DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Definition: Any situation/event

that overwhelms existing resources or ability to respond.

DEFINITION OF DISASTER:EXTERNAL

Multi patient incident event resulting

in fewer than 10 casualties Multi casualty incident

results in 100 or fewer casualties, strains facilities

Mass casualty incident results in more than 100

casualties, overwhelms existing facilities

DEFINITION OF DISASTER:INTERNAL Any situation

that results in the health care facility becoming partially or totally inoperable

DISASTER RESPONSE

Assessment:1. Loss of life2. Physical injuries3. Psychological

trauma4. Property damage5. Environmental

destruction6. Economic/Business

loss

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN Disaster

command center Administrative

operations center Medical

operations center Nursing

operations center

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN Personnel

operations center

OR operations center

Security operations center

ED operations center

RESPONSE Confirm disaster

activation response ED operations center

Assignments of on-duty supervisor

Staff assignments Evacuation of patients

from ED Secure environment ED staffing considerations Communication

RESPONSE CONTINUED Disaster casualty patient coordination

Triage Acuity assessment Disaster tags Registration log Treatment area All documentation on disaster packet Tracking with disaster tags Family

STRESS MANAGEMENT Stress reducers Assess staff during breaks or

rounds Educate staff regarding delayed

stress reaction Critical Incident Stress Debriefing.

DEACTIVATION OF DISASTER Support resources

meeting demand Institutional needs

assessment Critique—what

worked, what needs improvement

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

Radiation exposure Chemical exposure Biological agents Viral agents Toxin agents Visual DX

Resource

RADIATION Depends on dose Symptoms-

Nausea, vomiting, or bloody diarrhea within 3 hours

Radiation safety officer

Decontamination of all patients

Safety of decontamination team

CHEMICAL Industrial or

terrorist Recognition of

agent PPE Decontamination Specific agents

BIOLOGICAL AGENTS Occur naturally in environment Types of biological agents

Bacteria: anthrax, plague, tularemia

Viruses: smallpox, ebola, VEE Toxins: botulism, staphylococcal

enterotoxin B, ricin

VIRAL AGENTS Onset of signs and symptoms 7 –

10 days Quarantine Supportive therapy No approved antiviral medication

TOXINS Botulism

Neurotoxin Ricin

Blocks protein synthesis

Onset 8-24 hours Staphylococcal

enterotoxins Sudden onset of high

fever, headache, & chills in aerosol exposures

POLICY PE 1-13: DISASTERS

POLICY: All Union Hospital employees are to be familiar with theirresponsibilities and duties in the event of fire, internal disaster or externaldisaster. Participation in fire and disaster drills is required.

PURPOSE: To ensure the efficient operation of services during a disaster; to ensurethat all employees are familiar with, and able to perform their assignedtasks during a disaster, to ensure that all employees are familiar with theuse of fire-fighting equipment and to ensure that the fire plan andinternal and external disaster plans are current and effective.

6. In the event of a real disaster, the Emergency Preparedness Teamwill initiate and direct action, evaluate the action and file a writtenreport with the Safety and Security Department describing servicesprovided in the disaster.7. The Emergency Preparedness Team is responsible for reviewingand revising disaster plans as needed.8. Department Directors are responsible for ensuring, anddocumenting, that all of their employees receive annual training onfire and disaster plans.NOTE: Reference department specific policies and procedures concerning Fire,Internal Disaster and External Disasters.

PROCEDURE: 1. The organization maintains a Emergency Preparedness Team,composed of the Vice President of Human Resources, the Directorof Safety, the Security Coordinator, Nursing Service Supervisors,Nursing representatives and Director of Public Relations.2. The Emergency Preparedness Team is responsible for the fire anddisaster plans and operation.3. The Emergency Preparedness Team conducts rehearsals of realisticdrills, involving all services, on the following time table:a. Disaster Plan - semi-annuallyb. Fire Drills - quarterly for each shift, with varied conditions4. Patients are not evacuated during disaster drills.5. The Emergency Preparedness Team will evaluate each drill and filea written report of each drill with the Safety and SecurityDepartment.