Receiving Aid and Support during Emergencies

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Receiving Aid and Support during Emergencies

Introduction

On August 20, 2005, Hurricane Katrina was upgraded to the highest category on the Saffir –Simpson Scale Category 5 hurricane. Two and a half hours later, Ray Nagin, the New Orleans Mayor, called for a first-ever mandatory evacuation of nearly 500,000 city residents. In its wake, over 1800 lost their lives and property worth more than $100 billion was damaged. Seven years later, another major storm christened Superstorm Sandy swept through America’s coastline, affecting mid- Atlantic the most. However, meteorologists, elected leadership, and public safety personnel issued warnings to all people to evacuate, and most people heeded the advice. The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy was amongst other things a smashed coastline and a shattered infrastructure. Consequently, it is imperative to explore how victims of disasters receive aid and support at the time of emergencies. The paper is divided into four subsections, with the first covering FEMA response to Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy, followed by a discussion on the availability and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The third section addresses fears of human responders; the fourth one covers frameworks present to address threats of terrorism.

Part I: FEMA Assistance during Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy

FEMA’s Readiness in For a Disaster of Superstorm’s Sandy’s Magnitude

Contemporary approaches to emergency management, together with response encompass multidimensional efforts seeking to decrease humankind’s vulnerability to hazards, lower the effects of disasters and to secure preparation for, response to, and recovery from those disasters that happen. These responsibilities pose significant challenges for governments since the requirements in the wake of an accident are extraordinary, yet disasters know no boundaries. Defined as events form natural occurrences like earthquakes and storms or human-made like terrorist attacks where more than ten people die or more than 100 people require humanitarian assistance, human assistance alleviates the suffering from such emergencies. For that, critics of FEMA tend to criticize the delay in its response in some sections of New York City particularly, the citizens of Long Island. According to Suffolk County Legislature(2019) report issued in October 2019, those who hold the view that FEMA was not adequately prepared by citing that post- Sandy, there were about 38 000 Long Island families requiring contractors to repair, rehabilitate as well as raise the damaged houses. The long delays in getting back the affected families into their homes were caused by contractor neglect or overwork. However, post- Sandy to address FEMA’s lack of preparedness regarding housing includes Hunter shelters whose 299 square foot modular homes offer on-site emergency after natural disasters. The emergency homes erectable within a few hours cost less than $ 40 000 that are flood-resistant and reusable yet cheaper than the FEMA trailers. Therefore, this example is one amongst many others that attest to FEMA’s unpreparedness for storms the magnitude of Superstorm Sandy.

Challenges that FEMA Encountered in its Response to Superstorm Sandy

FEMA was instrumental in coordinating a large-scale federal response, effectively contributing to the integrated national effort in support of the affected communities and the states. Be that as it may, FEMA faced several challenges, including but were not limited to difficulties in issuing timely assignments, implementing incident management structures, and prompt meeting the needs of the survivors. Most importantly, Superstorm Sandy demonstrated FEMA’s ability to marshal adequate numbers of credentialed staff for an incident on the scale of Sandy. Despite these challenges, lessons learned from the debacle that was Hurricane Katrina seemed well understood considering that there were moments when the agencies from federal, state, local and private sector yet none reached the level where fundamental mistrust was evident.

Evacuation Efforts on Several Hospitals during Superstorm Sandy

The damage caused by Superstorm Sandy affected so many institutions, one which deserves a special mention being the nursing homes where a substantial population of our senior citizens lives. It is essential to observe that nursing homes located in compulsory evacuation areas had to do so before the approaching hurricane made its landfall. When one juxtaposes Superstorm Sandy to Hurricane Irene, one must admit that Sandy’s damage was not as severe. With an evacuation deadline of 48 hours, this was a little too late for the elderly whose psychological and physical health slowed down the evacuation efforts for the elderly in nursing homes. Matters were made worse after most of the nursing homes had their electricity disrupted. At the same, the mental confusion made the elderly encounter a higher unequal share of the effects of Superstorm Sandy due to the communication breakdown. To avoid a repeat of such heightened impact on elderly nursing homes in the future, the staff, patients, and nursing and care homes should implement evacuation strategies and emergency shelter- in place that are safe zones.

The Relationship between New Orleans Mayor, the Governor of Louisiana and Aid Flow

Unlike those who adopt the stand that during Hurricane Katrina, the federal government was to blame for the delayed relief efforts. This paper argues that experts agree that when natural disasters strike, the state and local governments have the primary responsibility of responding promptly. This means that the relationship between New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin and Kathleen Blanco, the Louisiana Governor, significantly impacted the flow of FEMA aid in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Sources at the scene report that Louisiana Governor failed to submit a request for help. Pundits aver that had there not been communication between the New Orleans mayor and the Louisiana governor, FEMA aid would have flowed more consistently. The poor communication between these leaders, amongst other factors, contributed to the inadequate response. New Orleans’ comprehensive emergency plan highlights that even when having many people stranded, the city pledges to use all available resources to evacuate the areas effected promptly.

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Nevertheless, when Hurricane Katrina struck the poor communication between the office of the Mayor of New Orleans and the governor of Louisiana, responders failed to convert the issued warnings into information into a state of preparation that could equal the impending catastrophe. The chasm between the two elected leaders negatively impacted the FEMA aid flow with the weakening of FEMA as an institution during the Bush administration, making a bad situation even worse. The leadership at the local, state, and federal levels failed to understand the magnitude of Katrina as a catastrophe equal in proportion to the September 11 terrorist attack of Ney York’s Twin Towers in 2001. Instead, all the significant players continued to treat Hurricane Katrina as a routine natural disaster until when it was too late.

The Role of Politics in the Event of a Looming Disaster

Disasters, be they natural or human-made, happen within a political space. This, however, does not mean politics drive them, but once they occur, they are not immune to politics. The incentives that human participants in the disbursement of aid and assistance during these times of emergencies impact the prevention, mitigation as well as the damage the natural disasters leave in their wake. Through politics, government spending during disasters, particularly in the absence of aid, is influenced by the politics of the day. The government may opt to spend money on disaster prevention or allocate the amount to other utilities guided by social welfare issues from the prevention of disasters. To some extent, politics also determine the environment within which international organizations like the Red Cross, CARE, and Oxfam together with multilateral agencies like the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP). Concisely, politics has a significant role to play when a disaster is looming since its nature will have implications in investing in prevention, decentralizing relief, encourage the socio-economic development, and reward non-disasters.

Steps Involved in How Victims Receive FEMA Assistance during EDM

For one to qualify for the FEMA assistance program during EDM, one must be a US citizen, a non-citizen national or a qualified alien. At the same time, one must have suffered losses within an area that the President of the US has declared as such. Upon meeting the eligibility criteria receiving FEMA relief and assistance involve a three-step process with the first one being registration, which can be done online or using a smartphone. During the registration, one has to give their phone numbers, and in case the prospective beneficiary has insurance, they should contact their insurance agent before registering with FEMA. The second step entails the inspection process, at which point registration FEMA- contracted inspector calls you to set up an appointment targeting to assess the damaged property at no cost. The inspectors identify themselves, one is required to provide documents as proof of ownership or occupancy and whether one is a homeowner, a renter. The third and last step is a follow-up process with FEMA. FEMA sends you a letter detailing one’s application status or a short message service or text message. If considered ineligible, FEMA will outline the reason. Upon confirmation of one’s status, one will receive the FEMA assistance at the designated time.

Section II: Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by First Responders

The 2001 anthrax attacks brought to prominence the need to protect first responders following a bioterrorism attack. Of note was the absence of a practical bioterrorism preparedness guideline, which led to several civilian illnesses and even death due to exposure to anthrax. The tragedy was worsened by the fact that several first responders were also exposed to Bacillus anthracis since some of them had inadequate training and understanding of the polluted areas underpinning the need to train them on how to protect themselves and also enhance safeguards to the general public. As such, this subsection endeavors to examine some of the issues that may crop up when using PPE in addition to offering some ways of overcoming these issues.

            Some of the issues that may arise when the first responder is using the PPE emanates from the lack of adequate training on how to use the safety equipment. The first responder could have insufficient knowledge of the validated technologies as well as capabilities that have to be present in all bioterrorism incidents – related. The inadequate training leaves the responder ill-prepared to make a credit risk evaluation and make the appropriate decision. The PPE in use should also have capabilities that will establish whether a threat is reliable so that the responder can address the public fears adequately. To overcome these challenges on the use of PPE, WHO (2018) recommends adequate training for the responders by ensuring they receive the requisite training from hazardous material technicians. The responders should also be conversant with the national bioterrorism response system concerning validated instrumentation for both biological screening and field testing screenings. The first responders’ implementation would entail having joint planning and emergency response drills and exercises involving the use of PPE like full-face pieces of self- contained breathing apparatus, gas masks, gloves, and overall boots. Engaging in these exercises will offer measurable performance standards for the first responders, which correctly evaluate their emergency response preparedness.

Part III: First Responders Attending to an Infectious Disease and Hesitancy to put themselves at Risk like the Traditional Responders

According to Heymans et al. (2015), health security in the contemporary meaning captures individuals’ protection from all threats to their health, including the first responders. A case in point is the threat the Ebola virus poses to the global health security system. Health experts now acknowledge that as people travel across their national borders within West Africa to the rest of the world, they have created unintentional chains of transmission thousands of miles away from the epicenter. Owing to the infectious nature of this and other diseases like the novel COVID-19 ravaging the world in 2020, first responders in the modern healthcare system may hesitate to respond if adequate measures are not put in place to ensure these health caregivers in the first place. Suffice it to say that everyone has the responsibility of lowering the rate of transmission of infectious diseases as envisaged in the core function of public health law globally. From an ethical point of view, the first responders to infectious epidemics like Ebola may have reservations in that in the process of responding, they are also bound by public health necessity to ensure they adhere to isolation required if no protective gear is offered. Besides, they being infected with the disease, they have no desire to spread the same to their significant others.    Another strategy is the utilization of a unified approach to combat the infectious disease epidemic or pandemic by having a multidisciplinary technical council on the disease in context.

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Receiving Aid and Support during Emergencies
Receiving Aid and Support during Emergencies

To address the fears the first responders may have on attending to the infectious disease, the healthcare organization, together with the government, should ensure the first responders get enough protective clothing. They should also get adequate training on the measures to include coercive powers to secure the isolation and treatment of patients with reasonable suspicion that they have infectious diseases like Ebola (Bloom & Caderrete, 2019). Other measures include immunization and effective screening. If these measures fail to assuage the fears of the first responders, I was a part of the emergency response unit would call for intensified training of the first responders on the steps to take as protective measures, call for PPE supplies and incentive the first responders with raised risk allowances.

Part IV: Chemical Attacks in Europe and Lessons the for US Healthcare System

Anderson (2017) notes that between March and June of 2017, both London and Manchester experienced four attacks in which men used vehicles, explosives, or knives to kill and principal members of the public, where 41 people, including 6 were terrorists died and more than 200 others were injured. The author commends the impressive response of the general public. The same can also be said of the UK healthcare system, as evidenced by the coordinated medical response after each of the attacks.

An overview of these responses shows that the US healthcare system response framework comprises five phases. Phase 1 is marked by chaos since the information about the incident is scanty, and communication is .poor. The disorder lasts only a few minutes or hours. Proper triage in the emergency response plan, adequate documentation, and attention to detail reduces errors, complications, and workload in the phases that follow. Step two entails the casualty receiving period, and with blood stocks, diagnostics radiation, and other medical resources availability determine its success. Period three lasting about 24hours involves the consolidation of the clinical status of the patients together with replenishing the receiving hospitals depleted resource. Step four manifested by its definitive care follows and could last up to several weeks, depending on the injuries the patients received. The fifth stage is the rehabilitation phase, where the survivors’ access intensive and specialist care could last several months. Besides reconstructive surgery where required, there are also the physical and mental rehabilitation teams to take care of the patients’ needs.

The way the US and the UK approach their healthcare differs despite demographic and resource similarities. Kahungu (2017) posits that populations have an almost equal birth rate, which stands at 12 births for every 1000, with the US being slightly higher. Similarly, the ethnic composition is similar in that the White takes more than 70 percent, followed by blacks than the Asian communities. Nevertheless, differences also abound. While the US is ranked as the largest economy in terms of GDP, its counterpart, the UK stood at position 6. Differences are also noticeable in the US has higher immigration standing at 3.8 migrants for every 1000 while the UK was 2.8, both being estimates of 2018. The life expectancy at birth stood at around 80 years.

            The disaster response matrix in both countries incorporates elected officials and appointed ones as well as bureaucrats on at the national, regional local levels. Its comparatively smaller population means the UK Civil Contingencies Act of 2004 covering disaster responsive means the Prime Minister and the Ministers can function adequately through a centralized structure. On the other hand, the US, with a population six times that of the UK, has an active disaster matrix that is less centralized with powers shared amongst the US Congress, the executive, and the judiciary. In essence, disaster response is devolved at the state and local government level, with the US central government primary a supportive role through FEMA, which is the inverse in the UK (Kahn & Barondess, 2008). In capsule form, one needs to appreciate the fact that the centralized UK disaster response matrix is effective considering that geographically, it equals the state of Oregon while in the US, and a decentralized response framework is needed to facilitate the deployment of the resources available.

Part V: Training Exercises as a Component of Emergency Preparedness Plan

Following recent acts of terrorism on a global scale, the increased natural disasters occurring due to extreme weather conditions, and emergent healthcare threats like COVID 19, there is a need for all healthcare systems to redefine emergency response healthcare plans. Skryabina et al. (2017) observe that activities on disaster preparedness consist of several parts ranging from planning to equipment availability, training, exercises, and improvement measures. On the part of training exercises as part of disaster preparedness, it is categorized into two groups on discussion-based training exercises and operation based exercises. Furthermore, the training exercises can be scheduled to take place at regulars, which offers the advantages of enabling the participants to familiarize themselves with the roles, plans, and procedures. It also accords them of the benefit of practicing their roles through desktop or table discussions.

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Receiving Aid and Support during Emergencies
Receiving Aid and Support during Emergencies

On the other hand, random based training exercises involve responding to a scenario that actively simulates an emergency in more real-life – like cases including the randomness and unpredictability of when they will happen next just as a real disaster would. The random activities could include drills on particular skills and procedures like communication, evacuation, or triage to field-based exercises replicating as close as possible can be in terms of response to a real-life emergency. The reason why their use is recommended is that they test the feasibility and suitability of the laid out plans, procedures, and tools to technology coordination of interagency and command centers under simulated conditions that match those of a real emergency. In the wake of increased global terrorism as well as extreme weather conditions due to climatic changes like global warming, scheduled training exercises like seminars, workshops, and tabletop exercises are recommended to identify improvements like in evacuations through discussions. On the other hand, the unpredictability of when and where natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions other unintentional accidents, like chemical leaks, the random training exercises are mandatory just to make sure nobody is caught flat-footed if the worst ever happened.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this essay has established that during emergencies, humanitarian aid and support is beneficial to those affected by the disaster and can play a significant role in ensuring the affected people and community regain their development course. Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy emphasize the need not to stereotype disasters while the issue of use PPE highlight the need to ensure the first responders to in times of emergencies are also protected mainly if it is bioterrorism attack or the outbreak of infectious diseases like Ebola or COVID- 19. The training exercises as part of disaster preparedness emphasize the need to ensure that the US, just like other nations, should always remain on standby to respond to the emerging diseases as prompt response minimizes the damage and alleviates human suffering right from the outset.

References

Anderson, D. (2017). Attacks in London and Manchester: March-June 2017, Independent Assessment of MI5 and Police Internal Reviews.

Blair, A. (2015). Similar or Different?: A Comparative Analysis of Higher Education Research in Political Science and International Relations Between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Journal of Political Science Education11(2), 174-189.

Bloom, D. E., & Cadarette, D. (2019). Infectious disease threats in the twenty-first century: strengthening the global response. Frontiers in immunology10, 549.

Heymann, D. L., Chen, L., Takemi, K., Fidler, D. P., Tappero, J. W., Thomas, M. J., & Kalache, A. (2015). Global health security: the wider lessons from the West African Ebola virus disease epidemic. The Lancet385(9980), 1884-1901.

Kahn, L. H., & Barondess, J. A. (2008). Preparing for disaster: response matrices in the USA and UK. Journal of urban health85(6), 910-922.

Kahungu, L. (2018). Healthcare Systems in the US and UK. A Comparison. GRIN Verlag.

Skryabina, E., Reedy, G., Amlot, R., Jaye, P., & Riley, P. (2017). What is the value of health emergency preparedness exercises? A scoping review study. International journal of disaster risk reduction21, 274-283.

Suffolk County Legislature (2019) SUPERSTORM SANDY REVIEW TASK FORCE-Report to the Legislature: Looking to the Past to Prepare for the future. Retrieved 06/ 29/ 2020 URL: https://www.scnylegislature.us/DocumentCenter/View/67979/10302019-Superstorm-Sandy-Review-Task-Force-Report-October-2019-PDF

World Health Organization. (2018). Occupational safety and health in public health emergencies: a manual for protecting health workers and responders.

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