Major disasters

In case of a major disaster, one platform in a region will be equipped to act as a control centre from which rescue operations are co-ordinated. Evacuation routes will be provided, and where large complexes are clustered together, a standby vessel will be available in the region to supply emergency services such as fire fighting and rescue. 

Human error has often been used as an excuse for deficiencies in the overall management of a plant. It may be convenient for an organization to attribute the blame for a major disaster to a single error made by a faUible process worker. As will be discussed in subsequent sections of this book, the individual who makes the final error leading to an accident may simply be the final straw that breaks a system already made vulnerable by poor management. 

Nearly all major disasters provide ample evidence of the failures of organizations to learn from their own or other organizations experience. In the case of Three Mile Island for example, a similar accident had occurred some months before at the similarly designed Davis Besse plant, but correct worker intervention had averted an accident. 

A chart of the major disaster functional groups, including die departments and volunteers who are responsible for coordinating or supporting each function... 

If, however, all cars would stop as a consequence of an oil crisis, governmental budget, or other major disaster - you would reahse that there is no way of fully understanding the rules of auto-motion without addressing how an engine works. 

In determining the size of storage systems the possibility of strikes or major disasters, such as fires, earthquakes, or riots, that may cut off feed stocks for along period of time is not considered. The probability of such events occurring is not great enough to warrant the added expense that would be involved. If the disaster strikes only one plant, the raw material can usually be obtained from another source. 

For their own benefit, companies record not only injuries but near misses. These are accidents that could have, but did not, result in a lost-time injury Upon analyzing these, problem areas can be discovered and improvements made before a major disaster occurs. It can also be determined which men are accident-prone. 

HSPD -9 Defense of United States Agriculture and Food. Establishes a national policy to defend the agriculture and food system against terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. 

At present, AN is classified as "anexplosive ingredient and oxidizing material. Its manufacture, use, storage distribution and possession are regulated by the Federal Explosives Act, which is administered by the US Bureau of Mines. A yellow label, the same as for Amm perchlorate, is required on all railroad shipments. Since 1947, fortunately, there have been no major disasters with AN, only a few fires have occurred... 

A major disaster could result from a hurricane, earthquake, flood, tornado, or major fire that the president determines warrants supplemental federal aid. The event must be clearly more than state or local governments can handle alone. If declared, funding comes from the president s Disaster Relief Fund, which is managed by FEMA, and disaster aid programs of other participating federal agencies. 

A presidential major disaster declaration puts into motion long-term federal recovery programs, some of which are matched by state programs, and designed to help disaster victims, businesses, and public entities. 

An emergency declaration is more limited in scope and without the long-term federal recovery programs of a major disaster declaration. In general, federal assistance and funding are provided to meet a specific emergency need or to help prevent a major disaster from occurring. 

A major disaster declaration usually follows these steps ... 

A major disaster declaration is requested by the governor, based on the damage assessment, and an... 

After the application is taken, the damaged property is inspected to verify the loss. If approved, an applicant will soon receive a check for rental assistance or a grant. Loan applications require more information and approval may take several weeks after application. The deadline for most individual assistance programs is 60 days following the president s major disaster declaration. 

After a major disaster, FEMA tries to notify all disaster victims about the available aid programs and urge them to apply. The news media are encouraged to visit a Disaster Recovery Center, meet with disaster officials, and help publicize the disaster aid programs and the toll-free teleregistration number. 

Major disasters or emergencies as defined under the Stafford Act. 

The damage and destruction of a major disaster, which may result in multiple deaths and injuries, will overwhelm the state and local mental health system, producing an urgent need for mental health crisis counseling for disaster victims and response personnel. 

Federal health and medical assistance is generally categorized into the major functions of prevention, medical services, mental health services, and environmental health. Each of the 15 specific functional areas is contained in one of these categories. When the lead of the national ESF 8 (the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response) is notified of the occurrence of a potential major disaster or emergency, the Assistant Secretary will request HHS and support agencies to initiate action immediately to identify and report the potential need for federal health and medical support to the affected disaster area in the following functional areas. 

Action Provide health and medical equipment and supplies, including pharmaceuticals, biologic products, and blood and blood products, in support of DMAT operations and for restocking health and medical care facilities in an area affected by a major disaster or emergency. 

Action Provide for movement of seriously ill or injured patients from the area affected by a major disaster or emergency to locations where definitive medical care is available. NDMS patient movement will primarily be accomplished using fixed-wing aeromedical evacuation resources of DOD however, other transportation modes may be used as circumstances warrant. 

Action Provide definitive medical care to victims who become seriously ill or injured as a result of a major disaster or emergency. For this purpose, NDMS has established and maintains a nationwide network of voluntarily precommitted, nonfederal, acute care hospital beds in the largest U.S. metropolitan areas. 

Action Ensure the safety and efficacy of regulated foods, drugs, biologic products, and medical devices following a major disaster or emergency. Arrange for seizure, removal, and destruction of contaminated or unsafe products. 

Action Assist by providing public health and disease and injury prevention information that can be transmitted to members of the general public who are located in or near areas affected by a major disaster or emergency. 

Action Assist in assessing the threat of vector-borne diseases following a major disaster or emergency conduct field investigations, including the collection and laboratory analysis of relevant samples provide vector control equipment and supplies provide technical assistance and consultation on protective actions regarding vector-borne diseases and provide technical assistance and consultation on medical treatment of victims of vector-borne diseases. 

You decide to compare the records in all of these categories during several periods of disaster, with the records of the same hospital just before the disaster in a stratified random sample of hospitals from regions in which major disasters occurred in the last... 

What are the common psychosocial effects seen following a major disaster ... 

DeWolfe, D. J. (2000). Training manual for mental health and human service workers in major disasters (ADM Publication No. 90-538). Washington, DC U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

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