Environmental health in emergencies and disasters : a practical guide / edited by B. Wisner, J. Adams.

Format:

Book

Government document

Contributor:

World Health Organization.

Wisner, Ben.

Adams, John, 1961-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Environmental health.

Disasters.

Physical Description:

xx, 252 p. : ill.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Geneva : World Health Organization, c2002.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This volume distills what is known about environmental health during an emergency or disaster. It draws on results from the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, and on experience with sustainable development between the two Earth Summits, in Rio de Janeiro and Johannesburg. It is intended for practitioners, as well as for policy-makers and researchers, and thus covers both general and technical aspects of environmental health. In Part I of this volume, a conceptual framework is presented for understanding environmental health issues in the context of disaster management. The framework covers the entire disaster-management cycle, from preparedness and warning, to recovery and prevention. Guidelines are also suggested for planning and reducing the effects of extreme events on public health, and practical guidance is given in organizational and logistical matters. Throughout, the need for flexibility and innovation at the local level is emphasized, combined with solid advance planning. There is also a focus on the vulnerability of populations during an emergency or disaster, with the implication that such people have capacities and local knowledge that should be integrated into efforts to secure both environment and development against extreme events. The creative potential of balancing ''top-down'' and ''bottom-up'' approaches is emphasized in chapters on health promotion and community participation, and on human resources. Part II of this book is a detailed compendium of best practices and strategies for risk reduction and response in the fields of: · Shelter and emergency settlements; · Water supply; · Sanitation; · Food safety; · Vector and pest control; · Control of communicable diseases and prevention of epidemics; · Chemical incidents; · Radiation emergencies; · Mortuary service and handling of the dead; · Health promotion and

community participation; and · Human resources. This book will be useful in planning for, responding to, and recovering from the movements of displaced persons and refugees in humanitarian crises, as well as the floods, storms, earthquakes and other extreme events that could confront health workers in the first decade of the 21st century. Given trends in the 1990s, it is unlikely that humanity has seen the last of these challenges.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

List of illustrations

Preface

Acknowledgments

1. About this book

1.1 Objectives

1.2 Target audiences

1.3 Organization of the chapters

1.4 Scope

1.5 Approach

1.6 Glossary of terms

Part I. General aspects

2. The nature of emergencies and disasters

2.1 Environmental health and disasters

2.2 Disasters and emergencies

2.3 Vulnerability to disasters and emergencies

2.4 Human actions that increase vulnerability to disasters

2.5 The disaster-management cycle

2.6 Steps in disaster management

2.7 Further information

3. Predisaster activities

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Institutional arrangements

3.3 Vulnerability and capacity assessment

3.4 Prevention and mitigation

3.5 Preparedness and planning

3.6 Institutional learning and memory

3.7 Warning indicators

3.8 Further information

4. Emergency response

4.1 Assessments

4.2 Evacuation

4.3 Environmental health measures in the emergency phase

4.4 Organization of environmental health activities during emergencies

4.5 Personnel management in emergencies

4.6 Equipment and supplies

4.7 Transportation and logistics

4.8 Telecommunications

4.9 Financial procedures

4.10 Rules, standards and guidelines in disaster response

4.11 International assistance

4.12 Further information

5. Recovery and sustainable development

5.1 From disasters to development

5.2 Assessment for recovery

5.3 Recovery planning

5.4 Recovery in different contexts

5.5 Post-disaster environmental health activities and sustainable development

5.6 Further information

Part II. Technical aspects

6. Shelter and emergency settlements

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Assistance to self-sheltering populations

6.3 Short-term shelter in existing buildings.

6.4 Site selection and arrangement of emergency settlements

6.5 Longer-term issues for emergency settlements

6.6 Community participation in environmental health management

6.7 Further information

7. Water supply

7.1 Water-supply preparedness and protection

7.2 Emergency water-supply strategy

7.3 Assessment

7.4 Emergency water-supply techniques

7.5 Operation and maintenance

7.6 Further information

8. Sanitation

8.1 Human waste and health

8.2 Strategy for excreta disposal in emergencies

8.3 Techniques for excreta disposal in emergencies

8.4 Disposal of wastewater (sullage)

8.5 Management of refuse

8.6 Further information

9. Food safety

9.1 The importance of safe food

9.2 Food control

9.3 Food safety and nutrition

9.4 Public education and information

9.5 Safe and hygienic warehouse management

9.6 Further information

10. Vector and pest control

10.1 The importance of vector and pest control in disasters and emergencies

10.2 Disease control and nuisance control

10.3 Available control measures

10.4 Environmental management for vector and pest control

10.5 Hygiene and personal protection

10.6 Further information

11. Control of communicable diseases and prevention of epidemics

11.1 The importance of communicable diseases in emergencies and disasters

11.2 Measures for controlling communicable diseases and epidemics

11.3 The control of cholera: an example

11.4 Further information

12. Chemical incidents

12.1 Types of chemical incident

12.2 The health effects of chemical incidents

12.3 Operational planning and preparedness

12.4 Dealing with chemical incidents

12.5 Assessing the impact on public health

12.6 Further information

13. Radiation emergencies

13.1 Health consequences of radiation

13.2 Radiation from nuclear incidents.

13.3 International and local response to a major nuclear accident in compliance with the Convention on Early Notification and Assistance Convention

13.4 The role of WHO in a radiation emergency

13.5 Mitigation of effects

13.6 Inadvertent exposure to radioactive material

13.7 Further information

14. Mortuary service and handling of the dead

14.1 Recovery of the dead

14.2 Organization of the mortuary

14.3 Identification of the dead

14.4 Handling the dead

14.5 Ceremonial aspects

14.6 Further information

15. Health promotion and community participation

15.1 Definitions

15.2 Hygiene promotion and community participation in the disaster-management cycle

15.3 Community participation

15.4 Hygiene promotion and hygiene education

15.5 Further information

16. Human resources

16.1 Professional staff

16.2 Volunteer staff and employed labour

16.3 Training

16.4 Further information

References

Websites

Annex 1 WHO model of country-level emergency planning

Annex 2 Equipment and supplies for environmental health activities in disasters and emergencies

Annex 3 Accidental pesticide poisoning

Annex 4 International and national actions in response to a radiation emergency

Annex 5 Selected information from the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources

Annex 6 Checklist of hygiene practices that protect health in emergencies and disasters.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-234).

ISBN:

9786610041398

9789240680302

9240680306

9781280041396

1280041390

OCLC:

437176316