By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    UV damage to eyes
    Warning Signs of Long-Term UV Damage to Your Eyes
    December 9, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    The Ultimate Healthcare Recruiting and Staffing Guidebook
    March 21, 2022
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Conservatives: The Utah Health Exchange is Not a Model
    July 23, 2011
    Medical Malpractice Reform Losing Physician Support
    November 7, 2011
    Hospitals Aim to Apply Direct Payments of Care Delivery to Increase Resources
    August 28, 2012
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Disaster Preparedness, Part 1: The New CPR
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Education > Disaster Preparedness, Part 1: The New CPR
Medical EducationNews

Disaster Preparedness, Part 1: The New CPR

CWSonline
Last updated: November 19, 2012 7:53 am
CWSonline
Share
5 Min Read
Image
SHARE

Image

By: John Hedtke & Maurice Ramirez, Clifton Castleman

Image

By: John Hedtke & Maurice Ramirez, Clifton Castleman

More Read

A Skills Shortage Threatens To Bring Medical Laboratories To A Standstill
RN to MSN: 5 Reasons Nurses Should Pursue That Extra Degree
MedShare – Recycling Medical Supplies for the Good of the World
Robin Williams’s Death: A Message About Depression
AMA Awards $11M to Medical Schools Poised to Transform #meded

When cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was invented in the 1970s, the goal was to train as many potential bystanders as possible to help if someone had a heart attack or choked in public. In an effort to educate everyone about the importance of learning basic chest compression and the Heimlich maneuver, even Hollywood got in on the act, incorporating the practices into movie and TV storylines. As a result of great marketing, virtually everyone knows what CPR is, and hundreds of thousands of people are trained to do it.

In the new millennium, a heightened awareness of both terrorism and the impact of natural disasters has created a need for a new CPR: core skills that will help us meet the challenges of man-made and natural disasters. Why is this important?

Consider the following:
• The 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake wiped out 8 hospitals and affected 20 million people.
• No one will ever forget the World Trade Center bombings on September 11, 2001.
• In 2004, Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne laid waste to Florida.
• In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma decimated much of three major Gulf Coast cities.
• In 2008, Hurricane Ike decimated Galveston Island and much of the Texas Gulf Coast.
• In 2012, Hurricane Sandy, ripped through New England, virtually paralyzing most of New Jersey and New York City.

Ironically, many people believe they need CPR training more than they need disaster preparedness. In fact, you are far more likely to face a disaster at some point in your life than you are to be a bystander when someone experiences a heart attack.

Like heart attacks, disasters have always happened. We’re more aware of disasters and are called upon to respond as never before. The number of people in the last decade who have been directly affected by natural disasters is double the number of people who have experienced heart attacks. So it’s twice as likely that you, your family, and your neighbors will need disaster preparedness skills as opposed to ever needing your CPR skills.

All Disasters Are Local

As part of your personal preparations at home and work, it is important to know what assistance you can expect from local, state, and federal officials as well as from nongovernmental organizations such as the American Red Cross. It takes time to mobilize governmental and nongovernmental assistance, and even more time to transport people and resources to your disaster. This creates a limitation that you must accommodate in your disaster plans.

Acknowledging that all disasters are local means that different localities have both different probabilities of a specific hazard occurring and different expectations for the response to the disaster. These differences alter the calculations for vulnerability. Simultaneously, treating all disasters as local reminds disaster planners (and you) that the first 72 hours of any disaster response will be in the hands of local officials, local organizations, and (most importantly) you.

So in a nut shell…

• Disaster is when needs exceed resources.
• Catastrophe is when needs exceed all ability to respond.
• The footprint of a disaster is larger than just the physical impact; and includes psychological impact as well.
• All disasters are local.
• Life is risky. It’s best to be ready for things that can happen.

Stay tuned to our blog as we continue to post more about disaster preparedness, a new program direction of the Center for Wilderness Safety!

photo:disaster/shutterstock

 

TAGGED:disaster preparedness
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

Study on How “Jail Breaker” Cancer Cells Escape Tumors and Spread Through the Body

April 29, 2013

Major Medicare Fraud Bust Just the Latest Lesson in Problematic Healthcare Spending

May 4, 2012
health benefits of granola and oats
NewsWellness

Granola and Oats Are Both Healthy But What is The Difference?

November 1, 2022
Paulo Machado's Jacket: Custom Tailored Meaningful Use
NewsSpecialties

Custom-Tailored Meaningful Use

June 15, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?