George Butler
September 14, 2014
Modular 5
The similarities in preevent preparation between an infectious disease event and other emergencies would be making sure that emergency aides and the community are wellinformed of what to do if a natural disaster or an airborne disease were to spread within the community.
Setting up an emergency kit for both an emergency and infectious disease spread. Making sure to have ample water to avoid waterborne illnesses. Making sure to have canned food and proper attire to keep one adaptable for any climate change. The emergency kit should also contain a flashlight, batteries, first aid kit, documents, back up cell phone, etc. An emergency kit is handy in any situation that a community may face.
Making a plan for your family as well as your community is ideal.
“Create a Family Communication Plan.
Because you and your family may not be together when a disaster hits, it’s important to create a communication plan to help you and your loved ones connect and get help. Identify an outoftown contact, such as a friend or relative, who family members can call to let them know they are safe. It may be easier to
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make a longdistance phone call than to call across town, because phone lines can be jammed. An outoftown contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members. Teach your family members how to text. It may seem like second nature to some of us, but not everyone texts.
During an emergency it’s often easier to get a text message delivered rather than a phone call. Subscribe to an emergency alert system.
Check with your local health department or emergency management agency to see if there is one offered for your area. Post emergency telephone numbers by home phones or save them in your cell phone (fire, police, ambulance, etc.). Teach children how and when to call 911 for help” (CDC). No matter what type of emergency one faces, being prepared is a universal assessment. Making sure to have the first aid kit and a plan are the similarities. 2
However, the difference between an infectious disease and other emergencies would be handling situations differently. FEMA and Red Cross will be available when disasters occur but the way one reacts to the situation is the key factor. There are different emergency plans for different occurrence.
“Generic plans are the core plan which enables the organisation to respond to, and recover from a wide range of possible emergencies.
They should include procedures which would be used in all instances for ensuring the welfare of staff and the provision of sufficient resources for responding to the emergency.
Specific plans relate either to a particular emergency or kind of emergency, or to a specific site or location. Specific plans are a detailed set of arrangements designed to go beyond the generic arrangements when they are likely to prove insufficient in a particular case. A
