Response
Immediately after a disaster, response activities include:
- containing the release of hazardous materials
- assessing infrastructure damage
- assessing of the health needs of the affected population
- identifying necessary resources as well as priorities for intervention.
Response activities depend on the nature of the disaster, the effectiveness of preventive measures and the level of preparedness for the disaster.
Environmental health agencies are usually called upon to deal with immediate problems. To be able to respond effectively, these agencies must have experienced leaders, trained personnel, adequate transport and logistic support, appropriate communications, and guidelines for working in emergencies. Planning and preparation is essential for the agencies to work effectively and meet the immediate environmental health needs of the people.
Key resources
WHO
- IPCS Antidote Monographs
- Assessing the health consequences of major chemical incidents - epidemiological approaches (1997)
-
Children's health and the environment: a global perspective. A resource manual for the health sector (2005)
Section 2, chapter 6. Where the child is under extreme stress - Communicable disease control in emergencies. A field manual (2005)
- The drinking-water response to the Indian Ocean tsunami including the role of household water treatment (2005)
- Environmental Health Criteria Monographs
- Environmental health in emergencies and disasters: a practical guide (2002)
- Fact sheet on the management of waste during emergencies
- Four steps for the sound management of health-care waste in emergencies
- Guide to the development of on-site sanitation (1992)
- Guidelines for safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals in and after emergencies (1999)
- Hazardous waste management in tsunami-affected areas: emergency phase
- Health protection guidance in the event of a nuclear weapons explosion [pdf 29kb]
- International Chemical Safety Cards (English)
- International Chemical Safety Cards (multilingual)
- IPCS World directory of poisons centres
- Management of poisoning: a handbook for health care workers (1997)
- Natural disaster mitigation in drinking-water and sewerage systems (1998) [pdf 976kb]
- Poison Information Monographs
- Radiological dispersion device (drty bomb) information sheet [pdf 20kb]
- Responding to the needs of children in complex emergencies (various resources)
- Treatment guides
- Vector-borne disease fact sheets
- Public health response to biological and chemical weapons: WHO Guidance (2004)
-
Guidelines for drinking-water quality (2006)
Chapter 6. Application of the guidelines in specific circumstances - Tools and references for emergency health management
- WHO technical notes on environmental sanitation in emergencies
non-who
- Diagnosis and management of foodborne illnesses - A primer for physicians and other health care professionals (CDC)
- Convention on assistance in the case of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency (IAEA)
- Documentation for immediately dangerous to life or health concentrations (IDLH): NIOSH chemical listing and documentation of revised IDLH values
- How to recognize and initially respond to an accidental radiation injury (IAEA/WHO) [pdf 446kb]
- International Directory of Emergency Response Centres for Chemical Accidents (OECD/UNEP/OCHA)
- Rapid health assessment protocols for emergencies: chemical emergencies (Chapter 9. Chemical emergencies) (CRID)
Other resources
WHO
- Accidentes quimicos: Aspectos relativos a la salud (1998)- Spanish [pdf 989kb]
- Assessing microbial safety of drinking water: Improving approaches and methods (2003)
- Environmental management for vector control (1988)
- Fact sheets on environmental sanitation
- Household water treatment and safe storage following emergencies and disasters [pdf 840kb]
- Practical guidelines for infection control in health care facilities. Chapter 4. Environmental management practices (2004)
- Water and sanitation related diseases fact sheets
- Air quality guidelines for Europe (2000)