Emergency Response,Recovery and Preparedness

Social media tools are integrated in most parts of our daily lives, as citizens, netizens, researchers or
emergency responders. Lessons learnt from disasters and emergencies that occurred globally in the last
few years have shown that social media tools may serve as an integral and significant component of
crisis response. Communication is one of the fundamental tools of emergency management. It becomes
crucial when there are dozens of agencies and organizations responding to a disaster. Regardless of the
type of emergency, whether a terrorist attack, a hurricane or an earthquake, communication lines may
be overloaded and cellular networks overwhelmed as too many people attempt to use them to access
information. Social scientists have presented that post-disaster active public participation was largely
altruistic, including activities such as search and rescue, first aid treatment, victim evacuation, and online
help. Social media provides opportunities for engaging citizens in the emergency management by
both disseminating information to the public and accessing information from them. During emergency
events, individuals are exposed to large quantities of information without being aware of their validity
or risk of misinformation, but users are usually swift to correct them, thus making the social media
“self-regulating”.

A number of catastrophes could block the sun, including asteroid/comet impact, super volcanic eruption, and nuclear war with the burning of cities (nuclear winter). The problem of feeding 7 billion people would arise (the food problem is more severe than other problems associated with these catastrophes). Previous work has shown this is possible converting stored biomass to food if industry is present. A number of risks could destroy electricity globally, including a series of high-altitude electromagnetic pulses (HEMPs) caused by nuclear weapons, an extreme solar storm, and a super computer virus. Since industry depends on electricity, it is likely there would be a collapse of the functioning of industry and machines. Additional previous work has shown that it is technically feasible to feed everyone given the loss of industry without the loss of the sun. It is possible that one of these sun-blocking scenarios could occur near in time to one of these industry-disabling scenarios. This study analyzes food sources in these combined catastrophe scenarios. Food sources include extracting edible calories from killed leaves, growing mushrooms on leaves and dead trees, and feeding the residue to cellulose-digesting animals such as cattle and rabbits. Since the sun is unlikely to be completely blocked, fishing and growing ultraviolet (UV) and cold-tolerant crops in the tropics could be possible. The results of this study show these solutions could enable the feeding of everyone given minimal preparation, and this preparation should be a high priority now.

Abstract Backgroud:The advent of emergency or disaster has posed serious challenges to the lives of many citizens in different localities and communities. This was as a result of either inadequate preparation for emergency or insufficient knowledge and skills on how to handle emergency situation by those concerned. So mamy lives were claimed; properties damaged and destroyed which calls for adequate and effective preparation against future occurrences by emergency rescue team members as well as healthcare professionals such as nurses. Methods:This is a cross sectional, descriptive survey conducted to explore the role of a nurse in emergency preparedness among nurses in Zaria local Government area of Kaduna State. One hundred and twenty (120) structured questionnaires were administered using simple random sampling technique. Results: The findings of this study established that 34% of the participants were within the age range of 30-39 years. Near two third of the participants 63% were female and 25% of the participants were at the rank of Nursing Officer II (N.OII), 22% of which work in accident and emergency unit while 45% had a working experience between 1-10 years. More than half 60% of the participants had a clear and correct understanding of the concept of emergency preparedness. So also, most of the participants strongly agreed that the roles of a nurse in emergency preparedness are enormous and central to emergency preparedness. Most of the participants 53% and 55% ticked all the tools itemized for emergency preparedness use as well as the factors affecting emergency participants respectively. Conclusion: Disaster preparedness maximized safe condition, decreases vulnerability and minimizes risk to individuals when they are confronted by a hazard. The role of the Nurses is central to emergency preparedness as a custodian of hospital infrastructures.

Little is documented on conflict and displacement impact on West Africa Ebola Virus disease (EVD) outbreaks. The paper revisits Ebola outbreaks public health emergencies in fragile conflict zones and displaced populations across Africa. Findings showed that the duration of conflict/war events varied one to forty three years. Notably, Darfur war in Sudan and South Sudan lasted between 18-23 years, RD Congo and Guinea incessant political and ethnical or mining conflict instability repeatedly ranging between 2-6 years, Liberia and Sierra Leone 5 and 12 years conflict/war events associated Ebola outbreaks were documented following seven and four years of conflicts from 1989-1996 and 1999-2003 prior to a democracy nation era in Liberia respectively. Worldwide, there have been 28,639 cases of Ebola virus disease and 11,316 deaths as at December, 2016 compared to recent Zika virus outbreaks in Latin America. Ebola outbreak public health emergencies advocacy, community social mobilization and engagement, Ebola awareness, effective and culturally dignified communications, social media and mass media risk communication, community literacy and preparedness, emergency response engagement and participation, access and deployment of digital technology applications (Health map) in surveillance, tracking and monitoring and key traditional burial practice behaviours changes were being translated into positive successes and benefits that geared rapid and effective prevention of further spread and containment activities of West Africa Ebola outbreak. Inter-humanitarian organizations, institutions and other stakeholders including government cooperation and coordinated leadership, commitment and investment were laudable in supporting accountability and transparency in the overall objectives of public health emergency preparedness planning, care management systems in Ebola outbreak centres, public awareness, epidemic early detection and rapid response as well as effective immunization programs implementation to outwit Ebola virus. Sierra Leone conflict lasted from 1991-2002, Guinea recorded frequent relentless instability than Liberia with two major conflict periods from 1989-1996 and 1999-2003. For the first time, we established a statistical significant correlation between duration of war/conflict events and Ebola outbreaks onsets in Africa (P<0.05).Unexpectedly; the total fatality rate in Liberia or Sierra Leone only was greater than the previously reported cumulative EVD cases across Africa since 1976. It is crucial to intensify advocacy on conflicts/wars resolutions to disaster risk reduction framework evidence practice implementation of peace building in fostering health and socioeconomic development and growth. Authors call for the urgent need for concerned commitment and engagement of all stakeholders to develop, implement and strengthening local, national, regional and global public health emergencies. Evidence practice approaches and strategies including national public health disaster emergency situations insurance models and schemes integration is paramount in infectious and emerging infectious diseases outbreaks public health emergencies and disasters high risk prone settings and particular in Africa.