Yearly bouts of seasonal influenza and even pandemic influenza strains can be fairly different in how quickly and pervasively they spread, the severity of illness they cause, and the groups of people most at risk of infection. Consequently, the general public may experience confusion about who is at risk for influenza from year to year, making demand for vaccine unpredictable.
Background
Radiological preparedness has become a significant issue for public health agencies planning ways to address a dirty bomb detonation or fallout from an industrial accident. Jurisdictions containing nuclear power plants, however, have integrated emergency preparedness into their normal activities for decades.
Background
During many emergencies there is often limited time to either gather supplies before sheltering in place or to find important personal documents and belongings before evacuating. The best preparedness measure is to keep all essential information, documents, and supplies in a central, easy-to-access location (eg, box, folder, container).
Specific issue
New Hanover County, North Carolina, built and maintained a voluntary special needs emergency registry through their Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). The registry was initiated in 1997 and housed under the Department of Emergency Management until 2003, when grant funds became available to support maintenance of a registry by RSVP.
The Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker Emergency Preparedness Planning Guide helps planners integrate the needs of migrant and seasonal farm workers into existing emergency preparedness planning efforts. Ready-to-use checklists outline essential steps to take when working with migrant and seasonal farm workers during all phases of an emergency.
The National Council of La Raza’s (NCLR) Institute for Hispanic Health developed the Emergency Managers Tool Kit: Meeting the Needs of Latino Communities to address the specific needs of Latino communities during an emergency. The goal of the project is to provide new knowledge about Latinos’ beliefs and behaviors regarding disaster situations and to offer emergency managers a central location for culturally competent and effective resources, strategies, and materials.
A Special Needs Populations Assessment Toolkit represents part of a pandemic influenza mapping and outreach project conducted by the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments. The toolkit contains a selection of materials that are clearly and concisely written. It provides detailed assessments for needs experienced by the elderly; disabled; non-English speakers; and people who live in shelters, institutional facilities, and other specialized housing. The purpose of each tool is defined, and instructions are given for its use.
The guide provides recommendations and tools for people with many different types of disabilities. The guide includes sections on outreach and identification, planning, communication, evacuation, and sheltering. Each chapter contains numerous examples and scenarios to illustrate the information's applicability to individuals with physical, sensory, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities.
An expansive web site created by the Public Health-Seattle & King County Advanced Practice Center describes a collaboration between the health department and community-based organizations to prevent diverse groups from being disproportionately affected during an emergency. The web site is divided into sections that guide users through preparing for the communications needs of at-risk populations. The "Planning" section includes information on organizing a team, defining populations, and developing a strategic action plan.
Special Population Planning creates a method for providing emergency responders in a Wisconsin county with a medical registry for special populations that may require assistance during an emergency. Although the service is based on an all-hazards approach, it could be useful during a pandemic. The registry is voluntary, free, and based on an application process, and it appears to be a low-cost project that could prove highly beneficial to the community.
