Environmental Health Management after Natural Disaster - A Study Guide
Lesson 2 - Factors to consider for effective management
Study Guide
This lesson establishes the framework for effective disaster
management of environmental health. It discusses criteria on which priorities
are established and actions planned or taken. It defines three phases in
disaster management that will be covered in detail in subsequent lessons.
Learning Objectives
List three factors to be considered in determining a course of
action in disaster management of environmental health.
List the five necessary services that must be provided at least at
minimum levels to individuals in high-risk areas.
Partition disaster management into three phases.
Learning Activities
Read pages 9-12 in the manual.
Evaluation
Complete the Self-Assessment Test.
Notes
Lesson 2 - Self Assessment Test
Multiple Choice
Circle the correct answer(s):
1. The main reason that locally available experts should be called
on first to take part in relief efforts is:
a. they would most likely be immune to endemic
diseases
b. they would be familiar with pre- and likely postdisaster
conditions in the affected area
c. they would be trusted more by residents of
the stricken area
d. they would be the ones most in need of employment
e.
outside disaster personnel need not be diverted from other tasks
2. The major factor that determines what areas should be given
priority for intervention once a disaster has occurred is:
a. extent of property damage
b. availability of
manpower
c. availability of medical personnel and drugs
d. presence or
absence of disease-related risks
e. shortage of food and water
3. Preparedness planning focuses on areas where likelihood of___
is known to be high.
a. infant mortality
b. public ignorance
c.
natural disaster
d. insect resurgence
e. telecommunications
failure
4. The first phase of environmental health management begins:
a. long before a disaster strikes
b. when a
disaster strikes
c. within the first three hours after the disaster has
struck
d. after the warning period
e. at the moment local officials
request help
5. The main objective of phase three is:
a. to institute immediate emergency relief
measures
b. to focus on areas of known high risk
c. to develop and
maintain a state of preparedness
d. to return environmental conditions and
services to predisaster levels
e. to initiate rescue and evacuation
activities
6. Phase two is divided into:
a. immediate and consolidation measures
b.
short-term and long-term measures
c. emergency and rehabilitation
measures
d. predisaster and postdisaster measures
e. emergency and control
measures
7. After a disaster, as soon as an area has been singled out as
requiring priority intervention, attention should next turn to:
a. determining high risk factors based on relative
incidence of disease
b. determining the extent to which environmental health
measures return conditions to predisaster levels.
c. ranking needs of
essential services in order of priority and providing the requisite
manpower
d. instituting short-term rehabilitation measures
e. assessing
the technical feasibility of emergency measures
8. Immediate emergency measures should be taken
a. within the first three days after the disaster
strikes
b. within the first seven days after the disaster strikes
c. prior
to the disaster
d. as soon as short-term measures have been initiated
e.
as soon as consolidation measures have been initiated
9. Consolidation measures should be initiated:
a. once areas of known high risk of natural disaster
have been designated
b. once short-term rehabilitation measures have been
implemented
c. once long-term reconstruction measures have been
implemented
d. once immediate emergency measures have been implemented
e.
once local officials have been consulted
10. When considering emergency steps to take in the aftermath of a
disaster, highest priority should be accorded to:
a. returning environmental conditions to predisaster
levels
b. establishing settlements in peripheries of urban centers
c.
immunizing the stricken population against typhus and malaria
d. protecting
environmental health personnel
e. providing the minimum levels of essential
services
True/False
Indicate T or F:
___11. Phase one consists of measures undertaken immediately after
a disaster strikes.
___12. All phases of disaster management are Undertaken during
time frames that overlap.
___13. The five necessary services that must be provided at
minimum levels are: shelter, drinking water, food, vector control, and
antibiotics.
___14. Environmental control measures are always undertaken
before, during, and after a natural disaster.
Answer Key
