Disasters and Public Health

by Mark Rowe

Author: Bruce Clements and Julie Casani

ISBN No: 9780128019801

Review date: 29/03/2024

No of pages: 526

Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann

Publisher URL:
http://store.elsevier.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780128019801

Year of publication: 30/03/2016

Brief:

Disasters and Public Health: Planning and Response, second edition by Bruce Clements and Julie Casani

price

£51.84

Disasters and Public Health: Planning and Response, second edition by Bruce Clements and Julie Casani.

It doesn’t have to be something as dramatic and extreme as a biological weapon, or even done maliciously; it could be a chemical leak, flood, heat wave, wild fire or Hurricane Katrina. This US book covers how those in public health can plan and respond to a disaster, and offers such cases as the Ebola virus and the 1995 Oklahoma City and London 7-7 bombings. Whatever the scenario, this book takes you through how to be prepared and be resilient.

Of particular interest to readers may be the chapter on ‘disaster behavioural health’, going into how responders to Katrina in 2005 suffered post-traumatic stress and depression. The chapter goes on to how to manage stress in a critical incident, ‘psychological first aid’ and counselling and support – and highlights faith-based support: “During times of major traumas and disasters, a large segment the world’s population often turns to their faith. In spite of this obvious proclivity, there is often a conspicuous absence of faith-based resources as part of “formalized” preparedness and response activities. Faith-based crisis intervention adds impactful tools that can encourage survivors of various faiths in ways traditional disaster behavioral health strategies cannot.”

That said, the book, practical throughout, points to the need to do first things first; first meet ‘the most basic needs of a disaster victim, including assuring that they are in a safe location, providing physical care including reducing pain, and providing water, food, and a means to communicate and initiate reunification with family or friends’.

The authors describe how a ‘journey toward public health preparedness’ is never fully achieved, ‘due to changing threats and infrastructure. The organisation and measurement of public health preparedness efforts continues to evolve as preparedness budgets often decline. The future of these programs is dependent upon establishing good policy, increasing and enhancing coordination with partners and stakeholders, as well as stabilising and sustaining funding.”

Like so many books in the greater security management field, this one is by Americans and majors on US laws and institutions. It notes that public health preparedness is a relatively new discipline (like so much else in what became known as homeland security after 9-11) which became well established shortly after the 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States and the less-remembered distribution of anthrax-tainted letters.

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