Disasters and Public Health: Planning and Response
Book Detail
Author/Editor(s): Bruce Clements
Publication Date: April 8, 2009
ISBN-10: 1856176126
ISBN-13: 978-1856176125
Language: English
Edition: 1
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
Size: 6.04 MB
Format: pdf
Book Description
From the San Diego wildfires to multi-drug-resistant strains of bacteria, communities are facing an ever-growing list of potential disasters. Some events, like pandemic flu or anthrax attacks, are public healthemergencies first and foremost. Hurricane Katrina taught us, however, that lack of planning for the frail, elderly, and impoverished population can turn a natural disaster into a healthcare nightmare and lead to needless death and suffering. Emergency managers and public health professionals must integrate their prevention and response efforts to serve their communities most effectively.
The structure of each chapter offers an innovative approach to organizing key information:
1. Case Study or Historical Example
2. Disaster-specific Terms Defined
3. Disaster Description
4. Health Threat (Morbidity and Mortality)
5. Prevention
6. Immediate Actions
7. Recovery or Managing the Aftermath
8. Summary
Disasters and Public Health is a crucial tool in planning for and responding to the health impact of any crisis situation. This book 'Disasters and Public Health: Planning and Response' guides planners in both disciplines in preventing tragedies by most effectively preparing and responding when disaster strikes.
About the Author
Bruce Clements is the Public Health Preparedness Director for the Texas Department of State Health Services in Austin, Texas where he is responsible for health and medical preparedness and response programs ranging from pandemic influenza to the health impact of hurricanes. He is also an Adjunct Instructor at Saint Louis University's School of Public Health, Institute for BioSecurity. Clements served over 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard as a Public Health Officer and a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare Defense Instructor; a Hazardous Materials Specialist with an Urban Search and Rescue Team; and as a Safety Officer with a Disaster Medical Assistance Team.
Reviews
Provides the nuts and bolts of preparedness which is only poorly presented in other texts.
--Gregory Evans, Director of the Institute for Bio-Security at the Saint Louis University School of Public Health
