Emergency Preparedness Training for Social Workers

New Jersey Preparedness Consortium (NJ-PTC)UMDNJ & US Department of HHS

Grant No. T01HP01407

Goals & Objectives List 12 categories of items in an

Emergency Preparation Kit Identify 3 ethical issues dealing

with an emergency Name 2 laws dealing with legal

issues in an emergency Identify the role of NIMS & ICS

during a crisis

HSPD – 5 Executive Order #50Executive Order #5

Homeland Security Presidential Directive – 5 Purpose: Develop & administer a National

Incident Management System (NIMS)Executive Order #50 (Codey) Purpose: Mandates NIMS as state emergency

response standard for NJ Executive Order #5 (Corzine) Purpose: Creates cabinet level Homeland Security

Director to oversee state emergency response efforts

National Incident Management

System (NIMS)

Provides a national structure to prepare for, prevent, respond & recover from disasters

Training at www.fema.gov/emiweb/is

NIMS Components1. Command & Management – Incident

Command System (ICS)2. Preparedness – Emergency Operations Plan

(EOP), training3. Resource Management – Personnel, facilities,

equipment, supplies4. Communications & Information Management

– Public Information Officer (PIO)5. Supporting Technologies – Computers6. Ongoing Management & Maintenance –

Changes, demobilization

Emergency Operations Planning – 4 Components

1. Preparedness – evaluate risks/probabilities2. Response – how to deal with risks/probabilities3. Mitigation – how to minimize the effects or

prevent reoccurrence of disaster4. Recovery – What would be needed to restore

unmet needs/how to do this

Incident Command System(ICS)

System for organizing a response (based on the Emergency Operations Plan) to an emergency after it occurs

Common goal of stabilizing the incident - protecting life, property & the environment

Directed by an Incident Commander (IC) Has 4 Basic Functions

4 Basic Functions of ICS

1. Planning – Determine what specifically needs to be done to handle incident

2. Operations – Directs all resources to carry out the plan

3. Logistics – Provides the resources & all other services needed to support the plan

4. Finance/Administration – Monitors costs related to managing the incident

Laws Pertaining to Incidents

Homeland Security Presidential Directive – 5Established NIMS on national level

Executive Order #50Established NIMS on state level

Executive Order #5Established Cabinet Level Homeland Security Director

NJ Emergency Health Powers Act - N.J.S.A. 26:13Established powers of Commissioner of DHSS during incident

Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act - HIPAAEstablished permitted disclosures of identifiable health information

NJ Emergency Health Powers Act N.J.S.A. 26.13

Report Suspected Disease - DHSS Track Disease Process - Commissioner Emergency Health Care Providers Registry Transfer management of health care facility to

DHSS Control of Health Care Supplies Vaccination – mandate Require Health Care Providers to Assist Immunity from Liability Reasonable Reimbursement for Services

HIPAA

Personal Health Information (PHI) Persons exposed to reportable

communicable diseases Persons who refuse treatment

Principles of Ethics

Autonomy: Respect self-determination; choice of action

Beneficence: Enhance welfare of others; avoid harm (nonmaleficence)

Paternalism: Protect against self-harm or harming others (compromised autonomy)

Justice: Equitable treatment

Biological Agents of Highest Concern

Smallpox Anthrax Plague Tularemia Botulism Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers

Types of Illnesses These Agents Can Cause

“Flu-like” illness (fever, sweats, nausea) Cough and/or pneumonia Headache, confusion Skin ulcers (anthrax, tularemia, plague) Rashes (smallpox, viral hemorrhagic

fevers) Paralysis (botulism)

Contagious Agents

Person-to-Person TransmissionSmallpox

Plague PneumoniaSome Viral Hemorrhagic

Fevers (Ebola)

Antibiotics, Antitoxin, or Immunization

Antibiotics – Anthrax, Plague, Tularemia

Antitoxin – Botulism Immunization – Smallpox, Anthrax,

Some Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers

Infection Control – Category A

Critical Agents

Standard precautions – all cases Airborne & contact precautions -

smallpox, viral hemorrhagic fevers Droplet precautions – pneumonic

plague

Infection ControlStandard Precautions

Disposable, non-sterile gloves Handwashing after glove removal Disposable gown/apron, face-shield

if splashing anticipated Change protective gear between

cases

Infection ControlContact Precautions

Standard precautions plus Wear gloves & gown, change after

contact with infectious material Dedicate non-critical patient care

items to single patient or disinfect between patients

Infection ControlAirborne Precautions

Airborne Precautions Standard precautions plus Patient in negative air pressure room Wear respiratory protection (HEPA

filter mask)

Infection ControlDroplet Precautions

Standard precautions plus Wear mask when within 6 feet of

patient

Quarantine vs. Isolation Isolation: separation of a contagious

person/group from other people to prevent spread of infection

Quarantine: restrictions of activities or limitations of freedom of movement of those presumed exposed to communicable disease to prevent contact with those who have not been exposed

Severity of Response Dependent Upon Proximity to event (injured/bereaved) Intensely exposed (first responders) Displaced from home/work Loss of property Age (child/elderly) Special Needs (developmentally

disabled/blind/cognitively impaired/etc) Culture

Severity of Response Dependent Upon Continued

History of:Previous traumaMental illnessSubstance AbuseChronic Illness

Early Intervention Goal #1

Safety: Protect from further physical harm

(remove from traumatic scene) See to basic needs (food, shelter,

clothing, sanitation, sleep, medical care)

Information dissemination

Early Intervention Goal #2

Function: Support to return to normal function

(reduce stressors/reminders) Link to critical resources Reunite and keep families together Educate about responses to

stressful or traumatic events

Early Intervention Goal #3

Action: Support to return to productive

activity Redirect to constructive/helping

tasks

CommunicationGeneral Guidelines

Tell the truth as it is known, when it is known Explain what is being done to deal with the

situation Avoid withholding bad news or disturbing

information Be forthright about what is not known Provide practical guidance Messages should be simple & straightforward

Self-Care

Healthy lifestyle Self-regulation Positive coping skills (resilience) Stress management Education Emergency Preparedness Practice