Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
270,000). The estimates on H1N1-related deaths in the United States range from
8720 and 18,050 (mid-range is about 12,270).
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This is low compared to many
epidemics and pandemics of the past. This can more than likely be attributed to
advances in medical treatment, epidemiological surveillance, and public education
on personal protection.
Consequences of Epidemics and Pandemics
Epidemics and pandemics can cause great economic and social problems with
people not wanting to go to certain areas, such as grocery stores and other public
gathering locations, for fear of contamination. Epidemics and pandemics can also
tax hospital surge capacities by causing more demand for hospital beds than are
actually available. Also, immunizations and medicines, along with medical sup-
plies such as N95 masks, can go into short supply because of increased demand.
Isolation of people may also cause psychological and other social issues due to lack
of human interaction. Mass casualties can also be a result of an epidemic or pan-
demic, depending on the disease that has caused the outbreak.
Preparation and Planning
The Emergency Manager must develop a relationship with health officials within
their community so that they can plan for, share information on, and respond to
threatened or actual epidemics and pandemics. This information should be shared
with those stakeholders who can potentially have gatherings of many people at
one time, such as business owners, schools, health care facilities (including nursing
homes and assisted living facilities), faith-based organizations, and convention cen-
ters. Also, planning for Continuity of Operations Planning should be considered.
Many times, epidemics and pandemics can reduce the workforce of an organization
(sometimes by more than 30%). Managers, supervisors, and directors should deter-
mine which functions are critical to their organizations so that they can cross train
employees to maintain those functions should manpower be cut due to illnesses.
This is good business practice for all organizations.
Space Weather
Description and History
Space weather is probably one of the more abstract hazards that Emergency
Managers must think about and plan for. Although space weather is a rare occur-
rence, its effects can be very detrimental on a global basis. Space weather includes
conditions in the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere (as well as on the
Sun) that can influence the performance of space and ground-based technologies.
There are several types of space weather, but for the purposes of this section, the
