Water Pollution

Disaster Preparedness

• A disaster is a traumatic event that affects many people, resulting in a wide range of mental and physical health consequences.
• Natural disasters occur outside of human control, while technological disasters are breakdowns in human-made systems.
• Complex emergencies, such as the 9/11 terrorist attack, require resources beyond those available locally.

Vulnerable Populations

• Children, elderly, pregnant women, poor and homeless, disabled, and chronically ill individuals are considered vulnerable to disaster consequences.

Determinants of Population Health after Disasters

• Geography: areas below sea level or near bodies of water, arid areas, and risk of recurrence are unavoidable.
• Political structure and governance: effectiveness of government, food, water, sanitation, healthcare, and law enforcement.
• Community socioeconomic status: individual poverty, lower perception of disaster risk, poorer disaster preparedness, and limited access to emergency response.
• Distribution of income and wealth: inequalities of income distribution, psychosocial stress, and social distrust.
• Culture: shared, learned behaviors and meanings transmitted socially, social relationships, religious institutions, and "moral economy".
• Health and social services: pre-disaster availability of health and social resources linked to post-disaster recovery.
• Physical environment: environment related to health conditions, infrastructure, and damage.
• Social environment: social order, stability, and limited social cohesion.
• Civic society: community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, and lack of trust in government.

Implementation Strategies for Healthcare Professionals

• Focus on fundamental determinants of population health.
• Understand the context of disaster.
• Educate and assess patients regarding disaster preparedness.
• Interventions that are misdirected may have unintended consequences.

Emergency Responders

• Law enforcement, EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, healthcare providers, and public health officials.

Emergency Management Resources

• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency): lead agency for federal disaster response.
• DHS (U.S. Department of Homeland Security): lead federal agency for emergency response and federal coordination.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: lead agency for public health and specific medical issues.

Stages of Disaster

• Preparedness: pre-event phase, continuous process involving efforts to identify threats, determine vulnerabilities, and identify required resources.
• Response: addressing short-term, direct effects of an incident.
• Recovery: actions needed to help individuals and communities return to normal.
• Mitigation: efforts to lessen the effects of an emergency.

Environmental Health Issues

• Definition: environmental health focuses on the relationship between humans and the environment, fostering healthy and safe communities.
• Statistics: over 12 million people die annually due to unhealthy environments.
• Environmental health hazards: air pollution, global warming, urban sprawl, acid rain, waste disposal, chemical pollution, ozone layer depletion, disease-causing microbes, water pollution, lack of access to healthcare, and climate change.

Environmental Health Issues Risk

• Risk: likelihood that harm will occur if exposure to a hazard occurs.
• Cumulative risk: combined threats from exposure to multiple stressors.
• Risk assessment: establishes whether a risk is present and its magnitude.
• Risk management: integrates risk assessment with economic and legal considerations.
• Risk communication: exchange of information among individuals, groups, and institutions.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Mission: protect human health and the environment.
• Ensure clean air, water, and soil.
• Develop and enforce standards or regulations.
• Monitor pollutants in the environment.
• Conduct research.
• Promote public environmental education.

Laws and Regulations

• Clean Water Act (1972): maintain chemical, biological, and physical integrity of navigable waters.
• Safe Drinking Water Act (1974): does not apply to bottled water or private wells.
• Clean Air Act (1970): protect public health and public welfare.

What You Can Do

• Go green.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle.
• Learn more about environmental health.
• Stay up-to-date on environmental health topics.
• Get involved in non-profit organizations and community activities.
• Educate others on environmental health issues.