3. Local Emergency Plan

oBjectives
  • Describe the components of the plan and the pediatricians’ role.
  • Identify the risk factors that warrant consideration when planning for disasters.
  • Know the basic requirements for the design and coordination of a local disaster plan.

The phases of disaster response include preparedness during which time there should be a risk assessment and mitigation; disaster response (the rescue mission) that involves warnings, evacuations, and saving lives during the immediate post disaster period; and the post disaster recovery period. Disaster management is part of the social system responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling during all the phases of emergency management: Preparedness, Prevention, Response, and Recovery. The disaster plan should define the objectives, strategies, and activities, including a detailed chronology and a proposed budget.

The emergency plan will have different objectives depending on the phase. Disaster preparedness includes the design of the plan, the training and coordination of those who will execute it, and the availability of needed resources. The plan designed during this stage is generically named the response plan. A plan made for various adverse events is called an emergency or disaster plan, whereas a contingency plan is designed for a specific adverse event (e.g., tornado, flood, pandemic).

Disaster preparedness includes the design of the plan, the training and coordination of those persons that will execute it, and the availability of the needed resources.

During the prevention phase, the ultimate goal is to avoid or mitigate the disaster, directing efforts aimed at reducing both the risk and the vulnerability of the population. In many events, damages will occur despite mitigation efforts, and this is defined as the remaining risk. To face these damages, the capacity for response must be improved through preparedness. If a disaster occurs, the plan will be implemented in order to provide medical and humanitarian assistance. The response phase consists of both implementation of previously derived preparedness plans, as well as any spontaneous actions felt to be needed even if not part of a formal plan. After the response phase, efforts will be directed towards repairing damaged services. This is known as the recovery phase. Reconstruction and recovery consists of restoring the goods and services back to pre-disaster levels if possible, and includes measures for future risk reduction.

Pediatricians and other clinicians that care for children need to be involved in all local committees that are considering risk management, preparedness, and response. They should be familiar with the plans that exist in their region so that they can work in coordination with other members of the response system. In summary, emergency planning includes all the activities and actions done preemptively in order to prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the damages that disasters can cause. All stages of a disaster (described in Module 1) include elements of planning that are important for the pediatrician. These involve various social agents and are performed at different levels: the family, local community organizations, emergency services, community physicians, hospitals, government, and other agencies especially the local red cross and red crescent societies. The town or district public health offices are usually the convening agents for disaster preparedness and response planning.

If a response plan has not been developed or fails to contemplate the special needs of children, develop a plan or suggest additions to the existing plan.

This is not merely desk work. It involves obtaining and analyzing data, along with field visits and meetings with representatives from different institutions and the community. Preparation demands the active participation of the health-care sector and the community. These efforts should result in the production of operative and concise documents that clearly define the responsibilities of specific participants and the agreements reached among the participants. It is important to institute periodic drills to test the functionality of the system and the coordination among the different participants.