Disaster Recovery Plan
In this assessment, you will assume the role of the senior nurse at a regional hospital who has been assigned to develop a disaster recovery plan for the community using MAP-IT and trace- mapping, which you will present to city officials and the disaster relief team. Before you complete the detailed instructions in the courseroom, first review the full scenario and associated data below. Please refer back to this resource as necessary while you complete your assessment. Introduction For a health care facility to be able to fill its role in the community, it must actively plan not only for normal operation, but also for worst-case scenarios which could occur. In such disasters, the hospital’s services will be particularly crucial, even if the specifics of the disaster make it more difficult for the facility to stay open. As the senior nurse at the Smallville Regional Hospital, you play a vital role in ensuring the hospital’s readiness for disasters and its ability to recover from them. The hospital administrator wants to discuss disaster preparedness and recovery with you. Before the conversation, it would be helpful to familiarize yourself with the background information on events that have occurred in Smallville in recent years, including the involvement of the hospital.
Background Investigate further for relevant background information. Newspaper Headline: “Smallville Devastated by Wildfire: Rebuilding and Recovery Underway” November 8, 2022 Smallville, CA – In a tragic turn of events, the northern California town of Smallville was ravaged by a devastating wildfire on July 6, 2021. The fire, which quickly spread through the town, destroyed nearly 19,000 structures and claimed the lives of 31 residents. The community is now faced with the daunting task of rebuilding and recovering from this catastrophic event. The fire, known as the Blaze, raced into Smallville with unprecedented speed and intensity, leaving residents with little time to evacuate. Many were forced to flee on foot, seeking refuge in parking lots and commercial buildings that were never intended to serve as temporary shelters in a firestorm.
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The impact of this disaster was felt particularly hard by residents of low socioeconomic status (SES). People in poverty, with low incomes, and of low SES often face greater challenges in recovering from disasters. The loss of homes, possessions, and livelihoods has left many in a state of uncertainty and vulnerability. However, amidst the devastation, there is hope. The community has come together to support one another and begin the process of rebuilding. Local organizations, government agencies, and volunteers have joined forces to provide assistance and resources to those affected by the fire. Experts studying the response to disasters like the Blaze emphasize the need for a radical overhaul in how we prepare for and respond to such events in the era of climate change. This includes rethinking disaster recovery strategies and implementing measures to mitigate the impact of future disasters. The town of Smallville is determined to rise from the ashes and rebuild stronger than ever. City leaders are working on developing comprehensive emergency plans and evacuation standards to ensure the safety of residents in the face of future wildfires. The community is resilient and united in their efforts to restore their beloved town. As the rebuilding and recovery process continues, it is crucial for the nation to learn from this tragedy and implement measures to better prepare for and respond to disasters. The lessons learned from the Blaze will serve as a wake-up call for communities across the country, emphasizing the importance of proactive planning and effective disaster response strategies.
Fact Sheet: Smallville, CA Population: 5,200 Median Household Income: $60,000 Percentage of Population Below Poverty Line: 22% Racial/Ethnic Composition: White: 69% African American: 6% Native American: 2% Asian/Pacific Islander: 10% Other Races: 8% Two or More Races: 5%
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Additionally, there are an unknown number of undocumented migrant workers with limited English proficiency. Education High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+: 84.0% Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+: 18.5% Health With a disability, under age 65 years: 10.8% Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years: 12.5% Income & Poverty Median household income: $37,476 Per capita income in past 12 months: $20,274 Persons in poverty: 23.0%
Staff Interviews Dr. Peter Jenski, Internal Medicine. “The impact of the fire on the residents of Smallville has been devastating. Many of them have lost their homes, possessions, and livelihoods. The fire has also had a significant impact on their physical and mental health.” Bill Reiner, Social Worker: “Yes, I agree. People in low socioeconomic status groups are particularly vulnerable to the effects of disasters like this one. They often face greater challenges in recovering from disasters.” Nurse Kaley Grant, ICU: “That’s right. The fire has increased the risk of respiratory and lung diseases, which can be particularly harmful to people with pre-existing conditions.” Dr. Linh Boswell, Psychiatrist: “And let’s not forget about the mental health impact. The trauma of losing everything in a fire can be overwhelming. Many residents are experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.” Dr. Tom Sowka, Pharmacist: “It’s important that we provide comprehensive care to these patients, addressing both their physical and mental health needs. We need to work together to ensure that they receive the care and resources they need to recover from this disaster.” Dr. Luisa Gonzalez, Hospital Administrator: ” I couldn’t agree more. We need to work together as a medical community to support the affected residents and implement comprehensive emergency plans and evacuation standards to mitigate the impact of future disasters. We can learn from previous disasters and use those lessons to better prepare for future events.”
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Request from Administrator Dr. Luisa Gonzalez, Smallville Hospital Administrator, has asked you to present a compelling case to community stakeholders for the proposed disaster recovery plan. She requests you use the MAP-IT model, which is a step-by-step, structured plan that can be developed by a coalition that is tailored to a specific community’s needs. The MAP-IT model involves all stakeholders, making for a widely-supported and community- owned effort. It assesses assets as well as needs and looks for ways to use them. The five steps of the MAP-IT model are:
1. Mobilize individuals and organizations that care about the health of your community into a coalition.
2. Assess the areas of greatest need in your community, as well as the resources and other strengths that you can tap into to address those areas.
3. Plan your approach: start with a vision of where you want to be as a community; then add strategies and action steps to help you achieve that vision.
4. Implement your plan using concrete action steps that can be monitored and will make a difference.
5. Track your progress over time. In addition to using the MAP-IT model, work up an approach supported by Healthy People 2020 and put it all into a PowerPoint. You can save the PowerPoint deck and the audio of its accompanying presentation at the public library so that the public can access it and see that you’re serious. By doing this, you can create a prototype for other local communities near this one, and possibly other facilities in the organization. To ensure that the disaster recovery plan is effective, you can also involve diverse stakeholders, replace guesswork and hunches with data- driven decisions, and create comprehensive, detailed plans that define the roles and responsibilities of disaster recovery team members and outline the criteria to launch the plan into action.
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