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Disaster Info

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26 views3 pages

Disaster Info

notes

Uploaded by

nov2024pnletop1
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter One: Background

Disasters occur every day somewhere in the world with dramatic impact
on individuals, families and communities. Whether the disaster is a single-
family house fire or a tsunami that devastates a community, the quality of
life is threatened. World Disasters Report 2007 reported a 60% increase in
disasters in the last decade (1997–2006) over the previous decade (1987–
1996). Additionally, the number of reported deaths grew from 600 000 to
over 1.2 million. At the same time, the number of people affected rose from
230 million to 270 million, a 17% increase (Klyman, Kouppari & Mukheir,
2007).

Developing nations are particularly vulnerable due to the lack of funding for
disaster preparedness and the impact of disasters on the health care, economic
and social infrastructure of the affected region and subsequently, the country.
Disasters can change the face of a developing nation in seconds, wiping out
years of development. Nations with greater resources are usually able to move
more quickly to restore the infrastructure and economy. However, no matter
where the disaster happens, the impact on the population and community can
be devastating, leaving no nation, region or community immune.

“According to the United Nation’s Bureau of Crisis Prevention and


Recovery, some 75 percent of the world’s population live in areas that have
been affected at least once by either an earthquake, a tropical cyclone,
flooding or drought between 1980 and 2000” (IRIN, 2007, p. 3). Natural
disasters have been increasing over the last 50 years, with the greatest
Chapter One: Background

increase in the last decade (Birnbaum, 2002). “On average during 2000–
2006, 116.3 countries were hit by disasters each year, but in 2007 it was
133” (Scheuren et al., 2008, p. 6). As in 2006, Asia was most affected by
disasters in both the number of deaths and the number of disasters in 2007
(Hoyois, Schauren, Below & Guha-Sapir, 2007; Scheuren et al., 2008). These
statistics amplify the importance of sound disaster planning and mitigation

24 June 2009 Disaster Nursing Competencies.indd 2 11/09/2009 14:41:35


efforts. Included in these efforts is the preparation of a workforce that is able
to respond effectively in the time of a disaster.

There is no single agreed-upon definition of disaster and multiple


definitions of disaster are found in the literature. Governments, humanitarian
groups and other organizations tend to define a disaster as it reflects the
mission, organization and needs of the entity. But regardless of the specific
definition, all definitions address the concepts of widespread destruction of
the environment, the economic, social and health care infrastructure, as well
as loss of life, overwhelming the ability of individuals and the community
to respond using their own resources. The following definitions from the
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the World
Health Organization are examples of how various organizations define disaster.

• “A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society


causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses
which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using

ICN Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies


its own resources” (ISDR, 2004, p. 9; World Health Organization, 2007,
page 7).

• “A sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of


a community or society and causes human, material, and economic or
environmental losses that exceed the community’s or society’s ability to
cope using its own resources. Though often caused by nature, disasters
can have human origins” (International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies, 2005, p. 1).

Disasters are classified as “natural” and “technological” (i.e. man-


made). Natural disasters include storms, such as hurricanes and cyclones,

24 June 2009 Disaster Nursing Competencies.indd 3 11/09/2009 14:41:36


floods, earthquakes, extreme heat and cold emergencies, tsunamis,
volcanic eruptions, pandemics and famine. Technological disasters include
transportation chemical, biological and radiological accidents as well as acts
of terrorism. Disasters complicated by war or internal conflict that have lead
to a breakdown of social, political and economic structures are classified as
complex emergencies or complex disasters. There has been a noticeable
increase in complex disasters over the last decade. When coupled with natural
or technological disasters, complex disasters make the needs of the survivors
and the work of those helping more challenging (Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, 1999).

Regardless of how a disaster is defined, natural or man-made, disasters


disrupt a community’s infrastructure for water, transportation, communication,
electricity, public health services and health care and increase direct and
indirect financial costs, resulting in substantial alterations in financing
structures. Disasters often overwhelm services including social services,
hospital care and emergency services, e.g. police, fire. In addition, the normal
routine of the community is disrupted. Many people are unable to work, health
facilities are inundated, the economic stability of the community is shaken, and
family life is disrupted. Communities may take years to recover from a disaster.
In some cases, communities never return, especially those with few economic
resources.

Disasters take a physical and psychological toll on individuals. Experience


Chapter One: Background

has demonstrated that rapid intervention is necessary to address physical


and psychological issues. Failure to intervene can lead to long-term physical
conditions or mental health problems. Some individuals—people with pre-
existing health conditions, medical disabilities, mental health or psychological
problems as well as the frail, women, older people and the very young—are
more vulnerable and at risk. Moreover, an individual’s ability to cope with

24 June 2009 Disaster Nursing Competencies.indd 4 11/09/2009 14:41:36

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