Disasters and Roles of Paramedics - Literature review Example

Running head: DISASTERS AND ROLES OF PARAMEDICS Name: Tutor: Subject: Date: Disasters and roles of paramedics The definition for disaster takes many forms depending on the context. For example, the Emergency Management Australia (2004, p. ix) has defined disaster as a condition or situation of significant disruption and destruction to a community causing damages and losses, while United Nations (1992) define a disaster as an interference of the normal functioning of the society resulting to losses of human life, useful materials, or environmental elements. According to the UN Glossary of 1992, Beachley (as quoted by Maurer and Smith, 2005). Some of the examples of the disasters result in the following incidents: floods, extreme range of temperatures, environmental contamination through chemical agents and similar bioterrorism agents’ epidemics, multiple car crashes, wind and school shootings. Literatures and some of the international journals have reflected the dangers of disasters to human life and property. For instance, in the year 1939 to 2007, about 46 incidents of floods were reported to have left 200 people dead and other damages worth 3 million US dollars (CRED, 2007). Furthermore, there were other incidents of extreme temperatures that were registered from1939 to 2007. In these incidents, about 400 people died and about 4.5 million individuals were affected (Charles Sturt University, 2001). Disaster can be categorized either as fabricated or natural depending on the cause. Natural disaster comprises of earthquakes, avalanches, slow-rising floods, typhoons, epidemics, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, flash floods, blizzards and tornadoes (Maurer, & Smith, 2005). Natural disasters are beyond man’s control though in some cases man can cause these disasters indirectly through pollution, denudation of forests, improper land-use, over-usage of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and similar neglectful and destructive activities. On the other hand, man-made disasters may result due to hazardous materials incidents, biological, radiological, weapons of mass destruction incidents, civic disruption, terrorism, internal or external wars, technological/structural failures, energy or utility incidents, transportation incidents, violence, and information incidents (Department of Environmental Management, n.d). Man-made disasters normally occurs from the actions or inactions caused by the man. (Charles Sturt University, 2001) Disaster effect diagram According to the definition stated in the Health and Safety Executive (n.d), hazards can be defined as potential to cause harm to people in the communities. Hazards have been categorized differently depending on their causes. Some of these categories include biological (bacteria, viruses, birds, plants), physical (fields, extreme pressures, radiation, magnetic), psychosocial (stress, death), chemical (based on physical and toxic properties), safety (slipping hazards, heavy equipment hazards, equipment malfunction hazards) and ergonomic (repetitive movements and improper workstations) (Canadian Centre Occupational Health and Safety, 2009). Risks can be referred as the possibility of an unexpected and dangerous event to take place “because of the realization of a hazard during work activities or by products and services created by work”. Psychologists like Everson (2003) have defined risk as a probability that a hazard will later turn out to be an event or an accident. An example to this definition is as follows: the risk of developing incurable diseases like cancer from using harmful is expressed as :-drug users (cigarette smokers) are 10 times more likely to die of lung cancer than those who are not smoking (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 2009). Risk attributes Physical effects –various deaths and injuries in the world have been caused by emergencies. Lindell and Prater (2003) have over the years analyzed how people have suffered. Some of their analyses include results of hurricanes, earthquakes, eruptions landslides and tsunamis. Hurricanes have produced high number of deaths in the past, that is, from 1980 to 1947 with 499,000 deaths were reported; landslides with 5,000 deaths; earthquakes left 450,000 people deaths from 1947 to1980; floods come next causing 194,000 deaths; volcanic eruptions caused 9,000 deaths; and tsunamis with 5,000 deaths. Most of these events are mostly happening in the regions like Asia, South America and Africa. Such cases are common in developing countries with approximately 3,000 deaths seen per disaster while in developed countries; there are averages of 500 deaths per disaster (Lindell, & Prater, 2003). Behavioral effects– they are widely categorized depending on their effects. Some of these effects comprise of depression, grief, sleep disturbance, attention deficits, exhaustion, gastrointestinal problems, tics, confusion, impaired concentration, anxiety, appetite disturbance, and substance abuse, among others. According to Gerrity and Flynn (1997), children are mostly affected followed by the elderly. Another risk category is the people suffering from mental illnesses, the racial and ethnic minorities, and families who have suffered losses from the emergency. In other cases, emergency workers are psychologically affected by disaster. Rescuers who are in the scene of disasters, overworking with no rest with limited amount of food to rescue victims can end up being psychologically traumatized (Lindell, & Prater, 2003). It is important for the community members to participate in community reconstruction efforts to strengthen bonds among them (Cronan, 1998, p. 20). This will improve leaving standards because the members would be in a position to develop effective and peaceful political base and thus avoiding political disruption (Lindell, & Prater, 2003). Problems often arise when there is unstable political condition and other social issues such as temporary housing remedies, which are set-up for emergency victims. Furthermore, people would face conflicts among themselves. It is therefore important to have proper control and improved relationship among the people living together as a community (Lindell, & Prater, 2003). Emergencies and disasters have caused a great loss to the society; important structures are lost. Animals also die and poor performances on crops are realized thus increasing the rate of poverty in the society (Lindell and Prater, 2003). Emergencies and disasters can further lead to poor economy in the country. In addition, they will cost the government to spend extra resources for repair and replacement (Committee on Assessing the Costs of Natural Disaster, 1999). Some of the main environmental effects of emergencies and disasters comprise of damage and contamination of important resources such as rangelands, croplands, and even woodlands. It has also been found out that the disaster damages ecological balance, animal habitat, and rainforests. To avoid these disasters and emergencies, people should avoid dumping on rivers, reduce runoff and conserve the environment to avoid soil erosion (Lindell, & Prater, 2003). Part II Ambulance plays an important role especially in the scene of an accident or incident. Some of the key and basic role of an ambulance is to ensure that there is safety in that place. This is important to prevent further injuries and suffering to the victims (Ryan, 2010). Some of the things to be checked as soon as the accident occurs are the electrical cables that might cause further accidents, oil or petrol or other dangerous flammable materials. It has been found out that many accidents occurs as a result of the interfered electrical cables or where the petrol has been expose to the fire in the place of accident. In addition, people coming for the rescue should avoid smoking or any other contact that can lead to the present of fire (Damon, 2011). This will ensure that the fire breakout is completely prevented in the place where the accident has occurred. The next step is to assess the situation of the patients by identifying those who are still alive to offer them first aid. It is also necessary for the ambulance crew to apply for the severity assessment code in order to determine patient prioritization (New South Wales Government, 2005). In most cases, it is advisable that the victims be categorized basing on the consequences so that those who have sustained serious injuries be attended to first followed by the rest. The staff of the ambulances should then assess the environment to know whether there is likelihood of another accident there and the necessary measures that need to be taken. It is required to classify the likelihood from the rating ‘frequent’ (the highest possible rating) to ‘rare’ (the lowest possible rating) (New South Wales Government, 2005). In any case, it is required to assess the situation of the patient in that place or scene of the accident. The first respondent should be attended to without wasting time; deliver immediate treatment, that is, first aid by CPR after airway clearance. Those victims who are not able to work should get urgent attention through the crew. Treatment may be delayed for those not seriously injured and those who are already dead to attend those who need to be admitted. First aiders should therefore start with those in critical condition and take to the nearest hospital (International Hospital Federation, 2010). There are cases where contagion is required to be carried out and in such situation, ambulance crew has the duty of decontaminating the patients and themselves based on the protocols of the hospital and the medical services. The specialist should be the one to handle this process to avoid further injuries to the victims. However, there is situation of massive decontamination. In such instance, Fire and Rescue Service should be the ones to handle the situation (Brown, 2010). It is also advisable that the patients need to be stabilized in case of radiation incidents, which are life threatening before transferring to big hospitals for decontamination. In the hospital premises, the first responder ambulance crew needs to hand over the patient to the nurses and doctors giving detailed information concerning the incident and other necessary information to aid faster treatment (Alcira, 2011). In conclusion, the first ambulance crew should employ professionals so as to utilize the resources and safe more life whenever the accident occurred (Mark, 2011). It is also important for the professionals to work with these services so that they can forward the standard report to the hospital staffs when they are through with the first aid. References Accident Reporting, Investigation, and Analysis (n.d) ŠConsultnet Ltd. Retrieved 07 August 2010 from http://www.consultnet.ie/accident%20reporting%20and%20investigation.ppt Attorney General’s Department (2002). Strategic Plan 1999-2002: State Emergency Management Committee. Retrieved 08 August 2010 from http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/upload/shared/docs/SEMCStrategicPlan99-02.PDF Andrea A. W. (2011). First responder handbook: fire service edition. Cengage Learning Alcira, K. (2011). Building safer cities: the future of disaster risk. New York City Brown, W. (2010). First There Was Fire: A Novel of Origins and 2012. Trafford Publishing. Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (2007). Australia: Country Profile - Natural Disasters. World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific. Retrieved 011 August from http://www.wpro.who.int/internet/files/eha/toolkit/web/Country%20Profiles/Disaster%20Profiles/australia.doc Concepts and Principles (2004). Emergency Management Australia. Retrieved 08 August 2010 from http://iaemeuropa.terapad.com/resources/8959/assets/documents/EM%20Australia%20Concepts%20and%20Principles.pdf Cronan, K. (1998). Foundations of Emergency Management. Emergency Management Australia. Retrieved 08 August 2010 from http://www.ema.gov.au/www/emaweb/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/%28084A3429FD57AC0744737F8EA134BACB%29~Foundations_of_Emergency_Management.pdf/$file/Foundations_of_Emergency_Management.pdf Definition of Emergency Response (n.d) Department of Environmental Management. Retrieved 07 August 2010 from http://www.dem.ri.gov/topics/erp/1_2.pdf Emergency Preparedness (n.d) Central Coast Center Independent Living. Retrieved 05 Damon, P. C. (2011). Introduction to International Disaster Management. Elsevier Mark, D. A. (2011). Operational risk management: a case study approach to effective planning and response. John Wiley and Sons Ryan, C. B. (2010). The ambulance: a history. McFarland International Hospital Federation, (2010). World hospitals, Volumes 11-12. Pergamon Press Stoy, P. (2009). Mosby's First Responder Textbook. Mosby Turner Publishing Company. (2011). International Association of Fire Chiefs. Turner Publishing Company Patricia W. I, (2007). Medical legal aspects of medical records. Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company National Labor Relations Board. (200). Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board. Government Printing Office Read More

Risk attributes Physical effects –various deaths and injuries in the world have been caused by emergencies. Lindell and Prater (2003) have over the years analyzed how people have suffered. Some of their analyses include results of hurricanes, earthquakes, eruptions landslides and tsunamis. Hurricanes have produced high number of deaths in the past, that is, from 1980 to 1947 with 499,000 deaths were reported; landslides with 5,000 deaths; earthquakes left 450,000 people deaths from 1947 to1980; floods come next causing 194,000 deaths; volcanic eruptions caused 9,000 deaths; and tsunamis with 5,000 deaths.

Most of these events are mostly happening in the regions like Asia, South America and Africa. Such cases are common in developing countries with approximately 3,000 deaths seen per disaster while in developed countries; there are averages of 500 deaths per disaster (Lindell, & Prater, 2003). Behavioral effects– they are widely categorized depending on their effects. Some of these effects comprise of depression, grief, sleep disturbance, attention deficits, exhaustion, gastrointestinal problems, tics, confusion, impaired concentration, anxiety, appetite disturbance, and substance abuse, among others.

According to Gerrity and Flynn (1997), children are mostly affected followed by the elderly. Another risk category is the people suffering from mental illnesses, the racial and ethnic minorities, and families who have suffered losses from the emergency. In other cases, emergency workers are psychologically affected by disaster. Rescuers who are in the scene of disasters, overworking with no rest with limited amount of food to rescue victims can end up being psychologically traumatized (Lindell, & Prater, 2003).

It is important for the community members to participate in community reconstruction efforts to strengthen bonds among them (Cronan, 1998, p. 20). This will improve leaving standards because the members would be in a position to develop effective and peaceful political base and thus avoiding political disruption (Lindell, & Prater, 2003). Problems often arise when there is unstable political condition and other social issues such as temporary housing remedies, which are set-up for emergency victims.

Furthermore, people would face conflicts among themselves. It is therefore important to have proper control and improved relationship among the people living together as a community (Lindell, & Prater, 2003). Emergencies and disasters have caused a great loss to the society; important structures are lost. Animals also die and poor performances on crops are realized thus increasing the rate of poverty in the society (Lindell and Prater, 2003). Emergencies and disasters can further lead to poor economy in the country.

In addition, they will cost the government to spend extra resources for repair and replacement (Committee on Assessing the Costs of Natural Disaster, 1999). Some of the main environmental effects of emergencies and disasters comprise of damage and contamination of important resources such as rangelands, croplands, and even woodlands. It has also been found out that the disaster damages ecological balance, animal habitat, and rainforests. To avoid these disasters and emergencies, people should avoid dumping on rivers, reduce runoff and conserve the environment to avoid soil erosion (Lindell, & Prater, 2003).

Part II Ambulance plays an important role especially in the scene of an accident or incident. Some of the key and basic role of an ambulance is to ensure that there is safety in that place. This is important to prevent further injuries and suffering to the victims (Ryan, 2010). Some of the things to be checked as soon as the accident occurs are the electrical cables that might cause further accidents, oil or petrol or other dangerous flammable materials. It has been found out that many accidents occurs as a result of the interfered electrical cables or where the petrol has been expose to the fire in the place of accident.

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