Community Disaster Preparedness The role of academia

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Community Disaster PreparednessThe role of
academia

• Stephen Waring, DVM, PhD
• Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
• and Biological Sciences
• University of Texas School of Public Health

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• All our science, measured against reality, is
  primitive and childlike, yet it is the most
  precious thing we have.
• Albert Einstein

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Filling in the gaps Preparedness versus current
readiness

• Natural disasters
• Storm related
• Flood
• Tornado
• Hurricane
• Blizzard
• Ice storm
• Mudslides
• Earthquakes
• Drought/heat wave
• Wildfires

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Filling in the gapsPreparedness versus current
readiness

• Man-made disasters
• Weapons of mass destruction
• Biological
• Chemical
• Radiological/nuclear
• Explosives
• Accidents
• Chemical plant explosion
• Transport (train, truck) wreck

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Filling in the gapsPreparedness versus current
readiness

• Terrorism
• Bioterrorism
• Agroterrorism
• Cyberterrorism

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Filling in the gapsPreparedness versus current
readiness

• Domestic preparedness program
• Reduce vulnerability by widespread improvement of
  response capability
• Requires cooperation
• Interagency
• Interjurisdictional
• Interorganizational

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Filling in the gapsState and local agencies

• Operational systems
• Law enforcement
• Fire department
• HAZMAT
• EMS
• Emergency management
• Public Health infrastructure

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Filling in the gapsAcademic institutions

• Teaching/training skills
• Research skills
• State of the art knowledge
• Study design and implementation
• Survey methodology
• Rigorous/systematic data collection
• Data management/analysis
• Program evaluation
• Service related network

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Disaster PreparednessStakeholders

• Inter- and intra-agency
• Federal, state, local
• Government and non-government
• ..whos on first??

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Disaster PreparednessKey Features

• Communication
• Coordination
• Allocation

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Disaster PreparednessComprehensive strategy at
local level

• Assessment of threat
• Awareness
• Reality
• Spectrum

From Perspectives on Preparedness, November 2001,
No. 5
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Disaster PreparednessComprehensive strategy at
local level

• Preparation to meet threat
• Establish adequate level of preparedness
• Develop emergency plans for all hazards
• Acquisition of requisite equipment
• Sustainability training, maintenance

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Disaster PreparednessComprehensive strategy at
local level

• Training and practice
• Educate
• First responders
• Public officials
• General public
• Practice execution of plans

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Disaster PreparednessComprehensive strategy at
local level

• Coordination of key resources
• High-level coordinating role of leaders
• Promote interagency coordination
• Communication with policymakers, advisors, public
• Facilitate intelligence sharing
• Maximize use of federal resources

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Disaster PreparednessPriorities for change at
local level

• Medical and Public Health
• Improve public health monitoring and surveillance
  systems
• Expand medical surge capacity
• Evaluate available pharmaceuticals

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Disaster PreparednessPriorities for change at
local level

• Communication
• Improve communication systems
• Mandate interoperable communications
• Develop a public affairs plan

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Disaster PreparednessPriorities for change at
local level

• Cross-jurisdictional and cross-professional
  coordination
• Promote adoption of IMS
• Fortify mutual aid agreements

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Disaster PreparednessPriorities for change at
local level

• Contingency planning
• Build and maintain backup of critical resources
• Equipment, communications, record keeping,
  personnel not in same location
• Establish comprehensive legal framework for law
  enforcement, etc.
• Implement training standards for skills specific
  to disaster response

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National Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response
Initiative Key features

• Preparedness and prevention
• Surveillance and surveillance
• Diagnosis and characterization of chemical and
  biological agents
• Response
• Communication systems

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National Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response
Initiative Partners

• Government
• Department of Justice (NDPO, FBI, ODP)
• USDA
• DHHS/Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP)
• Department of Defense
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Food and Drug Administration
• Department of Energy
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• The National Security Council
• Department of State

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National Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response
Initiative Partners

• Non-government
• Association of State and Territorial Health
  Officials (ASTHO)
• National Association of County and City Health
  Officials (NACCHO)
• National Association of Local Boards of Health
  (NALBOH)
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)
• American Society of Microbiology (ASM)
• National Registry of Emergency Medical
  Technicians (NREMT)
• National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)

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National Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response
Initiative Partners

• Non-government (contd)
• American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
• National Governors Association (NGA)
• Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
  (CSTE)
• American Nurses Association (ANA)
• National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)
• American Medical Association (AMA)
• American Hospital Association (AHA)
• International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
• International Association of Police Chiefs (IAPC)
• Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH)
• Association of Teachers of Preventive
  Medicine(ATPM)
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

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BT Preparedness Response Program
NCID Labs Research Surveillance Bioterrorism
Response
NCEH Stockpile Chem/Rad Response Planning
BPRP Coordination Communication Accountability
Emergency Response Policy Development
PHPPO Health Alert Network Training Technical
Support
EPO Epi/Surveillance Detection Investigation
Communications
OHS Lab Safety Administer Select Agent Rule
ATSDR NIP NIOSH NCIPC
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Incident Management Systems