Table 8 The role the public health community can play in the chemical disaster management cycle
Prevention | Emergency planning and preparedness | Detection and alert | Response | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
â–ª Identifying chemical hazards | â–ª Contributing to the design, set-up & maintenance of effective emergency response infrastructures | â–ª Supporting installation of chemical detection & alarm systems | â–ª Activating the public health aspects of the incident management system | â–ª Organizing health care, including mental health care, to treat victims & to support them throughout the recovery cycle |
â–ª Conducting risk assessment | â–ª Contributing to the development of integrated chemical emergency plans | â–ª Establishing methods to detect & report covert chemical incidents | â–ª Making rapid assessments of incident control options | â–ª Undertaking risk & health outcome assessments |
â–ª Determining health impact of all potential release scenarios | â–ª Developing public health chemical incident response plans | â–ª Developing chemical incident recognition training | â–ª Advising and alerting health care services | â–ª Implementing remediation and restoration actions |
â–ª Communicating data on chemical hazards to the general public | â–ª Supporting the development of relevant databases | â–ª Developing diagnostic technologies for chemical exposures | â–ª Ensuring coordination & integration of public health response | â–ª Collecting and compiling epidemiological data |
â–ª Supporting land use planning regulations | â–ª Preparing information on chemical hazards & countermeasures and communicating this information to the public | â–ª Providing phone and Internet connections to report incidents | â–ª Conducting a best outcome assessment for both immediate & long-term actions. | â–ª Evaluating emergency response |
â–ª Supporting reduction in quantities of chemicals stored | â–ª Maintaining an inventory of existing medical countermeasures | â–ª Developing population health & environmental surveillance systems | â–ª Disseminating information and advice to responders, the public & the media | â–ª Tabulating and disseminating lessons learned |
â–ª Supporting product substitution | â–ª Developing improved medical countermeasures | â–ª Developing incident alert systems | â–ª Registering all exposed individuals & collecting samples to estimate exposure | Â |
â–ª Supporting improved plant & equipment design | â–ª Developing training programs | Â | â–ª Conducting epidemiological investigations | Â |
â–ª Supporting increased security at chemical transport and storage facilities | â–ª Planning and participating in chemical incident exercises | Â | Â | Â |
â–ª Supporting law enforcement and intelligence | Â | Â | Â | Â |