COPING WITH NATURAL DISASTERS: THE ROLE OF LOCAL HEALTH PERSONNEL AND THE COMMUNITY

( By A Working Guide (WHO - OMS, 1989) )

< Reading Room Home
Go To:

Annex 10. Outline schedules for self-evaluation in the event of disaster

Self-evaluation schedules comprise a series of questions which the community’s emergency committee and the local health personnel put to themselves in order to adjust and evaluate the action taken in the event of a disaster.

The questions in the schedule should be adapted to the specific situation in which action is being taken.

The schedules presented here are models intended to help the communities and the local health personnel to prepare their own self-evaluation. Drawing up self-evaluation schedules in normal times is a useful way of preparing for emergencies.

Self-evaluation schedule for action taken by the community



















































































































1. Self-evaluation questions for the situation immediately following the disaster


+


+/-


-


1.1 Has a community emergency committee been set up?





1.2 Have relief teams been organized?





1.3 Is anything being done for isolated families?





1.4 Have arrangements been made to pick up the injured and take them to the health centre or hospital?





1.5 Have dangerous buildings been evacuated?





1.6 Have steps been taken to solve the problems that are most urgent for the survival of the victims:






1.6.1 Water






1.6.2 Food






1.6.3 Shelter?





1.7 Has a place been assigned for the dead to be kept while awaiting burial?





1.8 Are steps being taken to identify the dead?





1.9 Has an information coordination centre been established?





1.10 Have communications been established with the central (regional, national) authorities?





1.11 Have the most urgent requirements to be met from outside assistance been evaluated, taking into account the number of people needing assistance, the type of assistance necessary and the resources available on the spot?





1.12 Are steps being taken to reunite families?





1.13 Have safety instructions been issued?





1.14 Are steps being taken to circulate information on:






1.14.1 the consequences of the disaster,






1.14.2 the dangers that subsist,






1.14.3 factors that may reassure people?





2. Questions for self-evaluation in the post-disaster period































































































































































































2.1 Are communications being maintained with the central authorities?


+


+/-


-


2.2 Is information on requirements being coordinated?





2.3 Are local voluntary workers being coordinated?





2.4 Are voluntary workers from outside being coordinated?





2.5 Is inappropriate aid being successfully prevented and avoided?





2.6 Are relief supplies being fairly distributed?





2.7 Is contact being maintained with all family groupings?





2.8 Have families been reassured who are living in buildings that are damaged but not dangerous?





2.9 Has an appropriate site been chosen for temporary shelters?





2.10 In setting up shelters for disaster victims have family and neighbourhood relationships and socio-economic and cultural needs been taken into account?





2.11 Have the victims been organized in family groupings?





2.12 Have the essential problems been dealt with:






2.12.1 water supply,






2.12.2 the provision of clothing, footwear and blankets,






2.12.3 food supply,






2.12.4 facilities for preparing hot meals,






2.12.5 the installation of latrines,






2.12.6 facilities for washing clothes and pots and pans,






2.12.7 collection and disposal of waste?





2.13 Have short meetings been arranged in the community to discuss the various problems and find solutions to them?





2.14 Have steps been taken to encourage solidarity, mutual assistance, and constructive efforts among people?





2.15 Have school activities started up again?





2.16 Have initiatives been taken for community action by children?





2.17 Have steps been taken to combat false rumours?





2.18 Have measures been adopted to ensure that there is no favouritism in the distribution of relief supplies?





2.19 Is care being taken to ensure that voluntary workers from the outside do not take the place of local manpower but help to take the situation in hand again?





2.20 Have victims been encouraged and helped to resume their activities?





2.21 Have initiatives been taken to facilitate economic recovery on the basis of putting local resources to good use?





2.22 Have steps been taken to ensure that people participate in drawing up plans of reconstruction, rehabilitation and development and that those plans are in line with needs and the local culture?





2.23 Are arrangements in force to avoid:





2.23.1 delays,





2.23.2 crippling disputes,





2.23.3 favouritism,





2.23.4 speculation,





2.23.5 dishonesty,





2.23.6 violence?





3. Self-evaluation questions on disaster preparedness


























































































































































3.1 Has an emergency committee been set up?


+


+/-


-


3.2 Is the committee active?





3.3 Have steps been taken to:






3.3.1 analyse past experience of emergencies,






3.3.2 ascertain the risks of a disaster in the area and its foreseeable consequences,






3.3.3 determine what resources the community has available to deal with the consequences of a disaster,






3.3.4 train voluntary workers for rescue and first-aid work,






3.3.5 inform and educate the public on the hazards and on how to behave in the event of a disaster:






3.3.5.1 in the schools,






3.3.5.2 at place of work,






3.3.5.3 in the community,






3.3.5.4 in associations?





3.4 Has a community plan been drawn up to deal with an emergency, organizing activities in essential fields:






3.4.1 rescue work,






3.4.2 emergency care,






3.4.3 communications,






3.4.4 the supply of:






3.4.4.1 water,






3.4.4.2 food,






3.4.4.3 power,






3.4.5 temporary shelter if required,






3.4.6 transport,






3.4.7 sanitation,






3.4.8 dissemination of information and instructions?





3.5 Have emergency-preparedness exercises been organized?





3.6 Has twinning been arranged with one or more communities for action in the event of a disaster?





Self-evaluation schedule for action by the local health personnel

1. Self-evaluation questions for the situation immediately following the disaster












































1.1 Has the health centre or hospital been organized to take in the injured?


+


+/-


-


1.2 Have arrangements been made for sorting the victims into categories?





1.3 Has the help of voluntary workers been enlisted for the reception of victims?





1.4 Have arrangements been made for evacuating to properly equipped centres patients who cannot be dealt with on the spot?





1.5 Have the type and quantity of drugs and medical supplies needed been estimated?





1.6 Has their provision been ensured?





1.7 Has the cooperation been obtained of local private and contract health staff?





1.8 Has liaison been established with the community’s information coordination centre?





2. Questions for self-evaluation in the post-disaster period









































































































2.1 Are the injured and sick being provided with routine care?


+


+/-


-


2.2 Has the disease-monitoring and health information system been activated by using voluntary workers and those in charge of the family groupings?





2.3 Are health education activities being conducted on:






2.3.1 using safe water,






2.3.2 individual and family hygiene,






2.3.3 cleanliness of the temporary shelters and the environment,






2.3.4 using the latrines






2.3.5 control of flies, disease vectors and rodents,






2.3.6 control of lice, fleas and other parasites (avoiding methods that give offence or involve discrimination against people)?





2.4 Are vulnerable groups being looked after?





2.5 Has the continuation been ensured of the vaccination and health protection programmes being conducted before the disaster?





2.6 Are steps being taken to give psychological support to the victims and to deal with mental health problems?





2.7 Has the assistance of specialists from the intermediate level been obtained?





2.8 Has liaison been established with suitably equipped centres so that patients can be sent to them who cannot be dealt with on the spot?





2.9 Has liaison been established with laboratories suitably equipped for the necessary diagnostic activities?





2.10 Are periodic reports on the health situation being drawn up?





2.11 In organizing health work, has allowance been made for the territorial distribution of clusters of victims?





2.12 Are health activities being organized in such a way as to make it easy for people to participate and take responsibility?





2.13 Are the activities of voluntary health workers from elsewhere being coordinated?





3. Questions for self-evaluation in regard to emergency preparedness


















































































































3.1 Has a plan of action been drawn up for the utilization of the health centre or hospital in the event of a disaster?


+


+/-


-


3.2 Are the supplies available that would be needed in the event of a disaster:






3.2.1 drugs,






3.2.2 consumable health supplies,






3.2.3 items of health equipment,






3.2.4 water,






3.2.5 basic supplies for running the health facility?





3.3 Do the local health personnel know their tasks in the event of a disaster?





3.4 Have steps been taken to give professional training on dealing with emergency cases?





3.5 Have activities been organized to train voluntary health workers to cope with emergency situations?





3.6 Are emergency preparedness activities or exercises being carried out with the population:






3.6.1 in the schools,






3.6.2 in workplaces,






3.6.3 in associations,






3.6.4 in the community,






3.6.5 as part of twinning schemes?





3.7 Have preparations been made for liaison with centres equipped to deal with emergency requirements?





3.8 Has a plan of action been drawn up to cope with the eventuality of the health facility being badly damaged in a disaster?





3.9 Is there collaboration with the community emergency committee?





3.10 Is an assessment periodically made of the community’s health status, indicating potential risks in the event of a disaster?




Home  |   The Library  |   Ask an Expert  |   Help Talks  |   Blog  |   Online Books  |   Online Catalogue  |   Downloads  |   Contact Us

Health Library © 2024 All Rights Reserved. MiracleworX Web Designers In Mumbai