PREPARE: Kansas Introduction Module – Appendices Appendix I-1: Federal Disaster Occurrences in Kansas, 14 October 1998 through 9 March 2010 Source: Kansas Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2010, p.3.32
PREPARE: Kansas
Introduction Module – Appendices
Appendix I-1: Federal Disaster Occurrences in Kansas, 14 October 1998 through 9 March 2010
Source: Kansas Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2010, p.3.32
PREPARE: Kansas
Introduction Module – Appendices
Appendix I-2: Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Facilities in Kansas
Source: KDHE, KDonA, US Census
PREPARE: Kansas
Introduction Module – Appendices
Appendix I-3: Distribution of Elderly Population in Kansas
Source: Kansas Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2010, p.3.91
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 1
PREPARE: Kansas Introduction
The vulnerability of long term care facilities was
demonstrated during Hurricane Katrina and the
events that followed. Those who care for
vulnerable populations must be aware of and
prepare for all types of disasters. Facilities are
required to plan for various emergencies. “All
hazard” planning is the most effective means to
respond to and recover from the challenges
faced during disasters and is the recognized
national standard for plan development. Planning
begins with:
Identifying possible hazards
Determining the probability that they will
occur in a specific location
Assessing the risk to the facility and
residents
Evaluating current levels of preparedness
Once completed, these hazards are prioritized
and the analysis becomes the foundation for the
Emergency Operations Plan and guides all
planning efforts.
This program was developed specifically for care
providers in the State of Kansas. “PREPARE
Kansas” provides participants:
Information required to plan effectively
based on hazards faced throughout the
State of Kansas.
A tool to assist in the risk assessment
process. This instrument was provided by
the Kansas Bureau of Public Health
Preparedness and Emergency Response
and is currently being used by
organizations throughout the state.
Hazard information provided by the
Adjutant General‟s Department, Kansas
Division of Emergency Management
related to probability of occurrence,
severity, and warning time.
Reference sites to obtain additional
information.
Forms and worksheets that are used in
Kansas and throughout the United States.
Contact information.
A well developed “All Hazard” Emergency
Operations Plan, coordination with community
planners and responders, redundant
communication systems, an administration and
staff knowledgeable of incident command, and a
well trained and exercised workforce are key
components to a successful response.
In any emergency, it is imperative that all
involved know the chain-of- command. The
Incident Command System assures decisions are
made in a timely manner and facilitates
coordination with responding agencies.
Acknowledgments
Many of the materials included in this document
were created by others, those who have intimate
knowledge of the hazards and vulnerabilities of
the state of Kansas, as well as experts in
emergency preparation and management.
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 2
Mather LifeWays would like to thank the Kansas
Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
and all of the agencies who participated in the
development of the 2010 Kansas Hazard
Mitigation Plan. In particular the staff of the:
Adjutant General’s Department
Kansas Division of Emergency Management
and the
Bureau of Public Health Preparedness
Kansas Department of Health and
Environment
It is only through information, coordination, and
cooperation that hazards can be identified and
mitigated.
The content also includes important information
from these and other sources:
Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Association (NOAA)
National Weather Service
Various Public Health Agencies, including
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
Ready.gov
Flu.gov
Minnesota Department of Public Health,
the Aging Services of Minnesota, Ready
to Respond and Care Providers of
Minnesota
Leading Age
Centers for Medicare and Medicare
Services (CMS)
Kansas Association of Homes and
Services for the Aging (KAHSA)
Others noted throughout the modules.
Long-Term Care Facilities
In this document, the term long-term care
facilities is used as a grouping term for long-term
care, assisted living, and other facilities that
provide residential services for vulnerable
populations.
PREPARE: Kansas
“PREPARE Kansas” is an off-spring of “PREPARE”,
the award winning preparedness training
program developed and presented by the staff of
Mather Lifeways, Evanston, IL.
“PREPARE” was created to equip senior
living and long-term care professionals
with the core competencies to address
the medical and psychosocial
consequences of natural disasters and
other public health emergency
preparedness and response concerns.”
Due to the efforts of KAHSA and a grant from the
Kansas Department of Health and Environment,
“PREPARE” was made available to the long term
care and assisted living facilities throughout the
state. “PREPARE Kansas” was created as the next
step and provides more specific information
related to the hazards faced by those who care
for the frail and the elderly in long-term care and
assisted living facilities all over the State of
Kansas.
Through data, maps, charts, and references, we
provide some of the background information
necessary to develop a Risk Assessment for your
facility, the basis for your Emergency Operations
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 3
Plan. However, it is important to note that it is
only one portion. Risk Assessments must include
facility risks, as well as those unique to your
county and state. These may include:
the age and working of heating/air
conditioning systems
wells and water systems fire alarm and
sprinkler systems
roof age and repair
staffing issues
security and safety issues
union strikes
intruders
bomb threats
subsidence
proximity to highways, railroad tracks,
nuclear power facilities, airports, and
underground pipelines
health and acuity of residents
To identify the risks requires team work. Utilizing
internal and external teams is beneficial.
Professional assistance may be necessary to
critically assess your facility.
Also paramount to the success of any emergency
response, is that facilities plan and regularly
communicate with those expected to respond:
local emergency management agencies
police
fire
emergency medical services
hospitals
public health
political leaders
community businesses
volunteer agencies
others
They possess knowledge and the abilities to
assist in planning and responding.
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 4
Maybe Not Everyone –
BUT YOU!
Introduction
When developing this guide, the critical hazards
faced by most residents were addressed. There
are many more. The Adjutant General‟s
Department, Kansas Division of Emergency
Management in the Kansas Hazard Mitigation
Plan created the following list. Hazards were
ranked by: weighing the probability of
occurrence, plus the magnitude or severity, plus
the warning time, and duration.
Many considerations are addressed in PREPARE
Kansas. It is the responsibility of your planning
team to decide your facility‟s vulnerabilities and
plan accordingly. There are hazards that may not
have a high rating. However, if you are facing this
problem, it requires you develop an annex to
your Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). Different
communities in Kansas have different
vulnerabilities to the identified hazards.
Disasters may not affect the entire population
but your facility may be very much at risk.
Hazards
In 2010 flooding was the hazard of most
significance to the State of Kansas. Tornadoes
were ranked second. 1 The others, in order are:
Major Disease Outbreak
Windstorm
Hailstorm
Winter Storm
Lightning
Hazardous Materials
Utility Infrastructure Failure
Drought
Terrorism, Agri-terrorism, Civil Disorder
Land Subsidence
Agricultural Infestation
Extreme Temperatures
Dam and Levee Failure
Landslide
Expansive Soils
Soil Erosion and Dust
Radiological
Earthquake
Fog
One hazard can result in a different hazard. For
example:
Drought can lead to wildfire, soil erosion,
and dust storms.
1 Kansas State Hazard Mitigation Plan, p. 3.27
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 5
Severe winter storms and high wind
event often may cause utility and
infrastructure failures.
Some hazards can occur simultaneously, as a
result of the same storm, such as:
Tornado, hailstorm, lightning, flood, and
windstorms.
Presidential Declarations
The extent of storm damage and devastation may
cause the Governor to request disaster assistance
from the federal government. Many Kansas
disasters have received “Presidential
Declarations”. Some of the most recent were the
Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms
experienced by 45 Kansas counties in March of
2010. 2
“Once a disaster has occurred, and the
State has declared a state of emergency,
the State will evaluate the recovery
capabilities of the State and local
governments. If it is determined that the
damage is beyond their recovery
capability, the governor will normally
send a request letter to the President,
directed through the Regional Director of
the appropriate FEMA region. The
President then makes the decision
whether or not to declare a major
disaster or emergency.
After a presidential declaration has been
made, FEMA will designate the area
eligible for assistance and announce the
2 FEMA, Public Entity Risk Institute
types of assistance available. FEMA
provides supplemental assistance for
State and local government recovery
expenses, and the Federal share will
always be at least 75 percent of the
eligible costs.”3
The following maps illustrate the number of
Federal “Presidential Declarations” that have
occurred in Kansas during the period of October
14, 1998 through March 9, 2010.4
To be eligible for any federal assistance requires
appropriate documentation. Before an event,
check with your local Emergency Management
Agency to determine: information required,
procedures, and forms that require completion.
Long-Term Care and Assisted Living
Facilities in Kansas
The following illustrates that there are vulnerable
populations residing in long-term care and
assisted living facilities throughout the state.
3 FEMA.gov/presidential declarations
4 Kansas Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2010
Appendix I-1
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 6
There are approximately 2,818,747 residents of
Kansas, of that number 13%, more than 360,000
residents are 65 years and over.5
5 Quickfacts.census.gov. U.S. Census
Appendix I-2
Appendix I-3
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 7
Introduction to
PREPARE
The PREPARE train-the-trainer modules and in-
person workshops introduced long-term
care/senior living (LTC) facility management and
staff to the essential elements of developing and
implementing effective emergency plans.
Prepare: Getting Ready
Respond
Recover: Putting it Back Together
This recap of PREPARE, provides a short review of
these essential elements. In “PREPARE: Kansas”
these principles are applied to hazards that have
a high probability of occurring in Kansas.
Prepare: Getting Ready
Getting Ready refers to: identifying risks;
developing an emergency operations plan;
identifying personnel to perform critical roles;
training and exercising all staff; procuring
necessary supplies and equipment; building
relationships and planning with community
partners. For LTC facilities Getting Ready
includes:
Developing a plan that considers the
special vulnerabilities of older adults.
Conducting a risk assessment to identify
the hazards to which the LTC is most
vulnerable.
Identifying individuals to fill key roles and
assure they understand the Incident
Command System.
Respond
Responding includes:
Implementing Incident Command.
Activating the plan.
Performing necessary tasks to react
appropriately to the event and assure
continuity of operations.
Taking steps to assure the safety of staff
and residents.
Communicating with staff, residents,
responders and necessary others.
Recover: Getting Back to Normal
Recovery incorporates the necessary steps to re-
establish a safe, familiar environment for
residents and staff. It includes:
Assuring safe re-entry.
Administering Psychological First Aid to
residents and staff who were affected by
the event.
Holding an after- action conference to
identify areas where disaster response
went well and areas of weakness.
Vulnerabilities of Older Adults
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and other
disasters have highlighted the unique needs of
the frail and elderly residing in LTC facilities
during emergencies. Studies show that older
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 8
adults are vulnerable and at risk for physical and
psychosocial problems. Aging changes may
increase older adults‟ vulnerability to biologic
agents, confound early diagnosis, and increase
the severity of responses to the disaster. Also
contributing to the risks to older adults is the
prevalence of chronic health conditions, such as
heart disease and arthritis.
In developing an effective emergency operations
plan, it is important to identify strategies that
address their special vulnerabilities and
incorporate those strategies into the emergency
operations plan.
1. Sensory deprivation
2. Delayed response time
3. Chronic illness and medication use
4. Mobility impairment
5. Memory disorder
6. Hyper/hypothermia vulnerability
7. Issues pertaining to diversity
8. Generational differences in accepting
assistance
9. Fear of victimization
10. Mental health stigma
11. Fear of loss of independence
12. Fear of evacuations
The PREPARE training manual provides a more
detailed explanation of these vulnerabilities.
The Emergency Planning Process
Emergency planning is not a one-time event. It is
a continual cycle of planning, training, exercising,
and revising. A comprehensive, effective
emergency operations plan is an important tool
and necessary to improve the preparedness and
response by managers and staff of LTC facilities
to all types of hazards.
Determining who will be in charge, staff member
roles and responsibilities, how all will
communicate during the event, and the chain-of-
command is part of the Incident Command
System (ICS). By Presidential Directive, all
responding agencies must implement ICS. It is
necessary that all staff of LTC facilities know and
utilize ICS during an emergency situation.
It is essential that the various components of the
plan are regularly tested and improved. This
process of continuous improvement relies on
updating procedures and contact information, re-
evaluation, development of an improvement plan
and continuous testing of the plan.
There are federal requirements for LTC facilities
to have detailed, written emergency and disaster
procedures and that managers and staff are
regularly trained and tested. This must be an “all
hazards” approach to address natural and man-
made external hazards, as well as, internal
hazards, such as fire, intruders, strikes, heat/air
conditioning failure, and others.
Who Should be Involved in Emergency
Operations Planning?
Emergency planning is a team effort. A successful
response may require coordination between
many community agencies and organizations.
Each type of emergency requires different
expertise and response capabilities. Therefore,
the first step in emergency planning is
identification of all that may be involved.
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 9
The specific individuals and organizations
involved in the response to an emergency will
depend on the type and magnitude of the event.
Law enforcement will probably have a role to play
in most events, as will Fire, Emergency Medical
Services (EMS), voluntary agencies, and the
media. On the other hand, hazardous materials
(HazMat) personnel may or may not be involved
in a given incident but should be involved in the
planning process due to their specialized
expertise. Input from local public health,
emergency management, and community
hospitals is also vital to the success of your
planning and response.
What is an Emergency Operations Plan?
According to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), an Emergency
Operations Plan (EOP):
Assigns responsibility to organizations
and individuals for carrying out specific
actions at projected times and places in
an emergency or disaster.
Sets forth lines of authority and
organizational relationships and explains
how all actions will be coordinated.
Describes how people and property will
be protected in emergencies and
disasters.
Identifies personnel, equipment, facilities,
supplies, and other resources available,
within the jurisdiction or by agreement
with other jurisdictions, for use during
response and recovery operations.
Identifies steps to address mitigation
concerns during response and recovery
activities.
Conducting a Risk Assessment
A risk assessment is the foundation: for the
development of strategies to deal with potential
disasters, both manmade and natural; for
determining and allocating resources; and for
establishing priorities and standards to assure the
safety of residents and staff.
Identifying potential emergencies requires the
use of all available information to determine the
type, magnitude, effect, and time to react.
Effective Emergency Operations Plans (EOP)
should begin with a risk assessment based on the
location and characteristics of the LTC. Possible
considerations: rural or urban location; age of the
facility, the roof and heating system; in flood
zone; susceptible to winter storms, tornadoes, or
wildfires; wooden or cement structure; one story
or high-rise building.
Other major events including: fire, terrorism,
infectious disease outbreaks, floods, intruder,
chemical spill, radiological accident, and labor
strikes must be considered.
Module 2 of “PREPARE Kansas” describes the key
elements in conducting a risk assessment and
includes a Kansas-specific risk assessment tool.
Developing a Disaster Preparedness Plan
Planning can help save lives, reduce injury,
protect property, and help the facility and
residents recover more quickly.
It is never easy to care for the frail and those with
functional needs. In a time of crisis it can become
especially difficult. Unfortunately disasters,
whether acts of terrorism, violent weather,
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 10
infectious disease outbreaks, or other unforeseen
event, are part of our lives and we must be
prepared to respond.
Advantages of Using an All-Hazards Model
All-hazards planning has several advantages:
Cost effective in terms of time and
money.
Builds capacity to deal with the most
probable events.
Encourages managers and staff to think
with a broader perspective about real
and potential emergencies.
Critical Issues in Planning
Events of 9/11 provided “lessons learned”
regarding critical issues necessary in disaster
preparedness. Some of these issues are important
to consider in developing an effective Emergency
Operations plan.
Need for backup communication systems
to receive and disseminate emergency
information.
Arrangements for continuation of
essential services (i.e., food and water,
healthcare, medications, shelter).
System to identify and track residents.
Need for Memorandum of
Understanding among LTC facilities,
businesses, and other agencies to
provide a coordinated response.
System to identify those with mobility
issues and to assure proper modes of
transportation is based on their
limitations.
Need for geriatric mental health services,
post-disaster, to address the
psychological impact of the disaster.
Plan with local EMS so they are aware of
the unique needs of your population.
Key Components of an Emergency
Operations Plan
There are fundamental components that need to
be addressed in an emergency operations plan.
These components include:
Direction and control
o Designate who has the authority
to make decisions; system for
managing resources; and
analyzing information.
Internal and external resources
o Internal resources may include:
personnel; equipment;
communications devices;
and
emergency supplies. External
resources include: transportation,
supplies, community support,
and volunteers.
24/7 communication and contact
information
o A well-designed Emergency
Operations Plan should clarify
flow of communication with 24
hour coverage, seven days a
week.
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 11
Life safety, evacuation and shelters
o Evacuation plans should be part
of the facility‟s Emergency
Operations Plan. Section 4 of
this manual discusses evacuation
considerations and planning.
Agreements
o The organization‟s relationship
with the community may impact
the ability to protect residents,
staff, and property. To avoid
confusion and conflict mutual aid
agreements or memorandum of
understanding with local
response agencies and
businesses should be developed
pre-event.
Property protection
o During a disaster or emergency
situation safety and security
conditions may be unfamiliar and
unpredictable. Standard security
may be inadequate. Procedures
for additional security or lock
down may be necessary.
Response and recovery
o Response and recovery includes
procedures for reacting to
various disasters and returning
your facility to normal operations
after the disaster.
Responding to Emergencies
We are all vulnerable to a variety of hazards. Each
day emergencies occur. Most are handled locally,
within the organization or with the assistance of
those who respond to emergency calls. Many
require the support of agencies with additional
resources and/or different skills. These may
include: tornadoes, wind, rain, snow and ice
storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, power outages,
hurricanes, tsunamis, civil unrest, hazardous
material spills, personnel issues, vehicle accidents,
violent intruders, terrorism, or highly
communicable diseases, such as a pandemic
influenza. Those who respond must be able to
coordinate their activities. Success is based on
everyone who responds being aware of accepted
procedures, terms, and communication methods.
Through a Presidential Directive (HSPD5), all
Federal, State, local, and tribal entities are
required to adopt and utilize the National
Incident Management System, of which Incident
Command System is a key element. Hospitals and
health care organization have also realized the
importance of a coordinated effort and have
adopted the Hospital Incident Command System
(HICS). Businesses, faith-based and other
volunteer organizations, social services agencies,
and all who may respond to an emergency or
disaster, are expected to know and use Incident
Command. It is equally important that those who
care for vulnerable populations know and utilize
this nationally accepted method to manage
incidents. It is critical for all involved, staff and
those who may be called upon to assist, to clearly
understand who is in charge. The rapid
establishment of the chain-of- command and
knowing how to communicate during the event
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 12
promotes timely actions, reduces stress, and may
save lives.
Activating Your Emergency Operations
Plan
According to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) an Emergency
Operations Plan will do the following:
Assign responsibility to organizations
and individuals for carrying out specific
actions at projected times and places in a
disaster.
Set forth lines of authority and
organizational relationships.
Explain how all actions will be
coordinated
Describe how people and property will
be protected.
Identify personnel, equipment, facilities,
supplies, and other resources available.
Identify steps to address mitigation
concerns during response and recover
activities.
The Incident Command System
The Incident Command System allows all sectors
within the LTC and those who may be called
upon to assist during an emergency or disaster,
to respond effectively. Through command and
control, communication, and utilization of
common terminology, all involved can form a
well functioning team. All levels of government,
private businesses, health care and volunteer
organizations have adopted this system.
Utilization of ICS by those who care for this
vulnerable population, establishes the foundation
for an integrated response.
The system is a standard, yet flexible, framework
that allows Federal, State, local and tribal
governments, private entities, and non-
governmental organizations to work together to
prepare for, respond to, and recover from
domestic incidents regardless of their size, cause,
or location. This includes acts of terrorism.
ICS provides a means for coordinated and
collaborative incident management. ICS may be
used in any event that requires actions to prevent
or minimize loss of life, damage to property
and/or the environment.
A detailed description of the structure and
function of the Incident Command System, as
well as guidelines on how to implement the
Incident Command System are included in
Section 6 of the “PREPARE: Kansas” manual.
Evacuation
The decision to move residents from a long term
care facility is not easy and in many cases must
be made with little time for contemplation. Many
considerations must be factored into the
decision. The hazard, time to react, staffing,
number and condition of residents,
transportation, shelter location, and available
resources all must be considered. With this in
mind, the primary concern must always be the
safety of staff and residents.
Those caring for vulnerable populations have an
obligation to plan for emergencies and respond
appropriately. Due to the nature of emergencies,
no guidance document is perfect for every event.
This module discusses the risks and provides
suggestions from numerous experts. However, at
the time of the emergency, the decision is yours.
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 13
Guidelines for developing an effective evacuation
plan for your Kansas-specific geographic area
and your facility are outlined in detail in Section 4
of this manual.
Sheltering-in-Place
As with evacuation, the decision to shelter-in-
place requires considering many factors.
Guidelines for developing an effective shelter-in-
place plan for your Kansas location are discussed
in Section 4 of this manual.
Recovery – Mental Health Issues
Once the immediate danger of the disaster or
emergency has passed, LTC facilities will face the
challenge of returning to normal operations and
helping residents and employees cope with the
consequences of the disaster.
It is necessary to understand the unique
psychological effects of disasters on older adults
and be prepared to provide support and/or
interventions to ease the trauma for this at-risk
population.
The emotional effects of the aftermath of
disasters have the potential to be long-lasting
and the resulting trauma can reverberate to those
not directly affected by the disaster. Emergency
operations plans need to include methods to
manage potential psychological issues related to
the disaster. This section discusses the
psychological impact of catastrophic events and
how to deal with them. Methods for dealing with
potential psychological aftermath of disasters
should be included in the emergency operations
plan.
Typical Reactions to Disasters
There are a number of typical reactions that have
been documented in crisis situations. While many
of these reactions are found across population
groups, these reactions may be exacerbated or
may present differently in older adults.
Knowledge about the typical psychological
reactions to disasters help LTC staff offers a
proactive response to residents in distress. Some
typical psychological reactions to disasters are:
Anxiety and depression
Withdrawal and isolation
Irrational fears
Problems going to sleep
Alcohol or other drug use
Demoralization
Sensitivity to loud noises
Somatic complaints
Guilt, anger and grief
Understanding Older Adults’ Recovery
Process
All age groups experience a range of reactions to
disasters. Older groups, however, may have
barriers to asking for and accepting mental
health support. Older adults grew up during a
time when any emotional issues were a source of
embarrassment. Bringing older adults together to
talk about feelings and reactions to a crisis
situation can be helpful in helping emphasize
that these feelings are normal. Discussing how
people have coped with past crises serves as an
example of how group members may begin to
draw on their own strengths in the current
situation. Functioning older adults can be a
community resource to help others in the healing
process.
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 14
Facts to remember about the older adult‟s
recovery process include:
Reactions are similar among all age
groups.
Reactions to a disaster are normal.
Acknowledging feelings helps recovery.
Focusing on strengths is helpful.
Asking for help is important in the
healing process.
Accepting help is healthy.
People heal at their own pace.
Psychological First Aid
Psychological First Aid is an evidence-based
strategy for assisting people in the immediate
aftermath of a disaster or emergency that can be
used with any aged population. Psychological
First Aid is intended to decrease initial distress
caused by the trauma of disaster events to
promote short and long term adaptive
functioning.
The principal areas of Psychological First Aid
include:
Contacting and engaging
Providing comfort care, recognizing basic
needs, and maintaining safety
Helping with problem solving and
providing practical assistance
Validating feelings and thoughts
Connecting people with their support
systems
Providing information about anticipated
stress reactions and reinforcing strengths
and positive coping strategies
Guidelines for Delivering Psychological
First Aid
Politely observe first, don‟t intrude.
Initiate contact only after you have
observed the situation and resident and
have determined that contact is not likely
to be an intrusion or disruptive.
Speak calmly. Be patient, responsive, and
sensitive.
Speak in simple, concrete terms; don‟t
use acronyms or responder „jargon‟. If
necessary, speak slowly.
If survivors want to talk, be prepared to
listen.
Acknowledge the positive features of
what the person has done to keep safe
and reach the current setting.
Give information that is accurate and
age-appropriate for your audience, and
correct inaccurate beliefs. If you don‟t
know, tell them this and offer to find out.
When communicating through a
translator or interpreter, look at and talk
to the person you are addressing, not at
the translator or interpreter.
The goal of Psychological First Aid is to
reduce distress, assist with current needs,
and promote adaptive functioning, not to
elicit details of traumatic experiences and
losses.
Referrals to Mental Health Professionals
There may be survivors who need more
additional help; those exhibiting symptoms of:
Depression
Aggression
Alcohol and drug use
PREPARE: Kansas – Introduction
Page 15
Homicidal or suicidal threats
Healthcare Workers During and After a
Disaster
Engaging in rescue and recovery efforts in the
wake of disasters is inevitably stressful for
healthcare workers. The long hours, breadth of
needs and demands, and exposure to human
suffering can adversely affect even the most
experienced professional. While the work is
personally rewarding and challenging, it also has
the potential for affecting workers in harmful
ways. Too often, the stress experienced by
healthcare workers is addressed as an
afterthought. Steps should be taken to minimize
the effects of stress.
Evaluating Plans Post-Disaster
For an emergency management system to be
effective, it is critical that the personnel, plans,
procedures, facilities, and equipment are
evaluated to identify successes and shortfalls.
Evaluation can help the organization identify:
Whether the plan needs improvements.
If there are training and staffing
deficiencies.
If needed equipment was available.
If additional training and exercising of
the plans are necessary.
Documentation
Developing a log during the disaster is an
important tool for documenting any observed
action. Events and problems can then be
analyzed after the disaster to determine if
corrective action is required. Emergency
Management may assist in determining
documentation necessary for any reimbursement.
After Event Debriefing
The debriefing is an opportunity for participants
to talk immediately after the disaster. Participants
can have their say about how things went, what
they think should be changed, and commitments
they need to make to improve competencies. A
Debriefing Log may be used to document a
summary of problems, actions recommended,
and responsible persons/departments.
After Action Conference
The After Action Conference is a more formal
meeting of key administrators and managers,
post- event, to analyze the response and develop
an accurate account of what worked and what
did not. The team analyzes responses, logs, any
other data, and discusses how well objectives
were met.
The After Action Report
An individual is identified to prepare the After
Action Report. This report documents
effectiveness of the plan and staff during the
disaster, actions required to improve the process
and outcome.
Recommendations for future actions are the
primary reason for evaluating the plan after a
disaster. The purpose of the evaluation is to
improve the Emergency Operations Plan and staff
performance.