-PHEP) cooperative agreements. We compared the estimated procurement and contracting cycle times of 61 HPP-PHEP awardees that did and did not have certain administrative processes in place. Certain processes, such as statutes allowing for procuring and contracting on the open market, had an effect on reducing the estimated cycle times for obtaining goods and services. Other processes, such as cooperative purchasing agreements, also had an effect on estimated procurement time. For example, awardees with statutes that permitted them to obtain goods and services in the open market had an average procurement cycle time of 6 days; those without such statutes had a cycle time of 17 days ( P = .04). PHEP awardees should consider adopting these or similar processes in an effort to reduce cycle times.

  20. Emergency preparedness in obstetrics.

    PubMed

    Haeri, Sina; Marcozzi, David

    2015-04-01

    During and after disasters, focus is directed toward meeting the immediate needs of the general population. As a result, the routine health care and the special needs of some vulnerable populations such as pregnant and postpartum women may be overlooked within a resource-limited setting. In the event of hazards such as natural disasters, manmade disasters, and terrorism, knowledge of emergency preparedness strategies is imperative for the pregnant woman and her family, obstetric providers, and hospitals. Individualized plans for the pregnant woman and her family should include knowledge of shelter in place, birth at home, and evacuation. Obstetric providers need to have a personal disaster plan in place that accounts for work responsibilities in case of an emergency and business continuity strategies to continue to provide care to their communities. Hospitals should have a comprehensive emergency preparedness program utilizing an "all hazards" approach to meet the needs of pregnant and postpartum women and other vulnerable populations during disasters. With lessons learned in recent tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina in mind, we hope this review will stimulate emergency preparedness discussions and actions among obstetric providers and attenuate adverse outcomes related to catastrophes in the future.

  1. Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER): An Innovative Emergency Management Tool in the United States.

    PubMed

    Schnall, Amy; Nakata, Nicole; Talbert, Todd; Bayleyegn, Tesfaye; Martinez, DeAndrea; Wolkin, Amy

    2017-09-01

    To demonstrate how inclusion of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) as a tool in Public Health Preparedness Capabilities: National Standards for State and Local Planning can increase public health capacity for emergency response. We reviewed all domestic CASPER activities (i.e., trainings and assessments) between fiscal years 2012 and 2016. Data from these CASPER activities were compared with respect to differences in geographic distribution, type, actions, efficacy, and usefulness of training. During the study period, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted 24 domestic in-person CASPER trainings for 1057 staff in 38 states. On average, there was a marked increase in knowledge of CASPER. Ninety-nine CASPERs were conducted in the United States, approximately half of which (53.5%) assessed preparedness; the others were categorized as response or recovery (27.2%) or were unrelated to a disaster (19.2%). CASPER trainings are successful in increasing disaster epidemiology skills. CASPER can be used by Public Health Emergency Preparedness program awardees to help build and sustain preparedness and response capabilities.

  2. "Skip the infection, get the injection": a case study in emergency preparedness education.

    PubMed

    Adams, Lavonne M; Canclini, Sharon B; Frable, Pamela Jean

    2015-01-01

    The frequency of natural and manmade disasters along with increasing potential for public health emergencies emphasizes the need for emergency preparedness education. Because nurses are the largest group of health professionals to meet the needs of those affected by disasters and public health emergencies, schools of nursing need to prepare graduates who are knowledgeable about disaster and public health emergency management. The use of core competencies may be a means to ensure consistent application of best practices in disaster health care. The next step in competency development involves validation through evidence. Through documentation and dissemination of their experiences with emergency preparedness education, schools of nursing can provide supportive evidence to aid in competency development. The purpose of this paper is present a case study of an ongoing and evolving public health nursing education project consistent with disaster health care and emergency preparedness competencies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Case Study: Clinical Governance as an Approach to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health in 22 Hospitals in Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Amelia, Dwirani; Suhowatsky, Stephanie; Baharuddin, Mohammad; Tholandi, Maya; Hyre, Anne; Sethi, Reena

    Clinical governance is a concept used to improve management, accountability and the provision of quality healthcare. An approach to strengthen clinical governance as a means to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care in Indonesia was developed by the Expanding Maternal and Neonatal Survival (EMAS) Program. This case study presents findings and lessons learned from EMAS program experience in 22 hospitals where peer-to-peer mentoring supported staff in strengthening clinical governance from 2012-2015. Efforts resulted in improved hospital preparedness and significantly increased the odds of facility-level coverage for three evidence-based maternal and newborn healthcare interventions.

  4. Goals and Objectives

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The five goals related to the Border 2020 program: reducing air pollution, access to clean and safe water, promoting clean waste management, emergency preparedness and response, compliance assurance.and environmental stewardship

  5. Disaster preparedness in an Australian urban trauma center: staff knowledge and perceptions.

    PubMed

    Corrigan, Ellen; Samrasinghe, Iromi

    2012-10-01

    A substantial barrier to improving disaster preparedness in Australia is a lack of prescriptive national guidelines based on individual hospital capabilities. A recent literature review revealed that only one Australian hospital has published data regarding its current preparedness level. To establish baseline levels of disaster knowledge, preparedness, and willingness to respond to a disaster among one hospital's staff, and thus enable the implementation of national disaster preparedness guidelines based on realistic capabilities of individual hospitals. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to individuals and departments that play key roles in the hospital's external disaster response. Questions concerned prior education and experience specific to disasters, general preparedness knowledge, perceived preparedness of themselves and their department, and willingness to respond to a disaster from a conventional and/or chemical, biological, or radiological incident. Responses were received from 140 individuals representing nine hospital departments. Eighty-three participants (59.3%) had previously received disaster education; 53 (37.9%) had attended a disaster simulation drill, and 18 (12.9%) had responded to an actual disaster. The average disaster preparedness knowledge score was 3.57 out of 10. The majority of respondents rated themselves as "not really" prepared and were "unsure" of their respective departments' level of preparedness. Most respondents indicated a willingness to participate in both a conventional incident involving burns and/or physical trauma, and an incident involving chemical, biological or radiological (CBR) weapons. Australian hospital staff are under-prepared to respond to a disaster because of a lack of education, insufficient simulation exercises, and limited disaster experience. The absence of specific national standards and guidelines through which individual hospitals can develop their capabilities further compounds the poverty in preparedness.

  6. An analysis of hospital preparedness capacity for public health emergency in four regions of China: Beijing, Shandong, Guangxi, and Hainan.

    PubMed

    Li, Xingming; Huang, Jianshi; Zhang, Hui

    2008-09-20

    Hospital preparedness is critical for the early detection and management of public health emergency (PHE). Understanding the current status of PHE preparedness is the first step in planning to enhance hospitals' capacities for emergency response. The objective of this study is to understand the current status of hospital PHE preparedness in China. Four hundred hospitals in four city and provinces of China were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire. Data related to hospital demographic data; PHE preparation; response to PHE in community; stockpiles of drugs and materials; detection and identification of PHE; procedures for medical treatment; laboratory diagnosis and management; staff training; and risk communication were collected and analyzed. Valid responses were received from 318 (79.5%) of the 400 hospitals surveyed. Of the valid responses, 264 (85.2%) hospitals had emergency plans; 93.3% had command centres and personnel for PHE; 22.9% included community organisations during the training for PHE; 97.4% could transport needed medical staff to a PHE; 53.1% had evaluated stockpiles of drugs; 61.5% had evaluated their supply systems; 55.5% had developed surveillance systems; and 74.6% could monitor the abnormity(See in appendix). Physicians in 80.2% of the analyzed hospitals reported up-to-date knowledge of their institution's PHE protocol. Of the 318 respondents, 97.4% followed strict laboratory regulations, however, only about 33.5% had protocols for suspected samples. Furthermore, only 59.0% could isolate and identify salmonella and staphylococcus and less than 5% could isolate and identify human H5N1 avian flu and SARS. Staff training or drill programs were reported in 94.5% of the institutions; 50.3% periodically assessed the efficacy of staff training; 45% had experts to provide psychological counselling; 12.1% had provided training for their medical staff to assess PHE-related stress. All of the above capacities related to the demographic characteristics of hospitals and will be discussed in-depth in this paper. Our survey suggested that, at the time of the survey, hospital preparedness for PHE in China was at an early stage of development. Comprehensive measures should be taken to enhance hospital capacity in the prevention and management of PHE.

  7. 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

  8. Development and Validation of Scientific Literacy Scale for College Preparedness in STEM with Freshmen from Diverse Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benjamin, Thomas E.; Marks, Bryant; Demetrikopoulos, Melissa K.; Rose, Jordan; Pollard, Ethen; Thomas, Alicia; Muldrow, Lycurgus L.

    2017-01-01

    Although a major goal of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is to develop scientific literacy, prior efforts at measuring scientific literacy have not attempted to link scientific literacy with success in STEM fields. The current Scientific Literacy Survey for College Preparedness in STEM (SLSCP-STEM) scale was…

  9. Improving quality management systems of laboratories in developing countries: an innovative training approach to accelerate laboratory accreditation.

    PubMed

    Yao, Katy; McKinney, Barbara; Murphy, Anna; Rotz, Phil; Wafula, Winnie; Sendagire, Hakim; Okui, Scolastica; Nkengasong, John N

    2010-09-01

    The Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) program was developed to promote immediate, measurable improvement in laboratories of developing countries. The laboratory management framework, a tool that prescribes managerial job tasks, forms the basis of the hands-on, activity-based curriculum. SLMTA is implemented through multiple workshops with intervening site visits to support improvement projects. To evaluate the effectiveness of SLMTA, the laboratory accreditation checklist was developed and subsequently adopted by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO). The SLMTA program and the implementation model were validated through a pilot in Uganda. SLMTA yielded observable, measurable results in the laboratories and improved patient flow and turnaround time in a laboratory simulation. The laboratory staff members were empowered to improve their own laboratories by using existing resources, communicate with clinicians and hospital administrators, and advocate for system strengthening. The SLMTA program supports laboratories by improving management and building preparedness for accreditation.

  10. Workplace disaster preparedness and response: the employee assistance program continuum of services.

    PubMed

    Paul, Jan; Blum, Dorothy

    2005-01-01

    Response programs for workplace critical and traumatic events are becoming an acknowledged and sought after standard of care. The current trauma literature recognizes what goes on in the workplace between the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and management. The authors have taken this intra-organizational relationship, assimilated the information, and developed a model that recognizes and supports management throughout the continuum of response to workplace traumatic events. The model recognizes the EAP as an important workplace resource and tool in management's ability to strike the balance of managing the workforce while assisting in recovery following workplace trauma. The introduced concept defines the continuum and highlights the before, during, and after phases, showing how EAP supports management in most effectively doing their job.

  11. Synergies between Communicable and Noncommunicable Disease Programs to Enhance Global Health Security

    PubMed Central

    Husain, Muhammad J.; Sugerman, David; Hong, Yuling; Saraiya, Mona; Keltz, Jennifer; Asma, Samira

    2017-01-01

    Noncommunicable diseases are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Initiatives that advance the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases support the goals of global health security in several ways. First, in addressing health needs that typically require long-term care, these programs can strengthen health delivery and health monitoring systems, which can serve as necessary platforms for emergency preparedness in low-resource environments. Second, by improving population health, the programs might help to reduce susceptibility to infectious outbreaks. Finally, in aiming to reduce the economic burden associated with premature illness and death from noncommunicable diseases, these initiatives contribute to the objectives of international development, thereby helping to improve overall country capacity for emergency response. PMID:29155655

  12. Synergies between Communicable and Noncommunicable Disease Programs to Enhance Global Health Security.

    PubMed

    Kostova, Deliana; Husain, Muhammad J; Sugerman, David; Hong, Yuling; Saraiya, Mona; Keltz, Jennifer; Asma, Samira

    2017-12-01

    Noncommunicable diseases are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Initiatives that advance the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases support the goals of global health security in several ways. First, in addressing health needs that typically require long-term care, these programs can strengthen health delivery and health monitoring systems, which can serve as necessary platforms for emergency preparedness in low-resource environments. Second, by improving population health, the programs might help to reduce susceptibility to infectious outbreaks. Finally, in aiming to reduce the economic burden associated with premature illness and death from noncommunicable diseases, these initiatives contribute to the objectives of international development, thereby helping to improve overall country capacity for emergency response.

  13. Ready or not: analysis of a no-notice mass vaccination field response in Philadelphia.

    PubMed

    Caum, Jessica; Alles, Steven

    2013-12-01

    Local health departments typically rely on exercises to test preparedness capacity; however, pre-scripted drills often lack the sense of urgency that a real event would engender. No-notice, unscripted exercises that challenge staff to think critically under pressure may provide a mechanism for a more realistic assessment of preparedness capacity. The very active influenza season of 2012-13 presented the Public Health Preparedness Program at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health with the opportunity to conduct an influenza vaccination clinic at a local boarding school. Program leaders used this opportunity to design a no-notice exercise to test the ability of staff to effectively coordinate an emergency field response while simultaneously delivering a real public health intervention. On the day of the exercise, staff members were given 6 hours to plan and execute a vaccination clinic without any guidance from program leaders. Best practices observed during the exercise included: (1) early identification and mitigation of rate-limiting steps, and (2) successful implementation of a previously untested high-throughput vaccination model. Although the primary intent of the exercise was to assess the ability of staff to respond to a no-notice event, this vaccination clinic also functioned as a microcosm of a larger response, revealing several considerations related to vaccine ordering, staff resources, and throughput rates that have broader implications for public health responses to large-scale biological attacks or pandemics.

  14. Fundamentals of health physics for the radiation-protection officer

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

    Murphy, B.L.; Traub, R.J.; Gilchrist, R.L.

    1983-03-01

    The contents of this book on health physics include chapters on properties of radioactive materials, radiation instrumentation, radiation protection programs, radiation survey programs, internal exposure, external exposure, decontamination, selection and design of radiation facilities, transportation of radioactive materials, radioactive waste management, radiation accidents and emergency preparedness, training, record keeping, quality assurance, and appraisal of radiation protection programs. (ACR)

  15. Community resiliency through recovery resource supply chain planning.

    PubMed

    Franklin, Charlotte; Todt, Kiersten

    2014-01-01

    Information in this paper is the result of recommendations and remedies developed at 'Local Supply Chain Capacity in a Crisis Summit Exercise' held in Arlington, VA on 30th-31st January,2013. At the event, which was funded through the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program, national private sector and not-for-profit essential resource provider experts in sectors such as transportation, communication systems, energy/power, financial resources, medical supplies and other vital supplies, together with emergency managers, discussed best practices, major challenges and exchanged remedy recommendations.

  16. Regional Collaboration Among Urban Area Security Initiative Regions: Results of the Johns Hopkins Urban Area Survey

    PubMed Central

    Bowman, Calvin; Barnett, Daniel J.; Resnick, Beth A.; Frattaroli, Shannon; Rutkow, Lainie

    2014-01-01

    Regional collaboration has been identified as a potential facilitator of public health preparedness efforts. The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since 2003, has provided 64 high-risk metropolitan areas funding to enhance their regional preparedness capabilities. This study describes informal and formal regional collaboration infrastructure, as well as regional collaboration–related activities and assessment methods, in FFY2010 UASI regions. A cross-sectional online survey was administered via Survey Monkey from September through December 2013. Points of contact from FFY2010 funded UASI metropolitan areas completed the survey, with a response rate of 77.8% (n=49). Summary statistics were calculated to describe the current informal and formal regional collaboration infrastructure. Additionally, the cross-sectional survey collected rates of agreement with 8 collaborative preparedness statements at 3 time points. The survey found that UASI regions are engaging in collaborative activities and investments to build capabilities, with most collaboration occurring in the prevention, protection, and response mission areas. Collaborative relationships in preparedness among emergency managers and municipal chief executive officers improved during the FFY2010 UASI performance period compared to the pre-UASI award period, with lasting effects. The majority of UASI regions reported conducting independent assessments of capabilities and their measurement at the UASI region level. Urban areas that received a FFY2010 UASI grant award are engaging in collaborative activities and have established interjurisdictional relationships in preparedness. The use of grant funds to encourage collaboration in preparedness has the potential to leverage limited resources and promote informed investments. PMID:25398073

  17. Regional collaboration among Urban Area Security Initiative regions: results of the Johns Hopkins urban area survey.

    PubMed

    Errett, Nicole A; Bowman, Calvin; Barnett, Daniel J; Resnick, Beth A; Frattaroli, Shannon; Rutkow, Lainie

    2014-01-01

    Regional collaboration has been identified as a potential facilitator of public health preparedness efforts. The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since 2003, has provided 64 high-risk metropolitan areas funding to enhance their regional preparedness capabilities. This study describes informal and formal regional collaboration infrastructure, as well as regional collaboration-related activities and assessment methods, in FFY2010 UASI regions. A cross-sectional online survey was administered via Survey Monkey from September through December 2013. Points of contact from FFY2010 funded UASI metropolitan areas completed the survey, with a response rate of 77.8% (n=49). Summary statistics were calculated to describe the current informal and formal regional collaboration infrastructure. Additionally, the cross-sectional survey collected rates of agreement with 8 collaborative preparedness statements at 3 time points. The survey found that UASI regions are engaging in collaborative activities and investments to build capabilities, with most collaboration occurring in the prevention, protection, and response mission areas. Collaborative relationships in preparedness among emergency managers and municipal chief executive officers improved during the FFY2010 UASI performance period compared to the pre-UASI award period, with lasting effects. The majority of UASI regions reported conducting independent assessments of capabilities and their measurement at the UASI region level. Urban areas that received a FFY2010 UASI grant award are engaging in collaborative activities and have established interjurisdictional relationships in preparedness. The use of grant funds to encourage collaboration in preparedness has the potential to leverage limited resources and promote informed investments.

  18. Children as Bushfire Educators--"Just Be Calm, and Stuff Like That"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibbs, Lisa; Block, Karen; Ireton, Greg; Taunt, Emma

    2018-01-01

    The limited evidence regarding disaster-related environmental education programs for children indicates that these programs can increase disaster resilience and family preparedness activities, and reduce children's fear and anxiety. However, the literature lacks qualitative studies to provide insights into children's experiences of disaster…

  19. Canadian residents' perceptions of cross-cultural care training in graduate medical school.

    PubMed

    Singh, Barinder; Banwell, Emma; Groll, Dianne

    2017-12-01

    The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada specifies both respect for diversity as a requirement of professionalism and culturally sensitive provision of medical care. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the perception of preparedness and attitudes of medical residents to deliver cross-cultural care. The Cross Cultural Care Survey was sent via e-mail to all Faculty of Medicine residents (approx. 450) in an academic health sciences centre. Comparisons were made between psychiatry residents, family medicine residents, and other residency groups with respect to training, preparedness, and skillfulness in delivering cross-cultural care. Seventy-three (16%) residents responded to the survey. Residents in psychiatry and family medicine reported significantly more training and formal evaluation regarding cross-cultural care than residents in other programs. However, there were no significant differences in self-reported preparedness and skillfulness. Residents in family medicine were more likely to report needing more practical experience working with diverse groups. Psychiatry residents were less likely to report inadequate cross-cultural training. While most residents reported feeling skillful and prepared to work with culturally diverse groups, they report receiving little additional instruction or formal evaluation on this topic, particularly in programs other than psychiatry and family medicine.

  20. Global Health Opportunities in Obstetrics and Gynecology Training: Examining Engagement through an Ethical Lens

    PubMed Central

    Zaidi, Mohammad Y.; Haddad, Lisa; Lathrop, Eva

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to describe global health training (GHT) programs through the ethical lens suggested by the Working Group on Ethics Guidelines for Global Health Training (WEIGHT). A total of 35 GHT programs were identified, and general information was obtained online. Semi-structured telephone interviews of key members of 19 programs were then conducted and transcribed. The interview guide was constructed using WEIGHT recommendations. Transcript data were grouped according to domains: reciprocity, trainee selection and preparedness, needs assessments, and ethical questions. Many programs expressed difficulty in building reciprocal relationships due to imbalanced power structures. Eleven programs reported no formal application process for selecting trainees. Twelve (63%) programs reported only a single day of preparation. Nine (47%) programs did not conduct a formalized needs assessment of partner sites. Ethical considerations varied from concerns for safety to inadequate training for residents. This study reveals the limited preparedness curricula and lack of formalized needs assessments among several programs. Although many programs make an effort to build reciprocal exchanges with host partners, experiences for foreign trainees within the United States are limited, and U.S. residents are often tasked with duties above their training level abroad. This study demonstrates the need to restructure how GHT programs are formed and operated. PMID:26324736

  1. StormReady in a Box: Enhancing NOAA's Presence in Schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grondin, N. S.; Franks, C.

    2015-12-01

    The National Weather Service StormReady Supporter program exists to give schools, companies, TV stations, and other facilities the opportunity to earn recognition for their weather preparedness and awareness. Requirements to earn StormReady Supporter status include having a facility warning point, use of NOAA Weather Radios, and weather hazard Emergency Operation Plans. Despite the increasing importance of weather preparedness in schools, only 1.2% of Minnesota schools are deemed StormReady by the National Weather Service. It was determined that the major impedance for schools becoming StormReady Supporters is the lack of time for administrators to engage in anything "extra" beyond their listed duties. As part of a 2015 Hollings Scholar project, the StormReady in a Box concept was developed to remedy this, by empowering teachers and students to take charge and complete the StormReady Supporter application for their school. StormReady in a Box is a project developed for Junior High School students to learn about weather preparedness and to help their school acquire StormReady status. The project was designed to be relevant to the Minnesota State Education Standards in Science, be simple for teachers to do with their students, and most importantly, to be enjoyable for Junior High School age students to do. The project was also designed to enhance critical thinking skills and logical reasoning abilities, as they relate to the StormReady Supporter application. This presentation will present the overall rationale for the undertaking of this project, the creation of, and the logical next steps for the StormReady in a Box project.

  2. Improving stroke transitions: Development and implementation of a social work case management intervention.

    PubMed

    Hughes, Anne K; Woodward, Amanda T; Fritz, Michele C; Reeves, Mathew J

    2018-02-01

    Strokes impact over 800,000 people every year. Stroke care typically begins with inpatient care and then continues across an array of healthcare settings. These transitions are difficult for patients and caregivers, with psychosocial needs going unmet. Our team developed a case management intervention for acute stroke patients and their caregivers aimed at improving stroke transitions. The intervention focusses on four aspects of a successful care transition: support, preparedness, identifying and addressing unmet needs, and stroke education. This paper describes the development and implementation of this program, and is an example of the synergy created between neuroscience and clinical practice.

  3. Developing a consensus framework and risk profile for agents of opportunity in academic medical centers: implications for public health preparedness.

    PubMed

    Farmer, Brenna M; Nelson, Lewis S; Graham, Margaret E; Bendzans, Carly; McCrillis, Aileen M; Portelli, Ian; Zhang, Meng; Goldberg, Judith; Rosenberg, Sheldon D; Goldfrank, Lewis R; Tunik, Michael

    2010-12-01

    Agents of opportunity (AO) in academic medical centers (AMC) are defined as unregulated or lightly regulated substances used for medical research or patient care that can be used as "dual purpose" substances by terrorists to inflict damage upon populations. Most of these agents are used routinely throughout AMC either during research or for general clinical practice. To date, the lack of careful regulations for AOs creates uncertain security conditions and increased malicious potential. Using a consensus-based approach, we collected information and opinions from staff working in an AMC and 4 AMC-affiliated hospitals concerning identification of AO, AO attributes, and AMC risk and preparedness, focusing on AO security and dissemination mechanisms and likely hospital response. The goal was to develop a risk profile and framework for AO in the institution. Agents of opportunity in 4 classes were identified and an AO profile was developed, comprising 16 attributes denoting information critical to preparedness for AO misuse. Agents of opportunity found in AMC present a unique and vital gap in public health preparedness. Findings of this project may provide a foundation for a discussion and consensus efforts to determine a nationally accepted risk profile framework for AO. This foundation may further lead to the implementation of appropriate regulatory policies to improve public health preparedness. Agents of opportunity modeling of dissemination properties should be developed to better predict AO risk.

  4. Identifying and Prioritizing Information Needs and Research Priorities of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Practitioners.

    PubMed

    Siegfried, Alexa L; Carbone, Eric G; Meit, Michael B; Kennedy, Mallory J; Yusuf, Hussain; Kahn, Emily B

    2017-10-01

    This study describes findings from an assessment conducted to identify perceived knowledge gaps, information needs, and research priorities among state, territorial, and local public health preparedness directors and coordinators related to public health emergency preparedness and response (PHPR). The goal of the study was to gather information that would be useful for ensuring that future funding for research and evaluation targets areas most critical for advancing public health practice. We implemented a mixed-methods approach to identify and prioritize PHPR research questions. A web survey was sent to all state, city, and territorial health agencies funded through the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative Agreement program and a sample of local health departments (LHDs). Three focus groups of state and local practitioners and subject matter experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were subsequently conducted, followed by 3 meetings of an expert panel of PHPR practitioners and CDC experts to prioritize and refine the research questions. We identified a final list of 44 research questions that were deemed by study participants as priority topics where future research can inform PHPR programs and practice. We identified differences in perceived research priorities between PHEP awardees and LHD survey respondents; the number of research questions rated as important was greater among LHDs than among PHEP awardees (75%, n=33, compared to 24%, n=15). The research questions identified provide insight into public health practitioners' perceived knowledge gaps and the types of information that would be most useful for informing and advancing PHPR practice. The study also points to a higher level of information need among LHDs than among PHEP awardees. These findings are important for CDC and the PHPR research community to ensure that future research studies are responsive to practitioners' needs and provide the information required to enhance their capacity to meet the needs of the communities and jurisdictions they serve. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:552-561).

  5. Preparations for Severe Winter Conditions by Emergency Health Personnel in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Calışkan, Cüneyt; Algan, Aysun; Koçak, Hüseyin; Biçer, Burcu Küçük; Sengelen, Meltem; Cakir, Banu

    2014-04-23

    Emergency and core ambulance personnel work under all environmental conditions, including severe weather condtions. We evaluated emergency medical personnel in Çanakkale, Turkey, for their degree of preparedness. A descriptive study was conducted in Çanakkale, Turkey, within 112 emergency service units and their 17 district stations. Surveys were developed to measure the level of preparedness for serious winter conditions that individual workers made for themselves, their homes, and their cars. Of the 167 survey participants, the mean age was 29.8 ± 7.9 years; 52.7% were women; more than half (54.75%) were emergency medical technicians; and 53.3% were married. Only 10.4% of those who heated their homes with natural gas had carbon monoxide detectors. Scores relating to household and individual preparation for severe winter conditions increased by participants' age (P < .003), being married (P < .000) and working in the city center (P < .021); and for men whose cars were equipped with tow ropes, extra clothing, and snow tires (P < .05). Absenteeism was higher for central-city personnel than district workers because they were less prepared for harsh winter conditions (P = .016). Many of the surveyed emergency health personel demonstrated insufficient preparations for serious winter conditions. To increase the safety and efficiency of emergency medical personnel, educational training programs should be rountinely conducted. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-4).

  6. Supporting Science Teachers in Alignment with State Curriculum Standards through Professional Development: Teachers' Preparedness, Expectations and Their Fulfillment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paik, Sunhee; Zhang, Meilan; Lundeberg, Mary A.; Eberhardt, Jan; Shin, Tae Seob; Zhang, Tianyi

    2011-08-01

    Since A Nation at Risk was released in the 1980s, standards-based reform has been the most dominant trend in American educational policy, and the No Child Left Behind Act pushed the trend further by requiring states to develop rigorous curriculum standards. Though much has been said about these new standards, less has been said about whether or how well professional development helps teachers link their instruction to these standards. This study examined the impact of a professional development program for K-12 science teachers in helping teachers meet state curriculum standards. Seventy-five science teachers in Michigan participated in a 2-week summer workshop that used Problem-Based Learning for improving teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Researchers surveyed participating teachers about the change of teachers' preparedness for standards-based teaching, their expectations to meet state curriculum standards, and whether their expectations were met. In addition, the usefulness of workshop activities was examined. Data analysis showed that to align teaching with state curriculum standards, participating teachers expected to learn instructional strategies and enhance science content knowledge through professional development, and by and large their expectations were well met. Collaboration with colleagues and facilitators helped teachers achieve their goals in terms of teaching within state curriculum standards. These findings have important implications for designing professional development to help teachers align instruction with curriculum standards.

  7. Vaccines: Shaping global health.

    PubMed

    Pagliusi, Sonia; Ting, Ching-Chia; Lobos, Fernando

    2017-03-14

    The Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers' Network (DCVMN) gathered leaders in immunization programs, vaccine manufacturing, representatives of the Argentinean Health Authorities and Pan American Health Organization, among other global health stakeholders, for its 17th Annual General Meeting in Buenos Aires, to reflect on how vaccines are shaping global health. Polio eradication and elimination of measles and rubella from the Americas is a result of successful collaboration, made possible by timely supply of affordable vaccines. After decades of intense competition for high-value markets, collaboration with developing countries has become critical, and involvement of multiple manufacturers as well as public- and private-sector investments are essential, for developing new vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. The recent Zika virus outbreak and the accelerated Ebola vaccine development exemplify the need for international partnerships to combat infectious diseases. A new player, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has made its entrance in the global health community, aiming to stimulate research preparedness against emerging infections. Face-to-face panel discussions facilitated the dialogue around challenges, such as risks of viability to vaccine development and regulatory convergence, to improve access to sustainable vaccine supply. It was discussed that joint efforts to optimizing regulatory pathways in developing countries, reducing registration time by up to 50%, are required. Outbreaks of emerging infections and the global Polio eradication and containment challenges are reminders of the importance of vaccines' access, and of the importance of new public-private partnerships. Copyright © 2017.

  8. Administrative Training: What Really Prepares Administrators for the Job?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kraus, Christine M.

    This paper describes part of a study (Kraus 1996) involving 25 school administrators who attended one of five administrator preparation programs at four New England universities. The study addressed research questions regarding perceptions of administrators' job preparedness and how components of formal training programs (i.e., internships,…

  9. Increasing the College Preparedness of At-Risk Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cabrera, Alberto F.; Deil-Amen, Regina; Prabhu, Radhika; Terenzini, Patrick T.; Lee, Chul; Franklin, Robert E., Jr.

    2006-01-01

    GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) emerged in the late 1990s as a comprehensive outreach program seeking to enhance awareness of and readiness for college among low-income middle school students. After controlling for students' preprogram test scores and school characteristics, findings indicate that…

  10. Curricular Abstinence: Examining Human Sexuality Training in School Counselor Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Behun, Richard Joseph; Cerrito, Julie A.; Delmonico, David L.; Campenni, Estelle

    2017-01-01

    Professional school counselors (PSCs; N = 486) rated their level of perceived preparedness acquired in their school counselor preparation program with respect to knowledge, skills, and self-awareness of five human sexuality domains (behavior, health, morality, identity, violence) across grade level (elementary vs. secondary) and three human…

  11. Faculty Leadership in Baccalaureate Study Abroad Programs: The Relationship between Faculty Preparedness and Intercultural Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacDonald, Carla J.

    2012-01-01

    The dissertation describes projected research to investigate whether a relationship exists between faculty in baccalaureate education who lead short term study abroad programs (SAPS) and their levels of intercultural competency. Specifically, the research collected considers whether a connection exists between those faculty who received…

  12. Factors Influencing Senior Athletic Training Students' Preparedness to Enter the Workforce

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Benes, Sarah S.

    2014-01-01

    Context: Athletic training education programs must provide the student with opportunities to learn the roles and responsibilities of the athletic trainer. Objective: Investigate factors that help prepare the athletic training student (ATS) to successfully enter the workplace upon graduation from her undergraduate program. Design: Exploratory…

  13. Emergency preparedness of families of children with developmental disabilities: What public health and safety emergency planners need to know

    PubMed Central

    Wolf-Fordham, Susan; Curtin, Carol; Maslin, Melissa; Bandini, Linda; Hamad, Charles D.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To assess the emergency preparedness knowledge, behaviors, and training needs of families of children with developmental disabilities (DD). Design An online survey. Participants A sample of 314 self-selecting US parents/guardians of children with DD, aged birth-21 years. Main outcome measures 1) Preparedness self-assessment; 2) self-report regarding the extent to which families followed 11 specific preparedness action steps derived from publicly available preparedness guides; and 3) parent training and support needs. Results Although most participants assessed themselves to be somewhat to moderately well prepared, even those who reported being “very well prepared” had taken fewer than half of 11 recommended action steps. Most participants expressed a need for preparedness support; virtually all the respondents felt that training was either important or very important. Conclusions Children with disabilities are known to be particularly vulnerable to negative disaster impacts. Overall, parents in this study appeared under-prepared to meet family disaster needs, although they recognized its importance. The results suggest opportunities and methods for public health and safety planning, education and outreach to parents of children with DD who would benefit from targeted training such as information and skill building to develop effective family preparedness plans and connections to local emergency management and responders. PMID:25779895

  14. Hospital Disaster Preparedness in Italy: a preliminary study utilizing the World Health Organization Hospital Emergency Response Evaluation Toolkit.

    PubMed

    Ingrassia, Pier L; Mangini, Marco; Azzaretto, Massimo; Ciaramitaro, Ilenia; Costa, Laura; Burkle, Frederick M; Della Corte, Francesco; Djalali, Ahmadreza

    2016-12-01

    Natural and human-initiated disasters are occurring with greater devastating consequences and increased frequency. During these events, hospitals have the burden to care for acutely ill and injured patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of disaster preparedness of Italian hospitals. Site visits were conducted from January, 2014 to December, 2014. The hospital emergency response checklist, developed by the WHO, was used as an evaluation toolkit. It consists of 92 items classified as 9 key components, such as command and control, triage, and critical services. The status of each component was determined by consensus of 3 independent evaluators. The study selected 15 hospitals from different areas in Italy. Out of the 15 hospitals, 12 were considered to be at insufficients level of preparedness, only 3 were considered to have an effective level of preparedness. The average preparedness of all components were lower than the optimal level suggested by the WHO checklist. The study revealed that a large majority of Italian hospitals evaluated are not well prepared to manage potential disasters. Also, all important elements of hospital preparedness, such as the command system, surge capacity, and safety, were insufficiently implemented. Nationwide standards, guidelines and procedures are required to improve hospital disaster preparedness in Italy.

  15. Disaster Risk Reduction in Myanmar: A Need for Focus on Community Preparedness and Improved Evaluation of Initiatives.

    PubMed

    Smith, Andrew D; Chan, Emily Y Y

    2017-11-20

    Myanmar is a country in political and economic transition. Facing a wide-variety of natural hazards and ongoing conflict, the country's under-developed infrastructure has resulted in high disaster risk. Following the devastation of Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and increased global focus on disaster management and risk reduction, Myanmar has begun development of national disaster policies. Myanmar's Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction addressed multiple stages of disaster development and has made progress towards national projects, however, has struggled to implement community-based preparedness and response initiatives. This article analyses Myanmar's disaster strategy, though the use of a disaster development framework and suggests areas for possible improvement. In particular, the article aims to generate discussion regarding methods of supporting objective evaluation of risk reduction initiatives in developing countries. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;page 1 of 5).

  16. Preparedness for climate change among local health department officials in New York state: a comparison with national survey results.

    PubMed

    Carr, Jessie L; Sheffield, Perry E; Kinney, Patrick L

    2012-01-01

    Climate-change adaptation strategies that address locally specific climate hazards are critical for preventing negative health outcomes, and local public health care officials are key foci for adaptation planning. To assess New York State Local Health Department officials' perceptions and preparedness related to climate-sensitive health areas, and compare these with a national sample. Online survey instrument, originally used in a national survey of local health department (LHD) officials. New York State. Eligible participants included all New York State city and county LHD officials, 1 respondent per LHD. LHD officials' perceptions of (1) local climate-related public health effects, (2) preparation status and programming areas of LHDs, and (3) necessary resources to better address climate-related health risks. : Survey participants, representing a 54% response rate (with 93% of respondents completing more than 90% of the questions), perceived climate change as relevant to public health, and most noted that some of their existing programs already use or are planning to use climate adaptation strategies. Overall, fewer New York State respondents identified concerns or related expertise compared with the previous national survey. Many respondents expressed uncertainty regarding necessary additional resources. This type of assessment makes clear the high variability in perceived impacts and capacity at the level of LHD jurisdictions, and underscores the importance of sustained support for local climate-change preparedness programming. The implications of these findings are germane to other states with similar decentralized jurisdiction of public health. Findings from such surveys can bolster existing LHD programs, as well as inform long-term and emergency planning for climate change.

  17. The Canadian Forces trauma care system

    PubMed Central

    Tien, Homer

    2011-01-01

    According to the Trauma Association of Canada, a trauma system is a preplanned, organized and coordinated injury-control effort in a defined geographic area. An effective trauma system engages in comprehensive injury surveillance and prevention programs; delivers trauma care from the time of injury to recovery; engages in research, training and performance improvement; and establishes linkages with an all-hazards emergency preparedness program. To support Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan, the Canadian Forces (CF) developed a comprehensive trauma system based around its trauma hospital — the Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit (R3MMU) at Kandahar Airfield. This article reviews the essential components of a modern trauma system, outlines the evidence that trauma systems improve care to injury victims and describes how the current CF trauma system was developed. PMID:22099323

  18. Recent Earhquake and Tsunami Preparedness training activities in DPEU KOERI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Puskulcu, Seyhun; Tanırcan, Gulum

    2017-04-01

    The Disaster Preparedness Education Unit (DPEU) at Bogazici University's Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI) that was iestablished after 1999 Kocaeli earthquake and has been continuing to develop high-quality curricula and training materials for community-focused disaster preparedness education through countrywide. The unit works to build bridges between scientists, academics and technical experts in this field, and the people who need access to knowledge to reduce their risk from disasters and develops disaster preparedness training materials, organizes and conducts teacher trainings, and participates in research activities on these topics. DPEU also accommodates the Earthquake Park, where training courses are supported with an earthquake simulator. It hosts more then 4000 students every year for training of how to behave before, during and after an earthquake occurs. In addition to theoretical knowledge, simulation of isolated and fix based 10 storey building models were created at Earthquake Park for rising student's structural awareness . The unit also is involving many national and international projects. DPEU is very actively involved the recent international MarDIM (Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Mitigation an the Marmara Region and Disaster Education in Turkey) Project which is performing by many Turkish and Japanese institution h and produced the tsunami education booklet, video, a cartoon movie and serviced many training of Earthquake Park. DPEU has also a Mobile Earthquake Simulation Training Truck developed in 2007, aiming to create a stage for community awareness for the earthquake preparedness and to change the common wrong perception and ignorance on the natural event of earthquakes. 500 thousands people have been trained by simulation truck all over Turkey within 5 years. DPEU just started to train the house wifes located in Marmara region on earthquake and tsunami preparedness with the collaboration of several municipalities in Istanbul.

  19. Efficacy for Dealing With Terrorism Precautionary Behavior: Laying the Groundwork for Communication Effectiveness.

    PubMed

    Wirtz, Philip W; Rohrbeck, Cynthia A

    2017-10-01

    In order to formulate effective communication and intervention strategies to respond to the widespread lack of preparedness for public health crises resulting from natural and human-made disasters, researchers have developed models describing the interrelationships between factors associated with emergency preparedness decisions. Empirical research has generally assumed that two key elements of most health behavior theories-self-efficacy and response efficacy-additively influence the decision to prepare, despite compelling theoretical rationale for an interactive relationship. The few studies that have investigated interactions in preparedness outcomes have not tested the Social Cognitive Theory prediction that non-zero levels of both efficacy types are required before individuals will engage in any preparedness behavior. Based on the responses of 3,101 participants in the National Survey of Disaster Experiences and Preparedness, this study tested additive, interactive, and conditional main effect hypotheses about the influence of self-efficacy and response efficacy for dealing with terrorism on preparedness due to terrorism six years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A significant self-efficacy × response efficacy interaction effect on preparedness was found, in addition to a significant response efficacy effect when perceived self-efficacy was zero, contrary to the expectation from Social Cognitive Theory. These results offer insights into the cognitive processes underlying individuals' decisions to prepare for disasters such as terrorist attacks, and highlight the importance of considering more complex theory-based cognitive interaction models in designing effective communication strategies to facilitate individual emergency preparedness.

  20. Tsunami Preparedness in California (videos)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Filmed and edited by: Loeffler, Kurt; Gesell, Justine

    2010-01-01

    Tsunamis are a constant threat to the coasts of our world. Although tsunamis are infrequent along the West coast of the United States, it is possible and necessary to prepare for potential tsunami hazards to minimize loss of life and property. Community awareness programs are important, as they strive to create an informed society by providing education and training. These videos about tsunami preparedness in California distinguish between a local tsunami and a distant event and focus on the specific needs of each region. They offer guidelines for correct tsunami response and community preparedness from local emergency managers, first-responders, and leading experts on tsunami hazards and warnings, who have been working on ways of making the tsunami affected regions safer for the people and communities on a long-term basis. These videos were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

  1. Tsunami Preparedness in Oregon (video)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Filmed and edited by: Loeffler, Kurt; Gesell, Justine

    2010-01-01

    Tsunamis are a constant threat to the coasts of our world. Although tsunamis are infrequent along the West coast of the United States, it is possible and necessary to prepare for potential tsunami hazards to minimize loss of life and property. Community awareness programs are important, as they strive to create an informed society by providing education and training. This video about tsunami preparedness in Oregon distinguishes between a local tsunami and a distant event and focus on the specific needs of this region. It offers guidelines for correct tsunami response and community preparedness from local emergency managers, first-responders, and leading experts on tsunami hazards and warnings, who have been working on ways of making the tsunami affected regions safer for the people and communities on a long-term basis. This video was produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI).

  2. NEXT Ion Propulsion System Development Status and Capabilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Patterson, Michael J.; Benson, Scott W.

    2008-01-01

    NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) project is developing next generation ion propulsion technologies to provide future NASA science missions with enhanced mission performance benefit at a low total development cost. The objective of the NEXT project is to advance next generation ion propulsion technology by producing engineering model system components, validating these through qualification-level and integrated system testing, and ensuring preparedness for transitioning to flight system development. As NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster technology program completes advanced development activities, it is advantageous to review the existing technology capabilities of the system under development. This paper describes the NEXT ion propulsion system development status, characteristics and performance. A review of mission analyses results conducted to date using the NEXT system is also provided.

  3. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    MedlinePlus Videos and Cool Tools

    ... 23/2018 Note: If you need help accessing information in different file formats, see Instructions for Downloading ... Flickr FDA Archive Combination Products Advisory Committees Regulatory Information Safety Emergency Preparedness International Programs News & Events Training & ...

  4. How to Reduce Those Costly School Bus Accidents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farmer, Ernest

    1985-01-01

    The deterrent to school bus accidents is preparedness. Training programs for drivers and mechanics, equipment specifications, and a community support base are some of the ways to prevent tragedy. (MLF)

  5. 76 FR 28192 - [NRC-2009-0482

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-16

    .../adams.html . From this page, the public can gain entry into ADAMS, which provides text and image files... Commission. Martin J. Virgilio, Deputy Executive Director for Reactor and Preparedness Programs. [FR Doc...

  6. Risk Management Plan (RMP) Policies and Fact Sheets

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Includes information on the RMP audit program, how RMP affects small business, chemical emergency preparedness and prevention in Indian Country, OSHA standards and compliance, and Off-site Consequence Analysis access.

  7. 76 FR 49485 - Announcement of Requirements and Registration for “Lifeline Facebook App Challenge”

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-10

    ... multidisciplinary teams of technology developers, entrepreneurs, and members of the disaster preparedness, response... application (app) that will provide actionable steps for Facebook users to increase their own personal... to increase personal preparedness, locate potential disaster victims, and streamline information...

  8. The development and evaluation of online stories to enhance clinical learning experiences across health professions in rural Australia.

    PubMed

    Paliadelis, Penny Susan; Stupans, Leva; Parker, Vicki; Piper, Donella; Gillan, Pauline; Lea, Jackie; Jarrott, Helen Mary; Wilson, Rhonda; Hudson, Judith N; Fagan, Anthea

    2015-01-01

    Clinical placement learning experiences are integral to all health and medical curricula as a means of integrating theory into practice and preparing graduates to deliver safe, high-quality care to health consumers. A growing challenge for education providers is to access sufficient clinical placements with experienced supervisors who are skilled at maximising learning opportunities for students. This paper reports on the development and evaluation of an innovative online learning program aimed at enhancing student and clinical supervisors' preparedness for effective workplace-based learning. The evidence-based learning program used 'story-telling' as the learning framework. The stories, which were supported by a range of resources, aimed to engage the learners in understanding student and supervisor responsibilities, as well as the expectations and competencies needed to support effective learning in the clinical environment. Evaluation of this program by the learners and stakeholders clearly indicated that they felt authentically 'connected' with the characters in the stories and developed insights that suggested effective learning had occurred.

  9. Oak Ridge National Laboratory Health and Safety Long-Range Plan: Fiscal years 1989--1995

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

    Not Available

    1989-06-01

    The health and safety of its personnel is the first concern of ORNL and its management. The ORNL Health and Safety Program has the responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of all individuals assigned to ORNL activities. This document outlines the principal aspects of the ORNL Health and Safety Long-Range Plan and provides a framework for management use in the future development of the health and safety program. Each section of this document is dedicated to one of the health and safety functions (i.e., health physics, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, industrial safety, nuclear criticality safety, nuclear facility safety, transportationmore » safety, fire protection, and emergency preparedness). Each section includes functional mission and objectives, program requirements and status, a summary of program needs, and program data and funding summary. Highlights of FY 1988 are included.« less

  10. Disaster Research Team Building: A Case Study of a Web-based Disaster Research Training Program.

    PubMed

    Beaton, Randal D; Johnson, L Clark; Maida, Carl A; Houston, J Brian; Pfefferbaum, Betty

    2012-11-19

    This case study describes the process and outcomes of the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice Child and Family Disaster Research Training (UWDRT) Program housed at the University of Washington, which used web-based distance learning technology. The purposes of this program were to provide training and to establish a regional cadre of researchers and clinicians; to increase disaster mental health research capacity and collaboration; and to improve the scientific rigor of research investigations of disaster mental health in children and families. Despite a number of obstacles encountered in development and implementation, outcomes of this program included increased team member awareness and knowledge of child and family disaster mental health issues; improved disaster and public health instruction and training independent of the UWDRT program; informed local and state disaster response preparedness and response; and contributions to the child and family disaster mental health research literature.

  11. Are Londoners Prepared for an Emergency? A Longitudinal Study Following the London Bombings

    PubMed Central

    Rubin, James; Amlôt, Richard; Simpson, John; Wessely, Simon

    2008-01-01

    The UK government sees increasing individual preparedness as a priority, but the level of preparedness of people in the UK for a large-scale emergency is not known. The London bombings of July 7, 2005, affected many Londoners and may have altered their sense of vulnerability to a future terrorist attack. We used a longitudinal study design to assess individual preparedness within the same sample of Londoners at 2 points in time: immediately after the bombings (T1) and 7 to 8 months later (T2). A demographically representative sample of 1,010 Londoners participated in a phone interview at T1. Subsequently, at T2, 574 of the same people participated in a follow-up phone interview. At T1 51% of Londoners had made 4 or more relevant emergency plans; 48% had gathered 4 or more relevant supplies in case of emergency. There was evidence of increased preparedness at T2, by which time 90% had made 4 or more emergency plans. Ethnicity, low social status, and having felt a sense of threat during the bombings predicted increased preparedness between T1 and T2. Women in general, and women of low social status in particular, perceived themselves to be unprepared in the event of a future terrorist attack. In summary, Londoners show moderate levels of emergency preparedness, which increased following the London bombings. Although we cannot know whether this association is causal, the prospective nature of the study increases the likelihood that it is. However, preparedness is still patchy, and there are important demographic associations with levels of preparedness and perception of vulnerability. These findings have implications for future development of individual and community emergency preparedness policy. PMID:19117430

  12. Perceptions of importance, preparedness and classroom implementation of the National Science Education Standards as perceived by Texas science education leaders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dutcher, Joyce Marie

    At a time when the nation is challenged by a competitive world economy, learning organizations are experiencing the dynamics of change. Recent mandates, like the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) and the Texas' 1999 education reform law initiating the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills put an impetus on educators to implement standards reform practices that would lead to improved teaching and learning. Texas science education leaders have the challenging task of leading National Science Education Standards (NSES) reform in Texas schools/districts. Therefore, it is important that they are informed about the NSES and are prepared to provide leadership support for their implementation. How they perceive themselves in this role could possibly affect the support they give to teachers and others, ultimately affecting how the NSES are implemented in classrooms. This correlational and descriptive research study used archival data collected at a time the NSES were first being implemented to (a) determine the degree of relations that exist between the leaders' perceived importance of effective practices and their perceived preparedness to provide leadership support for their implementation, and (b) examine influences that may exist between the leaders' perceived importance/preparedness and their perceived frequency of occurrence of related teacher and student activities. The data set used was gathered from a preliminary study of the researcher (Dutcher, 2000). It involved responses from 90 Texas science education leaders who voluntarily responded to the, "Leader Survey Questionnaire: Principles of the National Science Education Standards". Results showed support for the idea that leaders' perceptions of importance for effective practices were significant predictors of their own perceived preparedness to provide leadership support for the same. However in contrast, the results did not show consistent support for the idea that the leaders' perceived importance or preparedness to provide leadership support for the effective practices influenced their perceived frequency of occurrence of related teacher or student activities. These findings will contribute to existing literature and may help educators identify gaps that exist in the science education reform process. These results may be used to design and plan professional development programs for leaders and their teachers.

  13. [Disasters and emergency situations: what have we learned from the past to prepare for the future?].

    PubMed

    Peleg, Kobi

    2010-07-01

    Israel has gained extensive experience in the mass casuaLty field, especially from dealing with terrorism events. This special issue of "Harefuah" includes articles that describe and analyze several aspects and approaches related to mass casualty event (MCE) preparedness and response strategies, based on Israel's experience. Feigenberg reports that Magen David Adom (MDA) was able to evacuate all urgent injuries during an MCE from the site to a hospital in 28 minutes, on average. Of the MCE casualties, 71% were evacuated directly to level 1 trauma centers. Rafalowski notes that the ability of MDA to implement organizational and operational Learning processes close to the time of the incident, as well as their modular operational approach, which allows flexibility in responding to simultaneous events, are probably among the reasons that have helped MDA reach a high Level of success in dealing with MCEs. Analysis of terrorism injury data demonstrates that these injuries, suffered by both children and adults, are characterized by increased complexity, with higher severity, higher in-patient mortality rates, and significantly greater use of precious hospital resources such as intensive care, operating rooms, CT, and days of hospitalization. Extensive experience dealing with MCEs has brought managerial insights to the entire health system, for instance in the hospitalization system and clinical management of injuries. In her article, Adini defines five major components for assessing the Israeli health system in emergencies. Shasha's article discusses the principles of hospital preparedness while working under fire. The importance of this subject has in recent years helped bring a more academic approach to emergency and disaster management in the world and in Israel, as enacted at Tel Aviv University's Multidisciplinary Master's Program in Emergency and Disaster Management, and also in other universities that focus on specific disciplines. In summary, achieving improvement requires continuous focus on preparedness, integration of new technologies, routine debriefings, and developing new coping strategies, education, training, and drills. These should all be part of daily preparedness routines. Only in this way can a high quality level of preparedness be maintained over time.

  14. Creating meaningful business continuity management programme metrics.

    PubMed

    Strong, Brian

    2010-11-01

    The popular axiom, 'what gets measured gets done', is often applied in the quality management and continuous improvement disciplines. This truism is also useful to business continuity practitioners as they continually strive to prove the value of their organisation's investment in a business continuity management (BCM) programme. BCM practitioners must also remain relevant to their organisations as executives focus on the bottom line and maintaining stakeholder confidence. It seems that executives always find a way, whether in a hallway or elevator, to ask BCM professionals about the company's level of readiness. When asked, they must be ready with an informed response. The establishment of a process to measure business continuity programme performance and organisational readiness has emerged as a key component of US Department of Homeland Security 'Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness (PS-Prep) Program' standards where the overarching goal is to improve private sector preparedness for disasters and emergencies. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: to introduce continuity professionals to best practices that should be considered when developing a BCM metrics programme as well as providing a case study of how a large health insurance company researched, developed and implemented a process to measure BCM programme performance and company readiness.

  15. Vaccinia immune globulin: current policies, preparedness, and product safety and efficacy.

    PubMed

    Wittek, Riccardo

    2006-05-01

    In 1980 the World Health Organization declared that smallpox was eradicated from the world, and routine smallpox vaccination was discontinued. Nevertheless, samples of the smallpox virus (variola virus) were retained for research purposes, not least because of fears that terrorist groups or rogue states might also have kept samples in order to develop a bioweapon. Variola virus represents an effective bioweapon because it is associated with high morbidity and mortality and is highly contagious. Since September 11, 2001, countries around the world have begun to develop policies and preparedness programs to deal with a bioterror attack, including stockpiling of smallpox vaccine. Smallpox vaccine itself may be associated with a number of serious adverse events, which can often be managed with vaccinia immune globulin (VIG). VIG may also be needed as prophylaxis in patients for whom pre-exposure smallpox vaccine is contraindicated (such as those with eczema or pregnant women), although it is currently not licensed in these cases. Two intravenous formulations of VIG (VIGIV Cangene and VIGIV Dynport) have been licensed by the FDA for the management of patients with progressive vaccinia, eczema vaccinatum, severe generalized vaccinia, and extensive body surface involvement or periocular implantation following inadvertent inoculation.

  16. Biological and chemical terrorism: strategic plan for preparedness and response. Recommendations of the CDC Strategic Planning Workgroup.

    PubMed

    2000-04-21

    The U.S. national civilian vulnerability to the deliberate use of biological and chemical agents has been highlighted by recognition of substantial biological weapons development programs and arsenals in foreign countries, attempts to acquire or possess biological agents by militants, and high-profile terrorist attacks. Evaluation of this vulnerability has focused on the role public health will have detecting and managing the probable covert biological terrorist incident with the realization that the U.S. local, state, and federal infrastructure is already strained as a result of other important public health problems. In partnership with representatives for local and state health departments, other federal agencies, and medical and public health professional associations, CDC has developed a strategic plan to address the deliberate dissemination of biological or chemical agents. The plan contains recommendations to reduce U.S. vulnerability to biological and chemical terrorism--preparedness planning, detection and surveillance, laboratory analysis, emergency response, and communication systems. Training and research are integral components for achieving these recommendations. Success of the plan hinges on strengthening the relationships between medical and public health professionals and on building new partnerships with emergency management, the military, and law enforcement professionals.

  17. Development of Medical Technology for Contingency Response to Marrow Toxic Agents

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-06-06

    Health Physics e. Emergency Medicine f. Burn Care g. State Public Health h. Federal Public Health i. Emergency Management. 2. The group has...Preparedness 4 Project: Local Public Health Radiological Preparedness Gap Review and Tool Development Identification 1. The National Association...of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) has held multiple conference calls with leaders within their organization to identify the areas of

  18. The Preparedness Web: Utilizing Regional Collaborative Networks for Homeland Security Preparedness

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-09-01

    Hughes’ conflict strategies could then be used to develop methodologies for improved conflict management . 45 D. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE Emergency...has training in place to develop collaborative skills (e.g., conflict management , team process skills). * 2.3 (0.7) * 4 point scale; 1...included (a) knowledge of other agencies’ capabilities, (b) communication, (c) inter-agency trust and respect, and (d) conflict management . Further

  19. 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:

  20. Combating terrorism : observations on growth in federal programs

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-01-01

    This is the statement of Mark E. Gebicke, Director, National Security Preparedness Issues, National Security and International Affairs Division before the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Emergency Management, Committee on Transportatio...

  1. [Development of a nurse-led family counseling program for families of the elderly: the first cycle of a Community-Based Action Research Project (CBPR)].

    PubMed

    Mahrer-Imhof, Romy; Hediger, Hannele; Naef, Rahel; Bruylands, Michelle

    2014-08-01

    With the support of family members many elderly people can live an independent life at home. Accepting support respectively providing support might be a challenge for both elder and family member. Families often have little professional support to manage those challenges. Therefore, a nurse-led counseling program for families of the elders has been established. The counseling program was developed with community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology using individual and focus group interviews, as well as a written survey and tested in a pilot study. Managing disease in everyday life, helpful means of support at home, changes in family relations, information about services as well as information how to navigate the healthcare system have been themes to discuss in the counseling sessions. Participants in the pilot study showed a statistically not significant increase in well-being, and preparedness for care and were highly satisfied with the counseling program. Families of the elderly could actively participate in developing and researching a nurse-led family counseling program. Several family members still engage as co-researcher in the program and participate to improve the new service.

  2. Role of family caregivers' self-perceived preparedness for the death of the cancer patient in long-term adjustment to bereavement.

    PubMed

    Kim, Youngmee; Carver, Charles S; Spiegel, David; Mitchell, Hannah-Rose; Cannady, Rachel S

    2017-04-01

    A substantial number of family caregivers go through bereavement because of cancer, but little is known about the bereaved caregivers' long-term adjustment. This study aimed to document levels of bereavement outcomes (prolonged grief symptoms, intense emotional reaction to the loss, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction) among family cancer caregivers 3-5 years post-loss and to investigate how self-rated preparedness for the patient's death predicted those bereavement outcomes. Family members participated in a nationwide survey for cancer caregivers 2 years after the relative's diagnosis (T1). Of those, 109 were identified as bereaved by 5 years post-diagnosis (T2). Of those, 88 continued to participate at 8-year follow-up (T3) and provided valid data for the study variables. Caregivers' distress risk factors were measured at T1, satisfaction with palliative care and preparedness for the death of the patient at T2, and time since death of the patient at T2 or T3. Substantial numbers of family members (18% to 48%) displayed heightened levels of bereavement-related psychological distress years after the loss. Hierarchical general linear modeling revealed that perceived preparedness for the death of the patient concurrently and prospectively predicted better adjustment to bereavement, independent of contributions of other factors studied. Findings underscore the high prevalence of long-lasting bereavement-related distress among family cancer caregivers and the role of preparedness for the relative's death in the level of that distress. Findings suggest that psychosocial programs among caregivers focus on not only caregiving skills per se but also preparedness for the death of the patient. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Educational needs concerning disaster preparedness and response: a comparison of undergraduate nursing students from Istanbul, Turkey, and Miyazaki, Japan.

    PubMed

    Oztekın, Seher Deniz; Larson, Eric Edwin; Altun Uğraş, Gülay; Yüksel, Serpil

    2014-04-01

    To compare 4 year undergraduate nursing students' educational needs concerning disaster preparedness and response in Istanbul and Miyazaki. This was a 13 question descriptive/comparative survey. Females, aged 18-22 years, and in their second year of their nursing programs, rarely participate in disaster preparedness and response courses at their universities (75.2%) or outside (89.8%). Educational needs of Miyazaki's students who had already participated in these courses (85%) were higher than in Istanbul's (67.2%). Of those whose educational needs had not been met, 55.9% were considering taking another lecture/course in one of the following years (Istanbul, 47.4%; Miyazaki, 71.4%). The majority of students from Istanbul reported some knowledge about disaster preparedness and response from courses at their universities while Miyazaki's students showed less. Effective teaching methods/resources were mock drills. Nursing interventions in disaster situations in "response competencies" were preferred issues to be included in course content (Istanbul, 90.4%; Miyazaki, 93.1%). Most student nurses had no expectations on skills that could be gained from a disaster preparedness and response course/culture of disaster lecture (Istanbul, 48.7%; Miyazaki, 34.5%). Nursing students in both cities seem more likely to participate in disaster preparedness and response courses/lectures. The present study also addresses the need to incorporate mass casualty care and disaster management skills into undergraduate curricula. Core contents for nursing curricula in both cities need to be continued. Outcome competencies must be identified and validated through further research. © 2013 The Authors. Japan Journal of Nursing Science © 2013 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

  4. 42 CFR 485.727 - Condition of participation: Disaster preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... written plan in operation, with procedures to be followed in the event of fire, explosion, or other disaster. The plan is developed and maintained with the assistance of qualified fire, safety, and other... participation: Disaster preparedness. The organization has a written plan, periodically rehearsed, with...

  5. 42 CFR 485.727 - Condition of participation: Disaster preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... written plan in operation, with procedures to be followed in the event of fire, explosion, or other disaster. The plan is developed and maintained with the assistance of qualified fire, safety, and other... participation: Disaster preparedness. The organization has a written plan, periodically rehearsed, with...

  6. 42 CFR 485.727 - Condition of participation: Disaster preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... written plan in operation, with procedures to be followed in the event of fire, explosion, or other disaster. The plan is developed and maintained with the assistance of qualified fire, safety, and other... participation: Disaster preparedness. The organization has a written plan, periodically rehearsed, with...

  7. 42 CFR 485.727 - Condition of participation: Disaster preparedness.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... written plan in operation, with procedures to be followed in the event of fire, explosion, or other disaster. The plan is developed and maintained with the assistance of qualified fire, safety, and other... participation: Disaster preparedness. The organization has a written plan, periodically rehearsed, with...

  8. Measuring Preparedness to Teach with ICT

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forster, Patricia A.; Dawson, Vaille M.; Reid, Doug

    2005-01-01

    In this paper we discuss the development and implementation of a questionnaire that measures preparedness to teach secondary school science with information and communication technologies (ICT). The questionnaire was designed for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of instruction in a science education unit in a Graduate Diploma teacher…

  9. State health policy for terrorism preparedness.

    PubMed

    Ziskin, Leah Z; Harris, Drew A

    2007-09-01

    State health policy for terrorism preparedness began before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, but was accelerated after that day. In a crisis atmosphere after September 11, the states found their policies changing rapidly, greatly influenced by federal policies and federal dollars. In the 5 years since September 11, these state health policies have been refined. This refinement has included a restatement of the goals and objectives of state programs, the modernization of emergency powers statutes, the education and training of the public health workforce, and a preparation of the health care system to better care for victims of disasters, including acts of terrorism.

  10. Using exercises to improve public health preparedness in Asia, the Middle East and Africa

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Exercises are increasingly common tools used by the health sector and other sectors to evaluate their preparedness to respond to public health threats. Exercises provide an opportunity for multiple sectors to practice, test and evaluate their response to all types of public health emergencies. The information from these exercises can be used to refine and improve preparedness plans. There is a growing body of literature about the use of exercises among local, state and federal public health agencies in the United States. There is much less information about the use of exercises among public health agencies in other countries and the use of exercises that involve multiple countries. Results We developed and conducted 12 exercises (four sub-national, five national, three sub-regional) from August 2006 through December 2008. These 12 exercises included 558 participants (average 47) and 137 observers (average 11) from 14 countries. Participants consistently rated the overall quality of the exercises as very good or excellent. They rated the exercises lowest on their ability to identifying key gaps in performance. The vast majority of participants noted that they would use the information they gained at the exercise to improve their organization’s preparedness to respond to an influenza pandemic. Participants felt the exercises were particularly good at raising awareness and understanding about public health threats, assisting in evaluating plans and identifying priorities for improvement, and building relationships that strengthen preparedness and response across sectors and across countries. Participants left the exercises with specific ideas about the most important actions that they should engage in after the exercise such as improved planning coordination across sectors and countries and better training of health workers and response personnel. Conclusions These experiences suggest that exercises can be a valuable, low-burden tool to improve emergency preparedness and response in countries around the world. They also demonstrate that countries can work together to develop and conduct successful exercises designed to improve regional preparedness to public health threats. The development of standardized evaluation methods for exercises may be an additional tool to help focus the actions to be taken as a result of the exercise and to improve future exercises. Exercises show great promise as tools to improve public health preparedness across sectors and countries. PMID:25063987

  11. Are emergency care nurses prepared for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive incidents?

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Christina J; Kernohan, W George; Higginson, Ray

    2012-07-01

    Two main areas exist within emergency care where chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive preparedness can be focused: departmental preparedness and staff preparedness. This study focused upon the latter. To identify areas where nurses require training in order to improve preparedness for a CBRNe incident. A competency questionnaire was developed from the literature and completed by 50 nursing staff across three Emergency Departments within one NHS Trust in Northern Ireland. Descriptive analysis was used for the quantitative data along with content analysis for the qualitative questions. Six key areas were identified for training; waste management (including clinical waste, contaminated clothing, contaminated water and the management of the contaminated deceased), Triage, Chain of command, PODs, awareness of the range of Personal Protective Equipment and its appropriate use and the decontamination of people and equipment. There is a need for a standardised 'blueprint' of role-specific competency criteria for a CBRNe incident for all emergency healthcare staff. The assessment tool used in this study can help to assess levels of preparedness amongst nursing staff and, if adapted accordingly, help gauge preparedness of other key healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Incorporating Sexual Orientation into MFT Training Programs: Infusion and Inclusion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Long, Janie K.; Serovich, Julianne M.

    2003-01-01

    Many authors have questioned the preparedness of family therapists to deal with sexual minority clients. Even though the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) has called for the integration of sexual orientation into the curriculum of marriage and family therapy training programs, the subject continues to…

  13. Building community resilience: business preparedness lessons in the case of Adapazarı, Turkey.

    PubMed

    Orhan, Ezgi

    2016-01-01

    The lack of attention paid to businesses in disaster management systems from the standpoint of state policies hampers efforts to build community resilience. This paper examines, therefore, the extent of business preparedness for disasters. Empirical research was conducted in Adapazarı, Turkey, 13 years after the İzmit earthquake, which struck the northwest of the country on 17 August 1999, claiming the lives of some 17,000 people. For the study, 232 firms were selected to inquire about their preparedness before and after the event. It is hypothesised that business preparedness is influenced by the following set of variables: business size; business sector; business age; financial condition prior to the disaster; occupancy tenure; market range; education level; and previous disaster experience. In line with the findings of the research, a policy framework is constructed to rationalise the allocation of resources for building resilience at the aggregate level by facilitating business preparedness. © 2016 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2016.

  14. The Impact of a Standalone, Patient-centered Communication Course Series on Student Achievement, Preparedness, and Attitudes.

    PubMed

    Trujillo, Jennifer M; McNair, Chelsea D; Linnebur, Sunny A; Valdez, Connie; Trujillo, Toby C

    2016-12-25

    Objective. To evaluate the impact of a standalone, patient-centered communication (PCC) course series on student achievement of and perceived preparedness for PCC skills and to assess student attitudes regarding learning methods used. Design. During curriculum renewal, a standalone PCC course series that integrated horizontally and vertically within the curriculum was developed. Student achievement of outcomes was evaluated by aggregate performance on simulated evaluations. Students who completed the PCC series were surveyed to assess preparedness and attitudes. Students in the prior curriculum were also surveyed. Assessment. The majority of students who completed the PCC series met or exceeded expectations for the simulated evaluations. Preparedness responses were more positive from students who completed the PCC series than from those who completed the prior curriculum. Student attitudes about the learning methods use in the courses also were more positive. Conclusion. The standalone PCC course series effectively achieved PCC outcomes and improved student preparedness for communication-based activities.

  15. RMP Guidance for Warehouses - Appendix C: Technical Assistance

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Resources to assist warehousing facilities in complying include the Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office website, EPCRA/Superfund/RCRA/CAA hotline, OSHA publications and training program, and Institute of Chemical Engineers publications.

  16. Communication and Alert Maintenance Program for Early Response Act

    THOMAS, 112th Congress

    Rep. Richardson, Laura [D-CA-37

    2011-09-07

    House - 09/27/2011 Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  17. Allergy Relief for Your Child

    MedlinePlus

    ... last 20 years, there has been a remarkable transformation in allergy treatments,” says Slater. “Kids used to ... Emergency Preparedness International Programs News & Events Training & Continuing Education Inspections & Compliance Federal, State & Local Officials Consumers Health ...

  18. CDC's Evolving Approach to Emergency Response.

    PubMed

    Redd, Stephen C; Frieden, Thomas R

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) transformed its approach to preparing for and responding to public health emergencies following the anthrax attacks of 2001. The Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, an organizational home for emergency response at CDC, was established, and 4 programs were created or greatly expanded after the anthrax attacks: (1) an emergency management program, including an Emergency Operations Center; (2) increased support of state and local health department efforts to prepare for emergencies; (3) a greatly enlarged Strategic National Stockpile of medicines, vaccines, and medical equipment; and (4) a regulatory program to assure that work done on the most dangerous pathogens and toxins is done as safely and securely as possible. Following these changes, CDC led responses to 3 major public health emergencies: the 2009-10 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the 2014-16 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, and the ongoing Zika epidemic. This article reviews the programs of CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness, the major responses, and how these responses have resulted in changes in CDC's approach to responding to public health emergencies.

  19. Preparing beginning reading teachers: An experimental comparison of initial early literacy field experiences.

    PubMed

    Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Lake, Vickie E; Greulich, Luana; Folsom, Jessica S; Guidry, Lisa

    2012-01-01

    This randomized-control trial examined the learning of preservice teachers taking an initial Early Literacy course in an early childhood education program and of the kindergarten or first grade students they tutored in their field experience. Preservice teachers were randomly assigned to one of two tutoring programs: Book Buddies and Tutor Assisted Intensive Learning Strategies (TAILS), which provided identical meaning-focused instruction (shared book reading), but differed in the presentation of code-focused skills. TAILS used explicit, scripted lessons, and the Book Buddies required that code-focused instruction take place during shared book reading. Our research goal was to understand which tutoring program would be most effective in improving knowledge about reading, lead to broad and deep language and preparedness of the novice preservice teachers, and yield the most successful student reading outcomes. Findings indicate that all pre-service teachers demonstrated similar gains in knowledge, but preservice teachers in the TAILS program demonstrated broader and deeper application of knowledge and higher self-ratings of preparedness to teach reading. Students in both conditions made similar comprehension gains, but students tutored with TAILS showed significantly stronger decoding gains.

  20. Deployment Experiences of Guard and Reserve Families. Implications for Support and Retention

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-01-01

    the Air Force Reserve had the lowest proportion. Among the spouses, the relative ranking of the components was similar, with a greater proportion...friends and neighbors for assistance during deployment. Newlyweds were generally less inclined to use support resources, with newly married service...military programs use of military programs satisfaction with military programs (spouse only) service member military preparedness (service member only

  1. Perceived preparedness for physiatric specialization and future career goals of graduating postgraduate year IV residents during the 2004-2005 academic year.

    PubMed

    Raj, Vishwa S; Rintala, Diana H

    2007-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends among postgraduate year (PGY) IV physiatry residents, at the time of graduation from residency, in terms of their perceived experiences in the core clinical areas, confidence with procedural subspecialization, choice in career specialization, and desire to pursue clinical fellowship. Surveys were distributed to 386 PGY IV residents in physiatry at the end of the 2004-2005 academic year. Ninety-three residents (24%) completed responses in a confidential manner. Residents who were generally more confident in core clinical areas, as defined by the Self-Assessment Examination, and specialty prescription writing also believed themselves to be more prepared to practice these topics in their careers. Overall levels of confidence and perceived preparedness correlated positively with months of training and negatively with the belief in the need for postresidency fellowship training to incorporate these areas into clinical practice. Positive correlations also existed among perceived levels of preparedness in performing various physiatric procedures. Statistically significant differences in levels of confidence and preparedness existed among geographic regions when evaluating core physiatric subject matter. Fifty-six percent of residents who responded planned to pursue fellowship training, and a majority of residents intended to perform interventional procedures and musculoskeletal medicine in their practices. These results provide insight into how trainees perceive their current clinical education. With validation of measures for confidence and preparedness, this survey may be useful as an adjunct resource for residency programs to evaluate their trainees.

  2. Assessment of village health worker training program in Tuguegarao, Philippine.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jung Min; Koh, Kwang Wook; Oak, Chul Ho; Jung, Woo Hyuk; Kim, Sung Hyun; Park, Dae Hee

    2009-11-01

    This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of 'village health worker training program' which aimed to build community participatory health promotion capacity of community leaders in villages of low developed country and to develop methods for further development of the program. The intervention group were 134 community leaders from 25 barangays (village). Control group were 149 form 4 barangays. Intervention group participated 3-day training program. Questionnaire was developed based on 'Health Promotion Capacity Checklist' which assessed capacity in 4 feathers; 'knowledge', 'skill', 'commitment', and 'resource'. Each feather was assessed in 4 point rating scale. Capacity scores between intervention group and control group were examined to identify changes between the pre- and post-intervention periods. A qualitative evaluation of the program was conducted to assess the appropriateness of the program. The program was conducted in Tuguegarao city, Philippine in January, 2009. The result showed significant increases in the total health promotion capacity and each feather of health promotion capacities between pre and post assessment of intervention group. But there was no significant change in that of control group. Participants marked high level of satisfaction for preparedness, selection of main subjects and education method. Qualitative evaluation revealed that training program facilitated community participatory health promotion capacity of participants. This study suggested that the Village health worker training program is effective for building health promotion capacity of community leaders and it can be a main method for helping low developed countries with further development.

  3. The Study to Improve Tsunami Preparedness Education in Turkey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakamoto, Mayumi; Tanırcan, Gülüm; Kaneda, Yoshiyuki; Puskulcu, Seyhun; Kumamoto, Kunihiko

    2016-04-01

    Compared to its long history on disastrous earthquakes, disaster education history in Turkey is rather short. It has just started with an initiative of Disaster Preparedness Education Unit of Bogazici University (BU/DPEU) after 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake. Training modules and materials on disaster preparedness were prepared both for students, teachers and community. Regarding to the school education, the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) reformed their education plan in 2003, and disaster education became one of eight focused components for primary-middle education. In 2011-2014 MoNE had conducted "School-based Disaster Education Project" in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The majority of the school education materials focus more on earthquake and there are very few education programs on tsunami. Within the MarDiM (Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Mitigation in the Marmara Region and Disaster Education in Turkey) project between Turkey and Japan a multidisciplinary engineering research as well as development of disaster education, tsunami education booklet and video were newly developed in 2015. In order to investigate students' knowledge natural disasters and disaster preparedness with focus on tsunami, a questionnaire based survey was conducted. The survey aims to clarify following questions: 1) how students obtain natural disaster information, 2) how students prepare for natural disaster, 3) knowledge on tsunami (hazard mechanism, evacuation behavior, historical disaster). The study was conducted by BU/DPEU in 2015 and 375 students answered the questionnaire. Results showed that students have more interest on earthquake, flood, tsunami and landslide followed it. Most students have heard about tsunami and the school is a key resource of their information. They know relatively well about tsunami mechanism, however, they have less knowledge on tsunami evacuation behavior and tsunami history in Turkey. In order to let students have more knowledge on tsunami, tsunami class was provided by BU/DPEU using tsunami booklet and videos. The class was evaluated by before/after class tests and the result showed improvement on students' knowledge. The result showed the necessity to integrate tsunami education materials in school disaster education curriculum.

  4. Canadian residents’ perceptions of cross-cultural care training in graduate medical school

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Barinder; Banwell, Emma; Groll, Dianne

    2017-01-01

    Background The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada specifies both respect for diversity as a requirement of professionalism and culturally sensitive provision of medical care. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the perception of preparedness and attitudes of medical residents to deliver cross-cultural care. Methods The Cross Cultural Care Survey was sent via e-mail to all Faculty of Medicine residents (approx. 450) in an academic health sciences centre. Comparisons were made between psychiatry residents, family medicine residents, and other residency groups with respect to training, preparedness, and skillfulness in delivering cross-cultural care. Results Seventy-three (16%) residents responded to the survey. Residents in psychiatry and family medicine reported significantly more training and formal evaluation regarding cross-cultural care than residents in other programs. However, there were no significant differences in self-reported preparedness and skillfulness. Residents in family medicine were more likely to report needing more practical experience working with diverse groups. Psychiatry residents were less likely to report inadequate cross-cultural training. Conclusion While most residents reported feeling skillful and prepared to work with culturally diverse groups, they report receiving little additional instruction or formal evaluation on this topic, particularly in programs other than psychiatry and family medicine. PMID:29354194

  5. Federal agency biodefense funding, FY2012-FY2013.

    PubMed

    Franco, Crystal; Sell, Tara Kirk

    2012-06-01

    Since 2001, the United States government has spent substantial resources on preparing the nation against a bioterrorist attack. Earlier articles in this series have analyzed civilian biodefense funding by the federal government for fiscal years (FY) 2001 through proposed funding for FY2012. This article updates those figures with budgeted amounts for FY2013, specifically analyzing the budgets and allocations for civilian biodefense at the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, Homeland Security, Agriculture, Commerce, and State; the Environmental Protection Agency; and the National Science Foundation. As in previous years, our analysis indicates that the majority (>90%) of the "biodefense" programs included in the FY2013 budget have both biodefense and non-biodefense goals and applications-that is, programs to improve infectious disease research, public health and hospital preparedness, and disaster response more broadly. Programs that focus solely on biodefense represent a small proportion (<10%) of our analysis, as the federal agencies continue to prioritize all-hazards preparedness. For FY2013, the federal budget for programs focused solely on civilian biodefense totals $574.2 million, and the budget for programs with multiple goals and applications, including biodefense, is $4.96 billion, for an overall total of $5.54 billion.

  6. Assessment of Hospital Pharmacy Preparedness for Mass Casualty Events

    PubMed Central

    Awad, Nadia I.; Cocchio, Craig

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: To assess the preparedness of hospital pharmacies in New Jersey to provide pharmaceutical services in mass casualty scenarios. Methods: An electronic cross-sectional survey was developed to assess the general knowledge of available resources and attitudes toward the preparedness of the pharmacy department. Results: Out of 60 invitations to participate, 18 surveys (30%) were completed. Respondents practiced at community hospitals (12, 66.6%) with no trauma center designation (11, 67.4%) that served more than 500 licensed beds (five, 29.4%). Six respondents (35.3%) indicated that 75,000 to 100,000 patients visited their emergency departments annually. Seventeen sites (94.4%) reported the existence of an institutional disaster preparedness protocol; 10 (55.5%) indicated that there is a specific plan for the pharmacy department. Most respondents (10, 55.5%) were unsure whether their hospitals had an adequate supply of analgesics, rapid sequence intubation agents, vasopressors, antiemetics, respiratory medications, ophthalmics, oral antimicrobials, and chemical-weapon-specific antidotes. Five (27.7%) agreed that the pharmacy disaster plan included processes to ensure care for patients already hospitalized, and four (22.2%) agreed that the quantity of medication was adequate to treat patients and hospital employees if necessary. Medication stock and quantities were determined based on national or international guidelines at three (16.6%) institutions surveyed. Conclusion: This survey demonstrates a lack of general consensus regarding hospital pharmacy preparedness for mass casualty scenarios despite individualized institutional protocols for disaster preparedness. Standardized recommendations from government and/or professional pharmacy organizations should be developed to guide the preparation of hospital pharmacy departments for mass casualty scenarios. PMID:25859121

  7. Reducing Fever in Children: Safe Use of Acetaminophen

    MedlinePlus

    ... 4, 2011, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, a trade group representing the makers of OTC medicines, announced ... Products Advisory Committees Regulatory Information Safety Emergency Preparedness International Programs News & Events Training & Continuing Education Inspections & Compliance ...

  8. Publications - RI 2016-2 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

    Science.gov Websites

    Tidal Datum Portal Climate and Cryosphere Hazards Coastal Hazards Program Guide to Geologic Hazards in ; Bathymetry; Coastal; Coastal and River; Earthquake Related Slope Failure; Emergency Preparedness; Engineering

  9. Communication and Alert Maintenance Program for Early Response Act of 2010

    THOMAS, 111th Congress

    Rep. Richardson, Laura [D-CA-37

    2010-09-29

    House - 11/01/2010 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:

  10. Application of Behavioral Theories to Disaster and Emergency Health Preparedness: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Ejeta, Luche Tadesse; Ardalan, Ali; Paton, Douglas

    2015-01-01

    Background: Preparedness for disasters and emergencies at individual, community and organizational levels could be more effective tools in mitigating (the growing incidence) of disaster risk and ameliorating their impacts. That is, to play more significant roles in disaster risk reduction (DRR). Preparedness efforts focus on changing human behaviors in ways that reduce people’s risk and increase their ability to cope with hazard consequences. While preparedness initiatives have used behavioral theories to facilitate DRR, many theories have been used and little is known about which behavioral theories are more commonly used, where they have been used, and why they have been preferred over alternative behavioral theories. Given that theories differ with respect to the variables used and the relationship between them, a systematic analysis is an essential first step to answering questions about the relative utility of theories and providing a more robust evidence base for preparedness components of DRR strategies. The goal of this systematic review was to search and summarize evidence by assessing the application of behavioral theories to disaster and emergency health preparedness across the world. Methods: The protocol was prepared in which the study objectives, questions, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and sensitive search strategies were developed and pilot-tested at the beginning of the study. Using selected keywords, articles were searched mainly in PubMed, Scopus, Mosby’s Index (Nursing Index) and Safetylit databases. Articles were assessed based on their titles, abstracts, and their full texts. The data were extracted from selected articles and results were presented using qualitative and quantitative methods. Results: In total, 2040 titles, 450 abstracts and 62 full texts of articles were assessed for eligibility criteria, whilst five articles were archived from other sources, and then finally, 33 articles were selected. The Health Belief Model (HBM), Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Social Cognitive Theories were most commonly applied to influenza (H1N1 and H5N1), floods, and earthquake hazards. Studies were predominantly conducted in USA (13 studies). In Asia, where the annual number of disasters and victims exceeds those in other continents, only three studies were identified. Overall, the main constructs of HBM (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers), EPPM (higher threat and higher efficacy), TPB (attitude and subjective norm), and the majority of the constructs utilized in Social Cognitive Theories were associated with preparedness for diverse hazards. However, while all the theories described above describe the relationships between constituent variables, with the exception of research on Social Cognitive Theories, few studies of other theories and models used path analysis to identify the interdependence relationships between the constructs described in the respective theories/models. Similarly, few identified how other mediating  variables could influence disaster and emergency preparedness.  Conclusions: The existing evidence on the application of behavioral theories and models to disaster and emergency preparedness is chiefly from developed countries. This raises issues regarding their utility in countries, particularly in Asisa and the Middle East, where cultural characteristics are very different to those prevailing in the Western countries in which theories have been developed and tested. The theories and models discussed here have been applied predominantly to disease outbreaks and natural hazards, and information on their utility as guides to preparedness for man-made hazards is lacking. Hence, future studies related to behavioral theories and models addressing preparedness need to target developing countries where disaster risk  and the consequent need for preparedness is high. A need for additional work on demonstrating the relationships of variables and constructs, including more clearly articulating roles for mediating effects was also identified in this analysis.  PMID:26203400

  11. High School Automated External Defibrillator Programs as Markers of Emergency Preparedness for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

    PubMed Central

    Toresdahl, Brett G.; Harmon, Kimberly G.; Drezner, Jonathan A.

    2013-01-01

    Context: School-based automated external defibrillator (AED) programs have demonstrated a high survival rate for individuals suffering sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in US high schools. Objective: To examine the relationship between high schools having an AED on campus and other measures of emergency preparedness for SCA. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: United States high schools, December 2006 to September 2009. Patients or Other Participants: Principals, athletic directors, school nurses, and certified athletic trainers represented 3371 high schools. Main Outcome Measure(s): Comprehensive surveys on emergency planning for SCA submitted by high school representatives to the National Registry for AED Use in Sports from December 2006 to September 2009. Schools with and without AEDs were compared to assess other elements of emergency preparedness for SCA. Results: A total of 2784 schools (82.6%) reported having 1 or more AEDs on campus, with an average of 2.8 AEDs per school; 587 schools (17.4%) had no AEDs. Schools with an enrollment of more than 500 students were more likely to have an AED (relative risk [RR] = 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08, 1.16, P < .01). Suburban schools were more likely to have an AED than were rural (RR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.11, P < .01), urban (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.16, P < .01), or inner-city schools (RR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.23, P < .01). Schools with 1 or more AEDs were more likely to ensure access to early defibrillation (RR = 3.45, 95% CI = 2.97, 3.99, P < .01), establish an emergency action plan for SCA (RR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.67, 2.00, P < .01), review the emergency action plan at least annually (RR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.58, 2.50, P < .01), consult emergency medical services to develop the emergency action plan (RR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.32, P < .01), and establish a communication system to activate emergency responders (RR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.08, P < .01). Conclusions: High schools with AED programs were more likely to establish a comprehensive emergency response plan for SCA. Implementing school-based AED programs is a key step associated with emergency planning for young athletes with SCA. PMID:23672389

  12. Teacher Preparation Programs and District/School Supports for Deaf Education Teachers: A Survey of Beginning Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peneston, Dee Anne

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between deaf education teachers' perceptions of preparedness and their learning experiences in preparation programs and districts' and schools' supports they receive during beginning years of teaching. Additionally, this study provides suggestions regarding what colleges and…

  13. Development and Validation of a Bilingual Stroke Preparedness Assessment Instrument.

    PubMed

    Skolarus, Lesli E; Mazor, Kathleen M; Sánchez, Brisa N; Dome, Mackenzie; Biller, José; Morgenstern, Lewis B

    2017-04-01

    Stroke preparedness interventions are limited by the lack of psychometrically sound intermediate end points. We sought to develop and assess the reliability and validity of the video-Stroke Action Test (video-STAT) an English and a Spanish video-based test to assess people's ability to recognize and react to stroke signs. Video-STAT development and testing was divided into 4 phases: (1) video development and community-generated response options, (2) pilot testing in community health centers, (3) administration in a national sample, bilingual sample, and neurologist sample, and (4) administration before and after a stroke preparedness intervention. The final version of the video-STAT included 8 videos: 4 acute stroke/emergency, 2 prior stroke/nonemergency, 1 nonstroke/emergency, and 1 nonstroke/nonemergency. Acute stroke recognition and action response were queried after each vignette. Video-STAT scoring was based on the acute stroke vignettes only (score range 0-12 best). The national sample consisted of 598 participants, 438 who took the video-STAT in English and 160 who took the video-STAT in Spanish. There was adequate internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.72). The average video-STAT score was 5.6 (SD=3.6), whereas the average neurologist score was 11.4 (SD=1.3). There was no difference in video-STAT scores between the 116 bilingual video-STAT participants who took the video-STAT in English or Spanish. Compared with baseline scores, the video-STAT scores increased after a stroke preparedness intervention (6.2 versus 8.9, P <0.01) among a sample of 101 black adults and youth. The video-STAT yields reliable scores that seem to be valid measures of stroke preparedness. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  14. Development and Validation of a Bilingual Stroke Preparedness Assessment Instrument

    PubMed Central

    Skolarus, Lesli E.; Mazor, Kathleen M.; Sánchez, Brisa N.; Dome, Mackenzie; Biller, José; Morgenstern, Lewis B.

    2017-01-01

    Background and Purpose Stroke preparedness interventions are limited by the lack of psychometrically sound intermediate endpoints. We sought to develop and assess the reliability and validity of the video-Stroke Action Test, video-STAT, an English and Spanish video-based test to assess people’s ability to recognize and react to stroke signs. Methods Video-STAT development and testing was divided into four phases: 1) video development and community-generated response options; 2) pilot testing in community health centers; 3) administration in a national sample, bilingual sample and neurologist sample; and 4) administration before and after a stroke preparedness intervention. Results The final version of the video-STAT included 8 videos: 4 acute stroke/emergency, 2 prior stroke/non-emergency, 1 non-stroke/emergency, 1 non-stroke/non-emergency. Acute stroke recognition and action response were queried after each vignette. Video-STAT scoring was based on the acute stroke vignettes only (score range 0–12 best). The national sample consisted of 598 participants, 438 who took the video-STAT in English and 160 who took the video-STAT in Spanish. There was adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha=0.72). The average video-STAT score was 5.6 (sd=3.6) while the average neurologist score was 11.4 (sd=1.3). There was no difference in video-STAT scores between the 116 bilingual video-STAT participants who took the video-STAT in English or Spanish. Compared to baseline scores, the video-STAT scores increased following a stroke preparedness intervention (6.2 vs. 8.9, p<0.01) among a sample of 101 African American adults and youth. Conclusion The video-STAT yields reliable scores that appear to be valid measures of stroke preparedness. PMID:28250199

  15. The National Disaster Medical System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reutershan, Thomas P.

    1991-01-01

    The Emergency Mobilization Preparedness Board developed plans for improved national preparedness in case of major catastrophic domestic disaster or the possibility of an overseas conventional conflict. Within the health and medical arena, the working group on health developed the concept and system design for the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). A description of NDMS is presented including the purpose, key components, medical response, patient evacuation, definitive medical care, NDMS activation and operations, and summary and benefits.

  16. Development of Medical Technology for Contingency Response to Marrow Toxic Agents

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1. Contingency Preparedness: Collect information from transplant centers, build awareness of the Transplant Center Contingency Planning Committee and...Matched Donors: Increase operational efficiencies that accelerate the search process and increase patient access are key to preparedness in a contingency ...Transplantation: Create a platform that facilitates multicenter collaboration and data management.

  17. Federal Emergency Management and Homeland Security Organization: Historical Developments and Legislative Options

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-06-01

    nuclear disaster warning systems,” and “preparedness and planning to reduce the consequences of major terrorist incidents.” In addition, the order...assistance functions,” in addition to dam safety, “natural and nuclear disaster warning systems,” and “the coordination of preparedness and planning to

  18. 3 CFR 8523 - Proclamation 8523 of May 20, 2010. National Hurricane Preparedness Week, 2010

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... coastal and inland communities face the danger of these powerful storms. From high winds and storm surges... Preparedness Week, I urge individuals, families, communities, and businesses to take time to plan for the storm season before it begins. While hurricane forecasting has improved, storms may still develop with little...

  19. Proposing and Testing a Model to Explain Traits of Algebra Preparedness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Venenciano, Linda; Heck, Ronald

    2016-01-01

    Early experiences with theoretical thinking and generalization in measurement are hypothesized to develop constructs we name here as logical reasoning and preparedness for algebra. Based on work of V. V. Davydov (1975), the Measure Up (MU) elementary grades experimental mathematics curriculum uses quantities of area, length, volume, and mass to…

  20. Preparedness Portfolios and Portfolio Studios: Supporting Self-Authoring Engineers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sattler, Brook; Turns, Jennifer

    2015-01-01

    In this work, we engaged engineering undergraduate students in constructing an ePortfolio. The purpose of the research presented here was to explore the question, "If and in what ways do students report experiencing the construction of a preparedness portfolio in a portfolio studio as an opportunity to develop into self-authoring…

  1. The role of health sectors in disaster preparedness. Floods in southeastern China, 1991.

    PubMed

    Shao, X

    1993-01-01

    Disasters, whether natural or man-made, usually are unpredictable. Efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality from a disaster should be put forth before it occurs. A brief survey is presented of the worst flood to occur in a hundred years that affected eight provinces in Southeast China. The disaster preparedness and response for Anhui Province, the hardest hit area, is summarized. The disaster preparedness was comprehensive, and cooperation was achieved among various specialties: military forces; firefighters; civil engineers; mechanics; police; provincial governors; the medical sectors; and so forth. Among these groups, the role of medical sectors was of great importance in reducing disease that would have resulted from such a disaster. The measures undertaken by the medical sectors included development of an organization to reduce the impact of disaster; training of medical personnel in techniques of rescue and in treatment of victims in disaster areas; development of a plan to assist the leadership in decision-making and establishing support for disaster preparedness; and maintaining sufficient capacity in general hospitals for the admission of victims from disaster areas.

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. The Meta-Leadership Summit for Preparedness Initiative: An Innovative Model to Advance Public Health Preparedness and Response

    PubMed Central

    Sobelson, Robyn K.; Young, Andrea C.; Marcus, Leonard J.; Dorn, Barry C.; Neslund, Verla S.; McNulty, Eric J.

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on the design, evaluation framework, and results from the Meta-Leadership Summit for Preparedness Initiative. The Meta-Leadership Summit for Preparedness was a 5-year initiative based on the premise that national preparedness and emergency response is not solely the responsibility of government. From 2006 to 2011, 36 Meta-Leadership Summits were delivered in communities across the country. Summits were customized, 10-hour leadership development, networking, and community action planning events. They included participation from targeted federal, state, local, nonprofit/philanthropic, and private sector leaders who are directly involved in decision making during a major community or state-wide emergency. A total of 4,971 government, nonprofit, and business leaders attended Meta-Leadership Summits; distribution of attendees by sector was balanced. Ninety-three percent of respondents reported the summit was a valuable use of time, 91% reported the overall quality as “good” or “outstanding,” and 91% would recommend the summit to their colleagues. In addition, approximately 6 months after attending a summit, 80% of respondents reported that they had used meta-leadership concepts or principles. Of these, 93% reported that using meta-leadership concepts or principles had made a positive difference for them and their organizations. The Meta-Leadership Summit for Preparedness Initiative was a value-added opportunity for communities, providing the venue for learning the concepts and practice of meta-leadership, multisector collaboration, and resource sharing with the intent of substantively improving preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. PMID:24251597

  5. The meta-leadership summit for preparedness initiative: an innovative model to advance public health preparedness and response.

    PubMed

    Sobelson, Robyn K; Young, Andrea C; Marcus, Leonard J; Dorn, Barry C; Neslund, Verla S; McNulty, Eric J

    2013-12-01

    This article reports on the design, evaluation framework, and results from the Meta-Leadership Summit for Preparedness Initiative. The Meta-Leadership Summit for Preparedness was a 5-year initiative based on the premise that national preparedness and emergency response is not solely the responsibility of government. From 2006 to 2011, 36 Meta-Leadership Summits were delivered in communities across the country. Summits were customized, 10-hour leadership development, networking, and community action planning events. They included participation from targeted federal, state, local, nonprofit/philanthropic, and private sector leaders who are directly involved in decision making during a major community or state-wide emergency. A total of 4,971 government, nonprofit, and business leaders attended Meta-Leadership Summits; distribution of attendees by sector was balanced. Ninety-three percent of respondents reported the summit was a valuable use of time, 91% reported the overall quality as "good" or "outstanding," and 91% would recommend the summit to their colleagues. In addition, approximately 6 months after attending a summit, 80% of respondents reported that they had used meta-leadership concepts or principles. Of these, 93% reported that using meta-leadership concepts or principles had made a positive difference for them and their organizations. The Meta-Leadership Summit for Preparedness Initiative was a value-added opportunity for communities, providing the venue for learning the concepts and practice of meta-leadership, multisector collaboration, and resource sharing with the intent of substantively improving preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

  6. Paramedic Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Preparedness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Patients.

    PubMed

    Sawyer, Simon; Coles, Jan; Williams, Angela; Lucas, Peter; Williams, Brett

    2017-01-01

    Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to abuse transpiring between people in an intimate relationship. Intimate partner violence is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for women that paramedics frequently report encountering and yet paramedics rarely receive formal education or training to manage. The response of paramedics to IPV is likely to be directed by their individual knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness; all of which are currently unknown. This study aimed to measure paramedic students' knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness to manage IPV patients, and provides baseline data to inform the development of contemporary curricula. We surveyed a cohort of paramedic students from two Australian universities using the Modified Physician REadiness to Manage Intimate partner violence Survey (PREMIS). Internal consistency of previously identified scales was calculated and multiple linear regression was used to measure the association between previous training, knowledge, attitudes, and preparation. We received 260 surveys (80.5% response rate). Results show that actual knowledge, perceived knowledge, and preparedness to manage IPV patients were low. Students with previous training reported higher perceived knowledge (p <.05) and preparedness (p <.01). Participants reported low self-efficacy, confidence, and preparation to manage IPV patients and demonstrated mostly neutral attitudes toward women and patients. Results indicate students require increased IPV education. Education should improve knowledge and preparedness to recognize and refer IPV patients, as well as change neutral and inappropriate attitudes. Incorporating such education and training into the paramedic curricula may improve the preparedness of practitioners, resulting in an improved response to IPV patients.

  7. Terrorism preparedness: Web-based resource management and the TOPOFF 3 exercise.

    PubMed

    Jacobs, Lenworth M; Burns, Karyl J

    2006-03-01

    The bombings of London on July 7, 2005 highlight the need for continued vigilance and readiness to respond to terrorist attacks. Trauma centers need to be at the core of preparedness activities. The State of Connecticut has taken a lead in preparedness and was selected as a site for the US Department of Homeland Security's Top Officials Three Exercise (TOPOFF 3), the largest and most extensive antiterrorism drill ever conducted. All 32 acute care hospitals in Connecticut took part in the drill. The simulated attacks were designed to test all aspects of emergency preparedness including the ability of hospitals to treat large numbers of victims and effectively monitor and implement mechanisms for surge capacity. In Connecticut, TOPOFF 3 tested the Bioterrorism Preparedness Web Application that was designed to be the primary communication and resource management tool during a terrorist event or public health emergency. This paper describes: 1) the impetus for the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health's Bioterrorism Preparedness Web Application; 2) the strategies used to ensure its readiness and appropriate utilization during a public health emergency; and 3) its use for communication and resource management by the Department of Public Health and the acute care hospitals during TOPOFF 3. The Bioterrorism Preparedness Web Application was successfully implemented and used during TOPOFF 3 to assess surge capacity and other resources. Careful development and implementation of the Web application, or any communication system, as well as training and regular practice are required to ensure effective use during a public health emergency.

  8. Combating terrorism : opportunities to improve domestic preparedness program focus and efficiency

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-01-01

    Concerned that terrorists might move beyond using conventional weapons to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) - chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear devices - Congress authorized the federal government to improve capabilities to respond to su...

  9. General RMP Guidance - Appendix C: Technical Assistance

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Contacts for resources available to facilities in complying with 40 CFR part 68 (risk management program) include Office of Emergency Prevention Preparedness and Response, EPCRA/Superfund/RCRA/CAA Call Center, and the Center for Chemical Process Safety.

  10. Community preparedness for emergency: a cross-sectional survey of residents in Heilongjiang of China

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Weilan; Hao, Yanhua; Wu, Qunhong; Ning, Ning; You, Jia; Liu, Chaojie; Jiao, Mingli; Gao, Lijun; Kang, Zheng; Liang, Libo; Sun, Hong; Cui, Yu; Li, Ye; Han, Xiaonan; Fang, Xin; Zhao, Xiyan; Hu, Man; Ding, Ding; Gao, Hao; Lu, Jun

    2015-01-01

    Objective This article aims to identify factors that shape the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of community residents in China's Heilongjiang province towards emergency preparedness. Findings of such a study may provide evidence to support the development of effective public risk communication strategies and education campaigns. Design A cross-sectional household questionnaire survey was conducted in Heilongjiang province in 2014. A stratified cluster sampling strategy was employed to select study participants. The questionnaires were administered using face-to-face interviews. 2800 questionnaires were completed, among which 2686 (95.9%) were considered valid for data analyses. A multivariate logistic regression model was adopted to identify the extent to which the independent variables were associated with emergency preparedness. Results Fewer than 5% respondents were well prepared for emergency. Over half (52%) of poorly prepared respondents did not know what to do in emergency; women (OR=1.691), higher household income (OR ranging from 1.666 to 2.117), previous experience with emergency (OR=1.552), higher levels of knowledge about emergency (OR=2.192), risk awareness (OR=1.531), self-efficacy (OR=1.796), as well as positive attitudes towards emergency preparedness (OR=2.265) were significant predictors for emergency preparedness. Neither educational attainment nor exposure to awareness-raising entered into the logic regression model as a significant predictor for emergency preparedness. Conclusions The level of emergency preparedness in Heilongjiang residents is very low, which is linked with poor knowledge and attitudes of the residents towards emergency preparedness. Future emergency awareness campaigns should be more focused and tailored to the needs of intended audience, taking into consideration of their usual source of information and knowledge in relation to emergency. PMID:26553829

  11. How was the intern year?: self and clinical assessment of four cohorts, from two medical curricula

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Problem-based curricula have provoked controversy amongst educators and students regarding outcome in medical graduates, supporting the need for longitudinal evaluation of curriculum change. As part of a longitudinal evaluation program at the University of Adelaide, a mixed method approach was used to compare the graduate outcomes of two curriculum cohorts: traditional lecture-based ‘old’ and problem-based ‘new’ learning. Methods Graduates were asked to self-assess preparedness for hospital practice and consent to a comparative analysis of their work-place based assessments from their intern year. Comparative data were extracted from 692 work-place based assessments for 124 doctors who graduated from the University of Adelaide Medical School between 2003 and 2006. Results Self-assessment: Overall, graduates of the lecture-based curriculum rated the medical program significantly higher than graduates of the problem-based curriculum. However, there was no significant difference between the two curriculum cohorts with respect to their preparedness in 13 clinical skills. There were however, two areas where the cohorts rated their preparedness in the 13 broad practitioner competencies as significantly different: problem-based graduates rated themselves as better prepared in their ‘awareness of legal and ethical issues’ and the lecture-based graduates rated themselves better prepared in their ‘understanding of disease processes’. Work-place based assessment: There were no significant differences between the two curriculum cohorts for ‘Appropriate Level of Competence’ and ‘Overall Appraisal’. Of the 14 work-place based assessment skills assessed for competence, no significant difference was found between the cohorts. Conclusions The differences in the perceived preparedness for hospital practice of two curriculum cohorts do not reflect the work-place based assessments of their competence as interns. No significant difference was found between the two cohorts in relation to their knowledge and clinical skills. However results suggest a trend in ‘communication with peers and colleagues in other disciplines’ (χ2 (3, N = 596) =13.10, p = 0.056) that requires further exploration. In addition we have learned that student confidence in a new curriculum may impact on their self-perception of preparedness, while not affecting their actual competence. PMID:24961171

  12. Are We Ready for Mass Fatality Incidents? Preparedness of the US Mass Fatality Infrastructure.

    PubMed

    Merrill, Jacqueline A; Orr, Mark; Chen, Daniel Y; Zhi, Qi; Gershon, Robyn R

    2016-02-01

    To assess the preparedness of the US mass fatality infrastructure, we developed and tested metrics for 3 components of preparedness: organizational, operational, and resource sharing networks. In 2014, data were collected from 5 response sectors: medical examiners and coroners, the death care industry, health departments, faith-based organizations, and offices of emergency management. Scores were calculated within and across sectors and a weighted score was developed for the infrastructure. A total of 879 respondents reported highly variable organizational capabilities: 15% had responded to a mass fatality incident (MFI); 42% reported staff trained for an MFI, but only 27% for an MFI involving hazardous contaminants. Respondents estimated that 75% of their staff would be willing and able to respond, but only 53% if contaminants were involved. Most perceived their organization as somewhat prepared, but 13% indicated "not at all." Operational capability scores ranged from 33% (death care industry) to 77% (offices of emergency management). Network capability analysis found that only 42% of possible reciprocal relationships between resource-sharing partners were present. The cross-sector composite score was 51%; that is, half the key capabilities for preparedness were in place. The sectors in the US mass fatality infrastructure report suboptimal capability to respond. National leadership is needed to ensure sector-specific and infrastructure-wide preparedness for a large-scale MFI.

  13. Tsunami mitigation and preparedness activities in California: Chapter L in The SAFRR (Science Application for Risk Reduction) Tsunami Scenario

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wilson, Rick; Miller, Kevin H.

    2013-01-01

    scenario-specific, tsunami evacuation “playbook” maps and guidance in-harbor hazard maps and offshore safety zones for potential boat evacuation during future distant source events; “probability-based” products for land-use planning under the California Seismic Hazard Mapping Act; and an expansion of real-time and post-tsunami field reconnaissance teams and information sharing through a state-wide clearinghouse. The state tsunami program has benefitted greatly from participation in the SAFRR tsunami scenario process, and hopes to continue this relationship with the U.S. Geological Survey to help improve tsunami preparedness in California.

  14. State Health Policy for Terrorism Preparedness

    PubMed Central

    Ziskin, Leah Z.; Harris, Drew A.

    2007-01-01

    State health policy for terrorism preparedness began before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, but was accelerated after that day. In a crisis atmosphere after September 11, the states found their policies changing rapidly, greatly influenced by federal policies and federal dollars. In the 5 years since September 11, these state health policies have been refined. This refinement has included a restatement of the goals and objectives of state programs, the modernization of emergency powers statutes, the education and training of the public health workforce, and a preparation of the health care system to better care for victims of disasters, including acts of terrorism. PMID:17666689

  15. Zombie Apocalypse: Can the Undead Teach the Living How to Survive an Emergency?

    PubMed

    Kruvand, Marjorie; Bryant, Fred B

    2015-01-01

    We examined whether or not CDC's zombie apocalypse campaign had the ability to achieve the agency's goals of educating young people about emergency preparedness and prompting them to get ready by developing an emergency kit and plan. While the campaign was extremely popular, we examined the question of whether the campaign had the capability to translate into knowledge and action. We conducted an online experiment with 340 undergraduate students divided randomly into two groups. One group was exposed to CDC's zombie blog post; the other to the same preparedness information presented in CDC's traditional, straightforward way. Participants then completed a survey designed to gauge their affective feelings, perceptions, retention of preparedness preparation, and intent to develop an emergency kit and plan. While participants who viewed the humorous zombie material clearly enjoyed it, their positive affect did not lead to greater retention of preparedness information or greater expressed intent to prepare, compared with participants exposed to the factual treatment. The zombie approach had no influence on retention or resulted in less retention relative to the factual approach. Also, there was no significant between-group difference in reported likelihood of developing an emergency kit or plan. While the campaign drew unprecedented traffic to CDC's website, our findings suggest that it lacked the capability to fully achieve the agency's goals of educating people about preparedness and prompting them to get ready. This finding supports previous studies concluding that it is challenging to design public health messages that evoke positive affect as well as intended changes in intentions or behaviors.

  16. Ebola Preparedness in the Netherlands: The Need for Coordination Between the Public Health and the Curative Sector.

    PubMed

    Swaan, Corien M; Öry, Alexander V; Schol, Lianne G C; Jacobi, André; Richardus, Jan Hendrik; Timen, Aura

    During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2015, close cooperation between the curative sector and the public health sector in the Netherlands was necessary for timely identification, referral, and investigation of patients with suspected Ebola virus disease (EVD). In this study, we evaluated experiences in preparedness among stakeholders of both curative and public health sectors to formulate recommendations for optimizing preparedness protocols. Timeliness of referred patients with suspected EVD was used as indicator for preparedness. In focus group sessions and semistructured interviews, experiences of curative and public health stakeholders about the regional and national process of preparedness and response were listed. Timeliness recordings of all referred patients with suspected EVD (13) were collected from first date of illness until arrival in the referral academic hospital. Ebola preparedness was considered extensive compared with the risk of an actual patient, however necessary. Regional coordination varied between regions. More standardization of regional preparation and operational guidelines was requested, as well as nationally standardized contingency criteria, and the National Centre for Infectious Disease Control was expected to coordinate the development of these guidelines. For the timeliness of referred patients with suspected EVD, the median delay between first date of illness until triage was 2.0 days (range: 0-10 days), and between triage and arrival in the referral hospital, it was 5.0 hours (range: 2-7.5 hours). In none of these patients Ebola infection was confirmed. Coordination between the public health sector and the curative sector needs improvement to reduce delay in patient management in emerging infectious diseases. Standardization of preparedness and response practices, through guidelines for institutional preparedness and blueprints for regional and national coordination, is necessary, as preparedness for emerging infectious diseases needs a multidisciplinary approach overarching both the public health sector and the curative sector. In the Netherlands a national platform for preparedness is established, in which both the curative sector and public health sector participate, in order to implement the outcomes of this study.

  17. Physician Preparedness for Big Genomic Data: A Review of Genomic Medicine Education Initiatives in the United States.

    PubMed

    Rubanovich, Caryn Kseniya; Cheung, Cynthia; Mandel, Jess; Bloss, Cinnamon S

    2018-05-10

    In the last decade, genomic medicine education initiatives have surfaced across the spectrum of physician training in order to help address a gap in genomic medicine preparedness among physicians. The approaches are diverse and stem from the belief that 21st century physicians must be proficient in genomic medicine applications as they will be leaders in the precision medicine movement. We conducted a review of literature in genomic medicine education and training for medical students, graduate medical education, and practicing physicians with articles published between June 2015 and January 2018 to gain a picture of the current state of genomic medicine education with a focus on the United States. We found evidence of progress in the development of new and innovative educational programs and other resources aimed at increasing physician knowledge and readiness. Three overarching educational approach themes emerged, including immersive and experiential learning; interdisciplinary and interprofessional education; and electronic- and web-based approaches. This review is not exhaustive, nevertheless, it may inform future directions and improvements for genomic medicine education. Important next-steps include: 1) identifying and studying ways to best implement low-cost dissemination of genomic information; 2) emphasizing genomic medicine education program evaluation; and 3) incorporating interprofessional and interdisciplinary initiatives. Genomic medicine education and training will become more and more relevant in the years to come as physicians increasingly interact with genomic and other precision medicine technologies.

  18. Notes and comments "High and dry?" The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act and liability protection for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

    PubMed

    Copper, B Kurt

    2007-01-01

    In an era filled with fears of bioterrorism, Congress approved the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREPA) to encourage development of vaccines and other countermeasures. By providing pharmaceutical manufacturers with protection from liability for potential side effects, Congress has attempted to motivate manufacturers to produce a national stockpile of countermeasures. As part of PREPA, the government established a compensatory system intended to provide compensation to persons injured by countermeasures used during a public health emergency. Although the Act provides for a compensation fund, it fails to allocate monies for that fund. Thus, in the absence of further congressional action, PREPA will not provide compensation to those injured by countermeasures. Failing to assure the American public of a compensation program constitutes bad public policy and risks inspiring potential vaccinees to refuse necessary drugs. Additionally, arguments as to the constitutionality of the Act exist should Congress fail to adequately fund the program, and the existence of those arguments undermines the purpose of the Act--namely to assure pharmaceutical manufacturers that they will not be sued into oblivion should they attempt to aid national pandemic protection. In addition to detailing both the Act and the statutory precedent for congressional attempts to spur biodefense, this Article addresses important issues of healthcare, tort, and constitutional law that will continue to manifest themselves in this new era of bioterrorism.

  19. Outcomes for family carers of a nurse-delivered hospital discharge intervention for older people (the Further Enabling Care at Home Program): Single blind randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Toye, Christine; Parsons, Richard; Slatyer, Susan; Aoun, Samar M; Moorin, Rachael; Osseiran-Moisson, Rebecca; Hill, Keith D

    2016-12-01

    Hospital discharge of older people receiving care at home offers a salient opportunity to identify and address their family caregivers' self-identified support needs. This study tested the hypothesis that the extent to which family caregivers of older people discharged home from hospital felt prepared to provide care at home would be positively influenced by their inclusion in the new Further Enabling Care at Home program. This single-blind randomised controlled trial compared outcomes from usual care alone with those from usual care plus the new program. The program, delivered by a specially trained nurse over the telephone, included: support to facilitate understanding of the patient's discharge letter; caregiver support needs assessment; caregiver prioritisation of urgent needs; and collaborative guidance, from the nurse, regarding accessing supports. Dyads were recruited from the medical assessment unit of a Western Australian metropolitan public hospital. Each dyad comprised a patient aged 70 years or older plus an English speaking family caregiver. The primary outcome was the caregiver's self-reported preparedness to provide care for the patient. Data collection time points were designated as: Time 1, within four days of discharge; Time 2, 15-21days after discharge; Time 3, six weeks after discharge. Other measures included caregivers' ratings of: their health, patients' symptoms and independence, caregiver strain, family well-being, caregiver stress, and positive appraisals of caregiving. Data were collected by telephone. Complete data sets were obtained from 62 intervention group caregivers and 79 controls. Groups were equivalent at baseline. Needs prioritised most often by caregivers were: to know whom to contact and what to expect in the future and to access practical help at home. Support guidance included how to: access help, information, and resources; develop crisis plans; obtain referrals and services; and organise legal requirements. Compared to controls, preparedness to care improved in the intervention group from Time 1 to Time 2 (effect size=0.52; p=0.006) and from Time 1 to Time 3 (effect size=0.43; p=0.019). These improvements corresponded to a change of approximately 2 points on the Preparedness for Caregiving instrument. Small but significant positive impacts were also observed in other outcomes, including caregiver strain. These unequivocal findings provide a basis for considering the Furthering Enabling Care at Home program's implementation in this and other similar settings. Further testing is required to determine the generalisability of results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Pandemic influenza preparedness in Latin America: analysis of national strategic plans.

    PubMed

    Mensua, Ana; Mounier-Jack, Sandra; Coker, Richard

    2009-07-01

    The threat of a human pandemic of influenza has prompted the development of national influenza pandemic preparedness plans over the last 4 years. Analyses have been carried out to assess preparedness in Europe, Asia and Africa. We assessed plans to evaluate the national strategic pandemic influenza preparedness in the countries of Latin America. Published national pandemic influenza preparedness plans from Latin American countries were evaluated against criteria drawn from the World Health Organization checklist. Plans were eligible for inclusion if formally published before 16 November 2007. Fifteen national plans were identified and retrieved from the 17 Latin American countries surveyed. Latin American countries demonstrated different degrees of preparedness, and that a high level of completeness of plans was correlated to a country's wealth to a certain extent. Plans were judged strong in addressing surveillance requirements, and provided appropriate communication strategies directed to the general public and health care personnel. However, gaps remained, including the organization of health care services' response; planning and maintenance of essential services; and the provision of containment measures such as the stockpiling of necessary medical supplies including vaccines and antiviral medications. In addition, some inconsistencies and variations which may be important, such as in border control measures and the capacity to contain outbreaks, exist between country plans-issues that could result in confusion in the event of a pandemic. A number of plans remain developmental in nature and, as elsewhere, more emphasis should be placed on strengthening the operability of plans, and in testing them. Whilst taking account of resources constraints, plans should be further developed in a coherent manner with both regional and international imperatives.

  1. Liberia national disaster preparedness coordination exercise: Implementing lessons learned from the West African disaster preparedness initiative.

    PubMed

    Hamer, Melinda J Morton; Reed, Paul L; Greulich, Jane D; Beadling, Charles W

    2017-01-01

    In light of the recent Ebola outbreak, there is a critical need for effective disaster management systems in Liberia and other West African nations. To this end, the West Africa Disaster Preparedness Initiative held a disaster management exercise in conjunction with the Liberian national government on November 24-25, 2015. During this tabletop exercise (TTX), interactions within and between the 15 counties and the Liberian national government were conducted and observed to refine and validate the county and national standard operating procedures (SOPs). The exercise took place in three regional locations throughout Liberia: Monrovia, Buchanan, and Bong. The TTX format allowed counties to collaborate utilizing open-source software platforms including Ushahidi, Sahana, QGIS, and KoBoCollect. Four hundred sixty-seven individuals (representing all 15 counties of Liberia) identified as key actors involved with emergency operations and disaster preparedness participated in the exercise. A qualitative survey with open-ended questions was administered to exercise participants to determine needed improvements in the disaster management system in Liberia. Key findings from the exercise and survey include the need for emergency management infrastructure to extend to the community level, establishment of a national disaster management agency and emergency operations center, customized local SOPs, ongoing surveillance, a disaster exercise program, and the need for effective data sharing and hazard maps. These regional exercises initiated the process of validating and refining Liberia's national and county-level SOPs. Liberia's participation in this exercise has provided a foundation for advancing its preparedness, response, and recovery capacities and could provide a template for other countries to use.

  2. 44 CFR 327.1 - Purpose.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... equipment for the emergency preparedness programs of the U.S. Government. ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Purpose. 327.1 Section 327.1 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY...

  3. Quick Tips for Buying Medicines Over the Internet: A Consumer Safety Guide

    MedlinePlus

    ... Laser Products Other Resources State Pharmacy Boards Federal Trade Commission U.S. Customs and Border Protection Spotlight A ... Products Advisory Committees Regulatory Information Safety Emergency Preparedness International Programs News & Events Training & Continuing Education Inspections & Compliance ...

  4. 48 CFR 511.602 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., energy, and civil emergency preparedness program requirements and to provide an operating system to... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false General. 511.602 Section 511.602 Federal Acquisition Regulations System GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION COMPETITION AND...

  5. 48 CFR 511.602 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ..., energy, and civil emergency preparedness program requirements and to provide an operating system to... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false General. 511.602 Section 511.602 Federal Acquisition Regulations System GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION COMPETITION AND...

  6. 48 CFR 511.602 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ..., energy, and civil emergency preparedness program requirements and to provide an operating system to... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false General. 511.602 Section 511.602 Federal Acquisition Regulations System GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION COMPETITION AND...

  7. 48 CFR 511.602 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ..., energy, and civil emergency preparedness program requirements and to provide an operating system to... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false General. 511.602 Section 511.602 Federal Acquisition Regulations System GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION COMPETITION AND...

  8. 48 CFR 511.602 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ..., energy, and civil emergency preparedness program requirements and to provide an operating system to... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false General. 511.602 Section 511.602 Federal Acquisition Regulations System GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION COMPETITION AND...

  9. 77 FR 75182 - President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-19

    ... Telecommunications Advisory Committee AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS. ACTION: Committee... Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will meet on Friday, January 11, 2013, via... related to national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications policy. Agenda: The NSTAC...

  10. 78 FR 45255 - President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-26

    ... Telecommunications Advisory Committee AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS. [[Page 45256... President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will meet on Tuesday, August 20... related to national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) telecommunications policy. Agenda: The...

  11. 44 CFR 312.5 - Personnel.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ....5 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER... of specific programs, through payment of salaries and benefits of State and local civil defense staff...

  12. 44 CFR 312.5 - Personnel.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ....5 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER... of specific programs, through payment of salaries and benefits of State and local civil defense staff...

  13. 44 CFR 312.5 - Personnel.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ....5 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER... of specific programs, through payment of salaries and benefits of State and local civil defense staff...

  14. 44 CFR 312.5 - Personnel.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ....5 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER... of specific programs, through payment of salaries and benefits of State and local civil defense staff...

  15. 44 CFR 360.4 - Administrative procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Administrative procedures. 360.4 Section 360.4 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN...

  16. 44 CFR 361.7 - General eligible expenditures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.7 General eligible expenditures... specifically for carrying out earthquake hazards reduction activities are eligible when engaged in the...

  17. 44 CFR 361.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.2 Definitions. Cash Contribution means the State cash... to States under this section. They include specific activities or projects related to earthquake...

  18. 44 CFR 361.7 - General eligible expenditures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.7 General eligible expenditures... specifically for carrying out earthquake hazards reduction activities are eligible when engaged in the...

  19. 44 CFR 361.7 - General eligible expenditures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.7 General eligible expenditures... specifically for carrying out earthquake hazards reduction activities are eligible when engaged in the...

  20. 44 CFR 361.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.2 Definitions. Cash Contribution means the State cash... to States under this section. They include specific activities or projects related to earthquake...

  1. 44 CFR 361.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.2 Definitions. Cash Contribution means the State cash... to States under this section. They include specific activities or projects related to earthquake...

  2. 44 CFR 361.7 - General eligible expenditures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.7 General eligible expenditures... specifically for carrying out earthquake hazards reduction activities are eligible when engaged in the...

  3. 44 CFR 361.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.2 Definitions. Cash Contribution means the State cash... to States under this section. They include specific activities or projects related to earthquake...

  4. 44 CFR 361.7 - General eligible expenditures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.7 General eligible expenditures... specifically for carrying out earthquake hazards reduction activities are eligible when engaged in the...

  5. Emergency Preparedness--The Role of the School Nurse. Position Statement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cagginello, Joan B.; Clark, Sandra; Compton, Linda; Davis, Catherine; Healy, Marilyn; Hoffmann, Susan; Tuck, Christine M.

    2011-01-01

    It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that school nurses provide leadership in all phases of emergency preparedness and management and are a vital part of the school team that develops emergency response procedures for the school setting, using an all-hazards approach. The school nurse is a vital school…

  6. Designing Emergency Preparedness Resources for Children with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edmonds, Casey Olivia

    2017-01-01

    Emergency preparedness is a fast developing field of education driven by the numerous disasters worldwide with more recent notable examples including the terrorist attacks of 9/11 in the US in 2001, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the London bombings in 2005, the earthquake in China in 2008, the Great East Japan…

  7. Workplace Preparedness for Terrorism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-01-01

    Geography Brand Points of Failure Human Continuity as Business Continuity Critical Event Preparedness Corporate-Community Cooperation and the...Public-Private Interface Training Cost Fear of Increasing Anxiety Geography : A corporation’s location, its corporate headquarters, its na- tional...incident team and include didactic and practical instruction. Th e opportunity to develop lessons learned from past or future disaster events can

  8. [Impact of a disaster preparedness training program on health staff].

    PubMed

    Parra Cotanda, Cristina; Rebordosa Martínez, Mónica; Trenchs Sainz de la Maza, Victoria; Luaces Cubells, Carles

    2016-09-01

    The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a disaster preparedness training program in a Paediatric Emergency Department (PED). A quasi-experimental study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire that was distributed to health care providers of a PED in a tertiary paediatric hospital. The questions concerned the disaster plan (DP), including theoretical and practical aspects. Questionnaires were distributed and completed in January 2014 (period 1) and November 2014 (period 2). The disaster training program includes theoretical and practical sessions. A total of 110 questionnaires were collected in period 1, and 80 in period 2. Almost three-quarters (71.3%) of PED staff attended the theoretical sessions, and 43.8% attended the practical sessions. The application of this training program significantly improved knowledge about the DP, but no improvement was observed in the practical questions. PED staff felt more prepared to face a disaster after the training program (15.5% vs. 41.8%, P<.001). The training program improved some knowledge about the disaster plan, but it has not improved responses in practical situations, which may be due to the low attendance at practical sessions and the time between the training program and the questionnaires. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  9. Introducing a Transdisciplinary Approach in Studies regarding Risk Assessment and Management in Educational Programs for Environmental Engineers and Planners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menoni, Scira

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss how long term risk prevention and civil protection may enter in university programs for environmental engineers and urban and regional planners. Design/methodology/approach: First the distinction between long term risk prevention and emergency preparedness is made, showing that while the first has…

  10. Encouraging Wildland Fire Preparedness: Lessons Learned from Three Wildfire Education Programs

    Treesearch

    Victoria Sturtevant; Sarah McCaffrey

    2006-01-01

    Managers may often wonder why some people do not choose to adopt defensible space practices despite understanding the benefits of doing so. Research has sought to understand why a new practice or innovation is or is not adopted. This paper will briefly discuss factors found to influence adoption rates and describe how three different fire education programs - Firewise...

  11. Benchmarking First-Year English: An Analysis of the Language Proficiencies Required for Entry into First-Year English Composition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ostler, Catherine; Sheldrake, Charlotte; Vogel, Vicki; West, Elizabeth

    2008-01-01

    Increasing numbers of ESL (English as a Second Language) students are entering college and university programs, and educators in these programs are concerned about student preparedness. ESL students enter the post-secondary system from a variety of places, resulting in a lack of uniformity in entry level academic skills. A significant associated…

  12. Preparation in Multicultural Teacher Education: Perceptions of Pre-Service Teachers and Their Professor in a Teacher Credentialing Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Estupinan, Marina

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to research and analyze: (a) the similarities and differences in pre-service teachers' perceptions of teacher preparedness for multicultural education following the completion of a course in a teacher credentialing program, and (b) the identification of major factors from the university professor's perceptions which…

  13. Effectiveness of environmental-based educative program for disaster preparedness and burn management.

    PubMed

    Moghazy, Amr; Abdelrahman, Amira; Fahim, Ayman

    2012-01-01

    Preparedness is a necessity for proper handling of emergencies and disaster, particularly in Suez Canal and Sinai regions. To assure best success rates, educative programs should be environmentally based. Burn and fire preventive educative programs were tailored to adapt social and education levels of audience. In addition, common etiologies and applicability of preventive measures, according to local resources and logistics, were considered. Presentations were the main educative tool; they were made as simple as possible to assure best understanding. To assure continuous education, brochures and stickers, containing most popular mistakes and questions, were distributed after the sessions. Audience was classified according to their level of knowledge to health professional group; students groups; high-risk group; and lay people group. For course efficacy evaluation, pre- and posttests were used immediately before and after the sessions. Right answers in both tests were compared for statistical significance. Results showed significant acquisition of proper attitude and knowledge in all educated groups. The highest was among students and the least was in health professionals. Comprehensive simple environmental-based educative programs are ideal for rapid reform and community mobilization in our region. Activities should include direct contact, stickers and flyers, and audiovisual tools if possible.

  14. The Legacy of Seligman's "Phobias and Preparedness" (1971).

    PubMed

    McNally, Richard J

    2016-09-01

    Seligman's (1971) classic article, "Phobias and Preparedness," marked a break from traditional conditioning theories of the etiology of phobias, inspiring a line of research integrating evolutionary theory with learning theory. In this article, I briefly sketch the context motivating the preparedness theory of phobias before summarizing the initial wave of laboratory conditioning experiments pioneered by Öhman and conducted by his team and by others to test predictions derived from Seligman's theory. Finally, I review the legacy of Seligman's article, including theoretical developments embodied in Öhman and Mineka's fear module approach as well as alternatives for explaining "preparedness" phenomena, including the selective sensitization, expectancy, and nonassociative theories. Although Seligman himself soon moved on to other topics, his seminal article in Behavior Therapy continues to inspire research more than four decades later that has deepened our understanding of the etiology of phobias. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Integrating Health Education in Core Curriculum Classrooms: Successes, Challenges, and Implications for Urban Middle Schools.

    PubMed

    Rajan, Sonali; Roberts, Katherine J; Guerra, Laura; Pirsch, Moira; Morrell, Ernest

    2017-12-01

    School-based health education efforts can positively affect health behaviors and learning outcomes; however, there is limited available time during the school day for separate health education classes. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and sustainability of implementing a classroom-based health education program that integrates skill development with health learning. A wait-list control study design was conducted among 168 6th graders in 2 urban schools. Data on program implementation, feasibility, and health outcomes were collected from students at 3 time points and from 5 teachers across the implementation of the 10-week program. There were barriers to implementation, including time limitations, unexpected school-wide disruptions, and variations in student reading ability and teacher preparedness. However, analyses revealed there were significant increases in self-efficacy regarding fruit and vegetable consumption and outcome expectations following program implementation, which were also sustained post-program implementation. Despite inconsistent implementation in the wait-list control school, small gains were also noted following the completion of the program. Integrating health education efforts within core curricula classes can lead to favorable outcomes. However, implementation barriers must be actively addressed by schools and program developers to improve program fidelity and maximize the sustainability of program gains. © 2017, American School Health Association.

  16. Expanding CERC beyond public health: sharing best practices with healthcare managers via virtual learning.

    PubMed

    Hewitt, Anne M; Spencer, Susan S; Ramloll, Rameshsharma; Trotta, Heidi

    2008-10-01

    Developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2002, the Crisis Emergency and Risk Communication (CERC) training module is a nationally and internationally recognized communication model. With the looming threat of a pandemic and the potential for a protracted ongoing siege, a valuable opportunity exists to introduce crisis and emergency preparedness communication best practices to a new population--health care managers and administrators. The CERC toolkit and resources, provide an easy, turn-key solution and a validated template for educators who are not directly involved in public health education but desire to share this content. In this example, graduate students enrolled in an Master of Health Administration program, used a Play2Train scenario, located in the virtual learning environment of SecondLife (2007), to incorporate concepts from the CERC model. By applying the CERC best practices in a real-time virtual learning scenario, students learned collaboration and the leadership competencies necessary to help implement Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations emergency communication protocols and community collaboration requirements. By expanding the impact of the CERC model and developing unified risk communication responses and information sharing, all health professionals can enhance the effectiveness of their emergency preparedness plans so that the public can be better served.

  17. Nursing Home Self-assessment of Implementation of Emergency Preparedness Standards.

    PubMed

    Lane, Sandi J; McGrady, Elizabeth

    2016-08-01

    Introduction Disasters often overwhelm a community's capacity to respond and recover, creating a gap between the needs of the community and the resources available to provide services. In the wake of multiple disasters affecting nursing homes in the last decade, increased focus has shifted to this vital component of the health care system. However, the long-term care sector has often fallen through the cracks in both planning and response. Problem Two recent reports (2006 and 2012) published by the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG), elucidate the need for improvements in nursing homes' comprehensive emergency preparedness and response. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed an emergency preparedness checklist as a guidance tool and proposed emergency preparedness regulations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the progress made in nursing home preparedness by determining the level of completion of the 70 tasks noted on the checklist. The study objectives were to: (1) determine the preparedness levels of nursing homes in North and South Carolina (USA), and (2) compare these findings with the 2012 OIG's report on nursing home preparedness to identify current gaps. A survey developed from the checklist of items was emailed to 418 North Carolina and 193 South Carolina nursing home administrators during 2014. One hundred seventeen were returned/"bounced back" as not received. Follow-up emails and phone calls were made to encourage participation. Sixty-three completed surveys and 32 partial surveys were received. Responses were compared to data obtained in a 2010 study to determine progress. Progress had been made in many of the overall planning and sheltering-in-place tasks, such as having contact information of local emergency managers as well as specifications for availability of potable water. Yet, gaps still persisted, especially in evacuation standards, interfacing with emergency management officials, establishing back-up evacuation sites and evacuation routes, identification of resident care items, and obtaining copies of state and local emergency planning regulations. Nursing homes have made progress in preparedness tasks, however, gaps persist. Compliance may prove challenging for some nursing homes, but closer integration with emergency management officials certainly is a step in the right direction. Further research that guides evacuation or shelter-in-place decision making is needed in light of persistent challenges in completing these tasks. Lane SJ , McGrady E . Nursing home self-assessment of implementation of emergency preparedness standards. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(4):422-431.

  18. How to assess and prepare health systems in low- and middle-income countries for integration of services—a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Joshi, Rohina; Negin, Joel

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Despite growing support for integration of frontline services, a lack of information about the pre-conditions necessary to integrate such services hampers the ability of policy makers and implementers to assess how feasible or worthwhile integration may be, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We adopted a modified systematic review with aspects of realist review, including quantitative and qualitative studies that incorporated assessment of health system preparedness for and capacity to implement integrated services. We searched Medline via Ovid, Web of Science and the Cochrane library using terms adapted from Dudley and Garner’s systematic review on integration in LMICs. From an initial list of 10 550 articles, 206 were selected for full-text review by two reviewers who independently reviewed articles and inductively extracted and synthesized themes related to health system preparedness. We identified five ‘context’ related categories and four health system ‘capability’ themes. The contextual enabling and constraining factors for frontline service integration were: (1) the organizational framework of frontline services, (2) health care worker preparedness, (3) community and client preparedness, (4) upstream logistics and (5) policy and governance issues. The intersecting health system capabilities identified were the need for: (1) sufficiently functional frontline health services, (2) sufficiently trained and motivated health care workers, (3) availability of technical tools and equipment suitable to facilitate integrated frontline services and (4) appropriately devolved authority and decision-making processes to enable frontline managers and staff to adapt integration to local circumstances. Moving beyond claims that integration is defined differently by different programs and thus unsuitable for comparison, this review demonstrates that synthesis is possible. It presents a common set of contextual factors and health system capabilities necessary for successful service integration which may be considered indicators of preparedness and could form the basis for an ‘integration preparedness tool’. PMID:29272396

  19. How to assess and prepare health systems in low- and middle-income countries for integration of services-a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Topp, Stephanie M; Abimbola, Seye; Joshi, Rohina; Negin, Joel

    2018-03-01

    Despite growing support for integration of frontline services, a lack of information about the pre-conditions necessary to integrate such services hampers the ability of policy makers and implementers to assess how feasible or worthwhile integration may be, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We adopted a modified systematic review with aspects of realist review, including quantitative and qualitative studies that incorporated assessment of health system preparedness for and capacity to implement integrated services. We searched Medline via Ovid, Web of Science and the Cochrane library using terms adapted from Dudley and Garner's systematic review on integration in LMICs. From an initial list of 10 550 articles, 206 were selected for full-text review by two reviewers who independently reviewed articles and inductively extracted and synthesized themes related to health system preparedness. We identified five 'context' related categories and four health system 'capability' themes. The contextual enabling and constraining factors for frontline service integration were: (1) the organizational framework of frontline services, (2) health care worker preparedness, (3) community and client preparedness, (4) upstream logistics and (5) policy and governance issues. The intersecting health system capabilities identified were the need for: (1) sufficiently functional frontline health services, (2) sufficiently trained and motivated health care workers, (3) availability of technical tools and equipment suitable to facilitate integrated frontline services and (4) appropriately devolved authority and decision-making processes to enable frontline managers and staff to adapt integration to local circumstances. Moving beyond claims that integration is defined differently by different programs and thus unsuitable for comparison, this review demonstrates that synthesis is possible. It presents a common set of contextual factors and health system capabilities necessary for successful service integration which may be considered indicators of preparedness and could form the basis for an 'integration preparedness tool'. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

  20. A call for science preparedness for pregnant women during public health emergencies.

    PubMed

    Faherty, Laura J; Rasmussen, Sonja A; Lurie, Nicole

    2017-01-01

    Science preparedness, or the ability to conduct scientific research early in a public health emergency, is essential to increase the likelihood that important research questions regarding pregnant women will be addressed during future public health emergencies while the window of opportunity for data collection is open. Science preparedness should include formulation and human subject approval of generic protocols, which could be rapidly updated at the time of the public health emergency; development of a preexisting study network to coordinate time-sensitive research during a public health emergency; and identification of mechanisms for funding these studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Developing a disaster education program for community safety and resilience: The preliminary phase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nifa, Faizatul Akmar Abdul; Abbas, Sharima Ruwaida; Lin, Chong Khai; Othman, Siti Norezam

    2017-10-01

    Resilience encompasses both the principles of preparedness and reaction within the dynamic systems and focuses responses on bridging the gap between pre-disaster activities and post-disaster intervention and among structural/non-structural mitigation. Central to this concept is the ability of the affected communities to recover their livelihood and inculcating necessary safety practices during the disaster and after the disaster strikes. While these ability and practices are important to improve the community safety and resilience, such factors will not be effective unless the awareness is present among the community. There have been studies conducted highlighting the role of education in providing awareness for disaster safety and resilience from a very young age. However for Malaysia, these area of research has not been fully explored and developed based on the specific situational and geographical factors of high-risk flood disaster locations. This paper explores the importance of disaster education program in Malaysia and develops into preliminary research project which primary aim is to design a flood disaster education pilot program in Kampung Karangan Primary School, Kelantan, Malaysia.

  2. Psychological Correlates of Civilian Preparedness for Conflicts.

    PubMed

    Bodas, Moran; Siman-Tov, Maya; Kreitler, Shulamith; Peleg, Kobi

    2017-08-01

    Preparedness for emergencies and disasters is imperative for public resilience. Previous studies have revealed low levels of civilian preparedness for conflicts. Classic behavioral models prove inapt in describing preparedness patterns in victimized populations chronically exposed to this threat. In an effort to expand this perspective, we hypothesized that other psychological constructs are correlated with preparedness. A cross-sectional, Internet-based study was performed in Israel in early 2016. A sociodemographically diverse sample included 385 participants, Jews and Arabs. The tools included a preparedness index, sense of preparedness questionnaire, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Life Orientation Test, Behavioral Inhibition & Activation System scales, and ego defenses. The results suggested that optimistic and rational individuals reported significantly higher levels of preparedness, whereas those who scored highly on the trait anxiety scale and those with a tendency to use denial coping mechanisms reported significantly lower levels of preparedness. The findings suggest that additional constructs, other than classic threat perception components, might play a key role in governing preparedness behavior. In particular, psychological manipulation of dispositional optimism or optimistic thinking might be effective in motivating preparedness behavior. Future research should explore such innovative ways to promoting preparedness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:451-459).

  3. Community's Emergency Preparedness for Flood Hazards in Dire-dawa Town, Ethiopia: A Qualitative Study.

    PubMed

    Ejeta, Luche Tadesse

    2018-02-21

    Emergency preparedness at all levels (individuals and communities) is the corner stone of effective response to the increasing trends of global disasters due to man-made and natural hazards. It is determined by different factors, including (among others) past direct and indirect exposures to hazards. This study was carried out in Dire Dawa town, Ethiopia, which in the past experienced frequent flooding events, yet dearth of information exists about preparedness in the area.  The aim of the study was to assess the levels of emergency preparedness for flood hazards at households and communities levels. The study was conducted in a qualitative approach and was conducted in Dire Dawa town, which has been divided into nine administrative-units called Kebeles. Two focus group discussions were held in two of these units (Kebele-05 and 06), each focus group comprising twelve people (all above 18 years of age), and in total 24 people (13 females and 11 males) took part in the study. Open ended questions were used that could guide the discussions, and the discussions were audio-taped and transcribed. The results were translated from local language to English and qualitatively presented. The findings of focus group discussions showed that the local government in collaboration with the federal government built the flood protection dams in areas where flood hazards have been thought to be repeatedly wreaking havoc, specifically after the flood disaster of the year 2006. In addition, in Kebele-05, where one Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) was operating on flood hazards prevention and mitigation program, some non-structural emergency preparedness measures were undertaken by the communities. These non-structural measures (the major ones) entailed: establishment of committees recruited from residents and training them to raise awareness among communities on emergency preparedness; some residents made changes to their own houses (retrofitted) and put sandbags around their houses to temporarily protect the flooding; establishment of communication channels between communities to alarm each other in the event of flood disaster; and reforestation of the already deforested mountainous areas surrounding the town. However, concerns were raised by study participants about strengths of the constructed flood protection dams. Furthermore, the non-structural emergency preparedness measures identified by this study were not comprehensive; for example, residents were not trained in first aid, first aid kits were not provided, there was no linkage being established between communities and health facilities so as to provide emergency medical care to victims in the event of flood disaster. The findings of this study concur with some of the previous quantitative studies' results in that the past direct and indirect disaster experiences invoke preparedness intention and actual preparedness for flood hazards at individuals, communities and organizations levels. The only one quantitative and behavioral based study conducted thus far in Dire Dawa town reported the strong association of past flood disaster experience with household emergency preparedness. Among the residents there was a tendency to rely on the dams to be constructed with "good quality" and "higher strength" than making preparedness efforts on their own at their households. Structural measures such as building of dams, dikes, levees, and channel improvements could be means of mitigation measures; however, solely relying on these measures could have far reaching consequences. To mitigate flood hazards, dams were built and in addition, in Kebele-05 where an NGO was operating, some non-structural emergency preparedness measures were undertaken. In the course of construction of flood protection dams, ensuring communities ' involvement is needed ; and at the same time undertaking comprehensive non-structural emergency preparedness measures in all Kebeles is highly recommended. Emergency, Preparedness, Flood, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.

  4. Nursing faculty preparedness for clinical teaching.

    PubMed

    Suplee, Patricia Dunphy; Gardner, Marcia; Jerome-D'Emilia, Bonnie

    2014-03-01

    Nursing faculty who teach in clinical settings face complex situations requiring evidence-based educational and evaluative strategies, yet many have had limited preparation for these tasks. A convenience sample of 74 nursing faculty participated in a survey about clinical teaching in prelicensure nursing programs. Most faculty developed teaching skills through conferences (57%), orientation at their educational institution (53%), or exposure in graduate school (38%). Thirty-one percent reported having no preparation for clinical teaching. Faculty felt least prepared to manage students with learning, physical, or emotional disabilities and incivility. Twenty-six percent had no preparation for evaluating students in the clinical setting, and only 17% had worked with a faculty mentor. Few evidence-based teaching strategies were used by the faculty. These findings indicate gaps exist in the preparation of clinical faculty. Graduate education, comprehensive orientation programs, and continuing professional development may help to ensure faculty are effective in managing and evaluating student learning. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

  5. Evaluating a Health Educational First aid Program with the Implementation of Synchronous Distance Learning.

    PubMed

    Ponirou, Paraskevi; Diomidous, Marianna; Mantas, John; Kalokairinou, Athena; Kalouri, Ourania; Kapadochos, Theodoros; Tzavara, Chara

    2014-01-01

    The education in First Aid through health education programs can help in promoting the health of the population. Meanwhile, the development of alternative forms of education with emphasis on distance learning implemented with e-learning creates an innovative system of knowledge and skills in different population groups. The main purpose of this research proposal is to investigate the effectiveness of the educational program to candidates educators about knowledge and emergency preparedness at school. The study used the Solomon four group design (2 intervention groups and 2 control groups). Statistical analysis showed significant difference within the four groups. Intervention groups had improved significantly their knowledge showing that the program was effective and that they would eventually deal with a threatening situation with right handlings. There were no statistical significant findings regarding other independent variables (p>0,05).The health education program with the implementation of synchronous distance learning succeeded to enhance the knowledge of candidates educators.

  6. Boston, Massachusetts: Solar in Action (Brochure)

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

    Not Available

    This brochure provides an overview of the challenges and successes of Boston, MA, a 2007 Solar America City awardee, on the path toward becoming a solar-powered community. Accomplishments, case studies, key lessons learned, and local resource information are given. The City of Boston and its Solar America Cities program, Solar Boston, are helping to debunk the myth that solar energy is only feasible in the southern latitudes. Boston has some of the highest energy prices in the country and will likely be one of the first locations where solar power achieves grid parity with conventional energy technologies. Solar Boston ismore » facilitating the rapid development of solar energy projects and infrastructure in the short-term, and is preparing for the rapid market growth that is expected with the imminent arrival of grid parity over the long-term. Solar Boston developed the strategy for achieving Mayor Menino's goal of installing 25 MW of solar energy throughout Boston by 2015. Through Solar Boston, the city has developed a strategy for the installation of solar technology throughout Boston, including mapping feasible locations, preparing a permitting guide, and planning the citywide bulk purchase, financing, and installation of solar technology. The city has also worked with local organizations to maximize Boston's participation in state incentive programs and innovative financing initiatives. The resulting accomplishments include the following: (1) Created an online map of current local renewable energy projects with a tool to allow building owners to calculate their rooftop solar potential. The map is currently live at http://gis.cityofboston.gov/solarboston/. (2) Supported the city's Green Affordable Housing Program (GAHP), in partnership with the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND). Under GAHP, the city is installing more than 150 kW of PV on 200 units of affordable housing. DND requires that all new city-funded affordable housing be LEED silver certified and built solar-ready. (3) Defined solar's role in emergency preparedness with the Boston Mayor's Office of Emergency Preparedness. (4) Worked with local organizations to maximize Boston's participation in state incentive programs and innovative financing mechanisms. Solar Boston partners include DOE, MTC, local utilities and unions, an anonymous foundation, and a broad range of local, regional, and national clean-energy stakeholders. Solar Boston kicked off its partner program on January 10, 2008, sponsoring a workshop on 'Thinking BIG about Boston's Solar Energy Future,' to discuss how state, utility, and municipal programs can work together. Presentations were given by Solar Boston, Keyspan/National Grid, NSTAR, and MTC.« less

  7. 48 CFR 18.109 - Priorities and allocations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... defense, emergency preparedness, and energy programs and was established to facilitate rapid industrial mobilization in case of a national emergency. (See Subpart 11.6.) [73 FR 21785, Apr. 22, 2008] ... CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES EMERGENCY ACQUISITIONS Available Acquisition Flexibilities 18.109...

  8. 44 CFR 312.4 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.4... based on approval of the activities and projects described in the Annual Program Paper, and/or...

  9. 44 CFR 312.4 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.4... based on approval of the activities and projects described in the Annual Program Paper, and/or...

  10. 44 CFR 312.4 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.4... based on approval of the activities and projects described in the Annual Program Paper, and/or...

  11. 44 CFR 312.4 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES FOR NATURAL DISASTER PURPOSES § 312.4... based on approval of the activities and projects described in the Annual Program Paper, and/or...

  12. 44 CFR 360.3 - Eligible applicants.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Eligible applicants. 360.3 Section 360.3 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE...

  13. 44 CFR 360.3 - Eligible applicants.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Eligible applicants. 360.3 Section 360.3 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE...

  14. 44 CFR 361.6 - Documentation of matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.6 Documentation of matching... comprising its earthquake hazards reduction project, including the project budget, shall reflect a level of...

  15. 44 CFR 361.6 - Documentation of matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.6 Documentation of matching... comprising its earthquake hazards reduction project, including the project budget, shall reflect a level of...

  16. 44 CFR 361.6 - Documentation of matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.6 Documentation of matching... comprising its earthquake hazards reduction project, including the project budget, shall reflect a level of...

  17. 44 CFR 361.6 - Documentation of matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.6 Documentation of matching... comprising its earthquake hazards reduction project, including the project budget, shall reflect a level of...

  18. 44 CFR 361.6 - Documentation of matching contributions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance Program § 361.6 Documentation of matching... comprising its earthquake hazards reduction project, including the project budget, shall reflect a level of...

  19. Mass-Fatality Incident Preparedness Among Faith-Based Organizations.

    PubMed

    Zhi, Qi; Merrill, Jacqueline A; Gershon, Robyn R

    2017-12-01

    Introduction Members of faith-based organizations (FBOs) are in a unique position to provide support and services to their local communities during disasters. Because of their close community ties and well-established trust, they can play an especially critical role in helping communities heal in the aftermath of a mass-fatality incident (MFI). Faith-based organizations are considered an important disaster resource and partner under the National Response Plan (NRP) and National Response Framework; however, their level of preparedness and response capabilities with respect to MFIs has never been evaluated. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to develop appropriate measures of preparedness for this sector; (2) to assess MFI preparedness among United States FBOs; and (3) to identify key factors associated with MFI preparedness. Problem New metrics for MFI preparedness, comprised of three domains (organizational capabilities, operational capabilities, and resource sharing partnerships), were developed and tested in a national convenience sample of FBO members. Data were collected using an online anonymous survey that was distributed through two major, national faith-based associations and social media during a 6-week period in 2014. Descriptive, bivariate, and correlational analyses were conducted. One hundred twenty-four respondents completed the online survey. More than one-half of the FBOs had responded to MFIs in the previous five years. Only 20% of respondents thought that roughly three-quarters of FBO clergy would be able to respond to MFIs, with or without hazardous contamination. A higher proportion (45%) thought that most FBO clergy would be willing to respond, but only 37% thought they would be willing if hazardous contamination was involved. Almost all respondents reported that their FBO was capable of providing emotional care and grief counseling in response to MFIs. Resource sharing partnerships were typically in place with other voluntary organizations (73%) and less likely with local death care sector organizations (27%) or Departments of Health (DOHs; 32%). The study suggests improvements are needed in terms of staff training in general, and specifically, drills with planning partners are needed. Greater cooperation and inclusion of FBOs in national planning and training will likely benefit overall MFI preparedness in the US. Zhi Q , Merrill JA , Gershon RR . Mass-fatality incident preparedness among faith-based organizations. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(6):596-603.

  20. Physics for Occupational Therapy Majors Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh Aurora, Tarlok

    1998-03-01

    In Spring 1996, a one semester course - "Survey of Physics" - was taught for students majoring in Occupational Therapy (O. T.), in contrast to the two semester physics sequence for all other health science majors. The course was designed to expose the students to the concept of physics, develop problem solving skills and to emphasize the importance of physics to O.T. In developing the course content, students' preparedness in mathematics and the perceived future applications of physics in O. T. was taken in to consideration, and steps were taken to remedy the deficiencies in students' background. The course was comprised of lecture, laboratory, and considerable self study due to the time constraints, and these will be described.

  1. Preparedness and response to terrorism: a framework for public health action.

    PubMed

    Gofin, Rosa

    2005-02-01

    Political group violence in the form of terrorist actions has become a reality worldwide, affecting the health and economies of populations. As a consequence, preparedness and response are becoming an integral part of public health action. Risk appraisal, preservation of human and civil rights and communications within and between countries are all issues to be considered in the process. The combination of the natural history of terrorist actions and the epidemiological triangle model has been adapted in this paper and suggested as a comprehensive approach for preparedness and action. It covers preparedness (pre-event), response (event) and the consequences (post-event) of a terrorist attack. It takes into account the human factor, vectors and environment involved in each one of the phases. Terrorism is a global reality with varying underlying causes, manifestations and impact on the health of the public. Preparedness, response and rehabilitation are an integral part of public health action. Consideration of the pre-event, event and post-event phases in terrorist actions, together with the human factor, vector/agent and environment in each of these phases, offers a framework for public health preparedness, response and rehabilitation. Planning should consider risk assessment, risk communication, inter-sectorial cooperation, enactment of laws and regulations which consider protection of the public's health and civil liberties. Allocation of resources would need to make allowance for maintenance and development of ongoing public health activities.

  2. Measuring preparedness for mammography in women with intellectual disabilities: a validation study of the Mammography Preparedness Measure.

    PubMed

    Wang, Claire Tienwey; Greenwood, Nechama; White, Laura F; Wilkinson, Joanne

    2015-05-01

    Women with intellectual disabilities have similar breast cancer rates as the general population, but lower rates of regular mammography and higher breast cancer mortality rates. Although prior qualitative work demonstrates that women with intellectual disabilities face unique, disability-specific barriers to mammography, the present authors lack standardized, validated instruments for measuring knowledge of breast cancer screening in this population. In addition, much research related to adults with intellectual disabilities focuses on family or carer perspectives, rather than involving women with intellectual disabilities, themselves. The present authors first pilot tested a general population instrument measuring breast cancer knowledge, and found that it did not perform adequately in women with intellectual disabilities. In response, the present authors developed the Mammography Preparedness Measure (MPM), a direct short interview tool to measure knowledge and preparedness in women with intellectual disabilities, themselves, rather than relying on caregiver or other reports, and using inclusive methodology. The present authors validated the MPM by assessing test-retest reliability. Average test-retest per cent agreement of 84%, ranging from 74 to 91% agreement per item, with an overall kappa of 0.59. The MPM appears to be a valid instrument appropriate for measuring mammography preparedness in women with intellectual disabilities. The success of this innovative tool suggests that direct, rather than informant-directed tools can be developed to measure health knowledge and cancer screening readiness in adults with intellectual disabilities, an important measure in studying and reducing disparities. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Emergency Preparedness and Response in the School Setting--The Role of the School Nurse. Position Statement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tuck, Christine M.; Haynie, Kathey; Davis, Catherine

    2014-01-01

    It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that the registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred to as school nurse) provides leadership in all phases of emergency preparedness and response. School nurses are a vital part of the school team responsible for developing emergency response procedures for the…

  4. National Alliance for Radiation Readiness: Leveraging Partnerships to Increase Preparedness.

    PubMed

    Blumenstock, James S; Allen, Meredith

    2016-02-01

    The National Alliance for Radiation Readiness (NARR) is an alliance of 16 national member organizations that have banded together to serve as the collective "voice of health" in radiological preparedness through: • participation in national dialogues on radiological emergency issues; • provision of thoughtful feedback on documents, policies, and guidelines; and • convening of partners to raise awareness of and resolve radiological emergency issues. NARR benefits from the intersection and interaction of public health, radiation control, healthcare, and emergency management professionals--all with an interest in bolstering the nation's preparedness for a radiological or nuclear incident. NARR is able to provide a unique perspective on radiological and nuclear preparedness by creating multi-disciplinary workgroups to develop guidance, recommendations, and provide subject matter feedback. NARR aims to build response and recovery capacity and capabilities by supporting the sharing of resources and tools, including technical methods and information through the development of an online clearinghouse. NARR also aims to identify and disseminate best practices, as well as define and educate on the roles and responsibilities of local, state, and federal government and the numerous agencies involved with the response to a radiological emergency.

  5. Development and implementation of a business continuity management risk index.

    PubMed

    Kadar, Michael

    This paper will present the building blocks for developing and implementing the BCM risk index; whether it is used as a comprehensive metric for risk or preparedness. This paper introduces the concept of a business continuity management (BCM) risk index--a comprehensive metric that measures and reports the status of the primary 'intended outcome' of the BCM programme to top management. In addition to measuring the primary programme output,;the BCM risk index can be used to demonstrate the overall value of the BCM programme to executive management. This is accomplished because the BCM risk index allows quantitative measurement of current risk levels and their comparison with established risk tolerances. The BCM Risk Index can provide executive management with reports on the risk level of individual business units, departments, subsidiaries or the enterprise in a way that drives both risk management and BCM initiatives. The name 'risk index' can be misleading, however. The BCM risk index concept can also be used to measure preparedness levels. In fact, implementation at DTE Energy has resulted in calling it the 'preparedness index', which is used to measure and report preparedness levels rather than risk levels.

  6. Assessment of Emergency Preparedness of Households in Israel for War--Current Status.

    PubMed

    Bodas, Moran; Siman-Tov, Maya; Kreitler, Shulamith; Peleg, Kobi

    2015-08-01

    In recent decades, many efforts have been made, both globally and locally, to enhance household preparedness for emergencies. In the State of Israel in particular, substantial investment has been made throughout the years in preparing the population for one of the major threats to the civilian population--a rapidly deteriorating regional conflict that involves high-trajectory weapons (ie, rocket and missile fire) launched at the home front. The purpose of this study was to examine the current preparedness level of the Israeli public for this threat and determine the correlates of such preparedness with known factors. A telephone-based, random sampling of 503 households representative of the Israeli population was carried out during October 2013. The questionnaire examined the level of household preparedness as well as attitudes towards threat perception, responsibility, willingness to search for information, and sense of preparedness. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the level of preparedness in the general population and to find correlates to this preparedness in attitudes and demographic variables. More than half of the sample reported complying with 50% or fewer of the actions recommended by the Israeli Home Front Command. Having an increased sense of preparedness and willingness to search for related information were positively correlated with actual household preparedness, and the latter was also found to be the most predictive variable of household preparedness. Although the overall household preparedness reported is mediocre, the level of preparedness found in this study suggests better preparedness of the population in Israel for its primary threat. The findings suggest that in order to promote preparedness of the Israeli public for war, emphasis should be put on increasing the public demand for information and encouraging people to evaluate their sense of preparedness.

  7. Policy statement--emergency information forms and emergency preparedness for children with special health care needs.

    PubMed

    2010-04-01

    Children with chronic medical conditions rely on complex management plans for problems that cause them to be at increased risk for suboptimal outcomes in emergency situations. The emergency information form (EIF) is a medical summary that describes medical condition(s), medications, and special health care needs to inform health care providers of a child's special health conditions and needs so that optimal emergency medical care can be provided. This statement describes updates to EIFs, including computerization of the EIF, expanding the potential benefits of the EIF, quality-improvement programs using the EIF, the EIF as a central repository, and facilitating emergency preparedness in disaster management and drills by using the EIF.

  8. Return-to-Work Within a Complex and Dynamic Organizational Work Disability System.

    PubMed

    Jetha, Arif; Pransky, Glenn; Fish, Jon; Hettinger, Lawrence J

    2016-09-01

    Background Return-to-work (RTW) within a complex organizational system can be associated with suboptimal outcomes. Purpose To apply a sociotechnical systems perspective to investigate complexity in RTW; to utilize system dynamics modeling (SDM) to examine how feedback relationships between individual, psychosocial, and organizational factors make up the work disability system and influence RTW. Methods SDMs were developed within two companies. Thirty stakeholders including senior managers, and frontline supervisors and workers participated in model building sessions. Participants were asked questions that elicited information about the structure of the work disability system and were translated into feedback loops. To parameterize the model, participants were asked to estimate the shape and magnitude of the relationship between key model components. Data from published literature were also accessed to supplement participant estimates. Data were entered into a model created in the software program Vensim. Simulations were conducted to examine how financial incentives and light duty work disability-related policies, utilized by the participating companies, influenced RTW likelihood and preparedness. Results The SDMs were multidimensional, including individual attitudinal characteristics, health factors, and organizational components. Among the causal pathways uncovered, psychosocial components including workplace social support, supervisor and co-worker pressure, and supervisor-frontline worker communication impacted RTW likelihood and preparedness. Interestingly, SDM simulations showed that work disability-related policies in both companies resulted in a diminishing or opposing impact on RTW preparedness and likelihood. Conclusion SDM provides a novel systems view of RTW. Policy and psychosocial component relationships within the system have important implications for RTW, and may contribute to unanticipated outcomes.

  9. A Counter-IED Preparedness Methodology for Large Event Planning

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

    Payne, Patricia W; Koch, Daniel B

    Since 2009, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been involved in a project sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate aimed at improving preparedness against Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) at large sporting events. Led by the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) as part of the Southeast Region Research Initiative, the project partners have been developing tools and methodologies for use by security personnel and first responders at sports stadiums. ORNL s contribution has been to develop an automated process to gather and organize disparate data that is usually part of an organization s security plan. Themore » organized data informs a table-top exercise (TTX) conducted by USM using additional tools developed by them and their subcontractors. After participating in several pilot TTXs, patterns are beginning to emerge that would enable improvements to be formulated to increase the level of counter-IED preparedness. This paper focuses on the data collection and analysis process and shares insights gained to date.« less

  10. Challenge of hospital emergency preparedness: analysis and recommendations.

    PubMed

    Barbera, Joseph A; Yeatts, Dale J; Macintyre, Anthony G

    2009-06-01

    In the United States, recent large-scale emergencies and disasters display some element of organized medical emergency response, and hospitals have played prominent roles in many of these incidents. These and other well-publicized incidents have captured the attention of government authorities, regulators, and the public. Health care has assumed a more prominent role as an integral component of any community emergency response. This has resulted in increased funding for hospital preparedness, along with a plethora of new preparedness guidance.Methods to objectively measure the results of these initiatives are only now being developed. It is clear that hospital readiness remains uneven across the United States. Without significant disaster experience, many hospitals remain unprepared for natural disasters. They may be even less ready to accept and care for patient surge from chemical or biological attacks, conventional or nuclear explosive detonations, unusual natural disasters, or novel infectious disease outbreaks.This article explores potential reasons for inconsistent emergency preparedness across the hospital industry. It identifies and discusses potential motivational factors that encourage effective emergency management and the obstacles that may impede it. Strategies are proposed to promote consistent, reproducible, and objectively measured preparedness across the US health care industry. The article also identifies issues requiring research.

  11. Risk Management and Critical Infrastructure Protection: Assessing, Integrating, and Managing Threats, Vulnerabilities and Consequences

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-02-04

    Consequences 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7...OSLGCP). The OSLGCP now administers the grants programs. 37 According to the guidance, threat assessment determines the relative likelihood of a...Preparedness (OSLGCP) administers two grant programs that give states the opportunity to identify critical infrastructure assets: the State Homeland Security

  12. Volunteering for Emergency Preparedness

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-05-01

    highest indices in rating the effectiveness of both community and Federal programs. Region I, the New England states, shows the (relatively) lowest indices...Regions VI and II, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, respectively, show the...they would be interested in skill enhancement, or learning some new , different skills. In the design of training programs, this study indicates that

  13. Disaster Preparedness among Health Professionals and Support Staff: What is Effective? An Integrative Literature Review.

    PubMed

    Gowing, Jeremy R; Walker, Kim N; Elmer, Shandell L; Cummings, Elizabeth A

    2017-06-01

    Introduction It is important that health professionals and support staff are prepared for disasters to safeguard themselves and the community during disasters. There has been a significantly heightened focus on disasters since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York (USA); however, despite this, it is evident that health professionals and support staff may not be adequately prepared for disasters. Report An integrative literature review was performed based on a keyword search of the major health databases for primary research evaluating preparedness of health professionals and support staff. The literature was quality appraised using a mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT), and a thematic analysis was completed to identify current knowledge and gaps. Discussion The main themes identified were: health professionals and support staff may not be fully prepared for disasters; the most effective content and methods for disaster preparedness is unknown; and the willingness of health professionals and support staff to attend work and perform during disasters needs further evaluation. Gaps were identified to guide further research and the creation of new knowledge to best prepare for disasters. These included the need for: high-quality research to evaluate the best content and methods of disaster preparedness; inclusion of the multi-disciplinary health care team as participants; preparation for internal disasters; the development of validated competencies for preparedness; validated tools for measurement; and the importance of performance in actual disasters to evaluate preparation. The literature identified that all types of disaster preparedness activities lead to improvements in knowledge, skills, or attitude preparedness for disasters. Most studies focused on external disasters and the preparedness of medical, nursing, public health, or paramedic professionals. There needs to be a greater focus on the whole health care team, including allied health professionals and support staff, for both internal and external disasters. Evaluation during real disasters and the use of validated competencies and tools to deliver and evaluate disaster preparedness will enhance knowledge of best practice preparedness. However, of the 36 research articles included in this review, only five were rated at 100% using the MMAT. Due to methodological weakness of the research reviewed, the findings cannot be generalized, nor can the most effective method be determined. Gowing JR , Walker KN , Elmer SL , Cummings EA . Disaster preparedness among health professionals and support staff: what is effective? An integrative literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(3):321-328.

  14. 44 CFR 302.6 - Fiscal year limitation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Fiscal year limitation. 302.6 Section 302.6 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA...

  15. 44 CFR 302.6 - Fiscal year limitation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Fiscal year limitation. 302.6 Section 302.6 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA...

  16. 44 CFR 302.6 - Fiscal year limitation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2012-10-01 2011-10-01 true Fiscal year limitation. 302.6 Section 302.6 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA...

  17. 44 CFR 302.1 - Purpose.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA) § 302.1 Purpose. (a... political subdivisions, for up to one half of the necessary and essential State and local civil defense...

  18. 44 CFR 302.6 - Fiscal year limitation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Fiscal year limitation. 302.6 Section 302.6 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA...

  19. 44 CFR 302.1 - Purpose.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA) § 302.1 Purpose. (a... political subdivisions, for up to one half of the necessary and essential State and local civil defense...

  20. 44 CFR 302.1 - Purpose.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA) § 302.1 Purpose. (a... political subdivisions, for up to one half of the necessary and essential State and local civil defense...

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