Emergency Wound Care After a Natural Disaster

1. Get a Tetanus Shot Now (see who needs a tetanus shot).

2. Take a First Aid Class with Family Members 

Anyone who does not faint at the sight of blood or an injury can do this. First Aid is what you will need to address wounds after a natural disaster. First Aid is extremely straight forward. It is all about common sense. A large portion of disaster injuries can be managed by taking a First Aid class. 

But wait a minute, you might say to yourself "I'm already CPR or CPR/AED certified." Will it help to know CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or how to use an AED (automatic external defibrillator) if there is no one who can provide a higher level of care for your patient in the disaster? Resoundingly, no! You will still need to learn basic First Aid. First Aid is truly the more useful skill in a massive disaster to the non-medical person.

Here is a thought, when your daughter/grandson, etc. asks you what you want for Hanukah/Christmas/Kwanza, think back to when you had your last tetanus shot. If you cannot remember when it was, tell her/him/them you want a tetanus shot. Ask him/her or them to escort you to the doctor's office and lead by example. Then tell them, you want them to take a First Aid class or NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team) Training through the San Francisco Fire Department. You can go to the NERT website for training schedules in your area.

Here is what the Centers for Disease Control has on the subject.

Make Emergency Wound Care After a Natural Disaster Part of Your Holiday!

Here are some suggestions for where to go to enroll in a First Aid class.

American Heart Association 

American Red Cross 

San Francisco NERT or CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams) in some Bay Area local jurisdictions, which you will have to look up by city.

And, of course, feel free to Google to find the closest course to you in the Bay Area.

Last January, in the aftermath of Haiti's devastating earthquake,  Jasmine Garsd of NPR wrote on the potential of disaster photography to become ethically blurry territory. While she raised good examples of our contemporary tolerance for and overexposure to severe images, I would agree with her premise that we are visually oriented beings by nature. It's for this reason that we are excited, informed and moved by images of all kinds; certainly of monstrous weather systems, raging infernos and increasingly in the past year, of millions of dollars of damage from disasters. 

Disaster photography has a history almost long as that of the camera itself. This picture of a flooded Chalons sur Saone, France, dates from 1875. A flooded 1910 Paris still manages to look romantic (chocolat for sale, then as now).   Less picturesque is Cleveland, Ohio on fire in 1932 or Yokohama, Japan reduced to a field of tectonic rubble.  I find these types of images compelling, perhaps because I grew up in a post-1906-earthquake San Francisco, where we have long pored over our artifacts for lessons.  For me, vintage snap shots have much to show us about how people were affected by the disasters of their time - most of which we struggle with still.

When I was growing up, my shutterbug of a father subscribed to National Geographic.  This was my favorite photo-laden magazine because, while the images were not always joyous, I thirsted to be exposed to events and places I couldn't otherwise experience - perhaps even more so if they captured a dangerous situation.  I still have that urge, satisfied even more easily today by the Internet.  In a matter of nanoseconds, anyone can look at lava up close or be in the eye of the storm (if you really want to live vicariously, just Google "tornado chaser").   

Of course, no matter how amazing shots of nature's force may be, the thrill is tempered by the safety of viewing them from home!    

Professional disaster responders get up close and personal in real life, but don't necessarily take the same types of photos as a storm-chaser or a photojournalist might.  If you respond to disasters, FEMA has a terrific library that fascinates. And is exhaustive:

"The FEMA on line Photo Library contains more than 16,500 disaster related photographs made since 1989. The collection is composed almost entirely of declared disasters ...

The photographs are of Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods, Typhoons, Fires, Avalanches, Ice Storms, Blizzards, World Trade Center and Pentagon Terrorist Attacks, Earthquakes, and the Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster."  Website Source: http://www.fema.gov/about/photolibrary/     

There are several kinds of photographs in the collection:

• Disaster workers (Urban Search and Rescue, Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, National Guard, Red Cross, US Army Corps of Engineers, Forestry Service, IRS, State Disaster Workers, Salvation Army, Citizen Corps) helping disaster victims.
• Damage to private property and infrastructure (roads and buildings).
• Success story photos where a modification to a building or house lessened the damage from a natural disaster.
• FEMA employees and volunteers in training exercises.
• FEMA provided temporary housing for displaced citizens due to a disaster.
• Elected or appointed officials surveying the disaster and providing support to disaster workers and victims."

Whew! That is a comprehensive collection for either a budding or experienced first responder.  

Not all business, recently disaster photography has entered the mainstream in a new way: in 2008 and 2009 there was an upswing in fashion shoots with 'disaster' backdrops. This article showcases a photo shoot in which the models are placed in swampy, debris-laden scenes, whereas in another, male models are trapped in a raging storm of jeans. Both could be seen as rather insulting post-Katrina.  But we might pity the designers who do, after all, need to sell expensive pants in a down economy.

As an amateur photographer as well as a disaster planner, I prefer to focus less on the use of the medium for sales or sensationalism and more on its creative application for education. These fellowship grantees chose to spend a year capturing the loss and recovery of the Gulf citizens in the years following Hurricane Katrina - highly recommended.  With the frightening nuclear reactor leak in Japan has had many people looking back - this gallery of photographs, spanning 20 years, of the area affected by the Chernobyl explosion in 1986 is deeply sad and moving.  Thankfully, this much-forwarded BBC article showing the recovery in Japan since this year's tsunami is more inspiring.

Images can affect us powerfully like little else can.  We should continue to let them speak for us when we don't know what to say, or can't speak the language.  Sometimes it's the only thing that will help us to learn.    

Upcoming Events and Trainings Spotlighted:

Schedule of FREE Trainings by SF CARD, 2012*

(*for nonprofits and faith-based organizations)

STAFF READINESS

The SF CARD Staff Readiness training course is designed to help the staff of nonprofit and faith-based organizations to individually prepare for a disaster. The class is presented using a workbook to enable students to complete several of the components of staff preparedness in the classroom setting. The SF CARD Preparing Staff for Emergencies Workbook covers the following:

• Education on Emergencies - "What to do when a specific emergency happens?"
• Getting your family prepared - Home and go-kits, mitigating your home & your surroundings, and identifying those things you love.
• Pre-planning for emergencies - Family Communication Plan, Evacuation Plan: Getting out of the House, and Rally Spot: Reunifying with a loved one.
• Exercises and Resources - How to use what you have, Whistle & Flashlight exercise, and resources for Information and Supplies. (This interactive class lasts for an hour.)

INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM

The SF CARD Incident Command System (ICS) training is designed to teach nonprofit and faith-based organization staff and volunteers how to use this nationally accepted and tested disaster response and management system. This course introduces the Incident Command System by describing the history, features, principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. The training also uses a tabletop exercise to reinforce the learning objectives in a scenario setting.

(This interactive class lasts for three hours.)

All these trainings are free and will take place at SF CARD. The address is 1675 California Street, San Francisco, CA94109 (in the Volunteer Center).

SCHEDULE OF TRAININGS 2012:

January 18th       Staff Readiness training              10 am - 12 pm

January 20th       ICS training                                  1 - 4 pm

April 18th           Staff Readiness training                10 am - 12 pm

April 20th           ICS training                                    1 - 4 pm

July 18th             Staff Readiness training                10 am - 12 pm

July 20th             ICS training                                    1 - 4 pm

October 17th      Staff Readiness training                10 am - 12 pm

October 19th      ICS training                                    1 - 4 pm

Please RSVP to Elisabeth Whitney:

elisabeth@sfcard.org (415) 955-8946 x 253

We look forward to seeing you then! Thank you.

Speakers Bureau Offer from SF CARD 

Looking for outstanding, professional speakers who specialize in disaster preparedness, response and recovery? Need a dynamic, motivational speaker for your upcoming event, conference or trade show?   

We have a great opportunity for you to learn more about SF CARD and what we do in the community. We are available for all groups including corporations, civic and neighborhood associations, organizations, clubs, schools and religious centers.

This is a complimentary service that allows us to share important information with the community, putting in practice our mission and core values. If you would like to set up an event with one of our speakers or need additional information, please contact Kristin Szafraniec at Kristin@sfcard.org or (415) 982-8999 ext. 223.     

Functional Assessment Service Team (FAST) Training 2012  

FAST consist of trained government and non-government personnel ready to respond to disaster areas to work in emergency shelters.  FAST members must be willing and able to work under stressful conditions for long hours. FAST work with emergency response personnel to conduct assessments of People with Access and Functional Needs (PAFN) in emergency shelters.  FAST help to facilitate the process of getting resources needed by the PAFN.  These resources may include durable medical equipment, consumable medical supplies, prescribed medications or a person to assist with activities of daily living.  FAST members must possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to work in their area of specialty, as well as a minimum of two years experience working with and assessing the needs of people with disabilities. 

A fully-staffed FAST has members with experience in the following areas:  aging (services/supports, including dietary needs), chronic health needs, developmental & other cognitive disabilities (i.e. traumatic brain injury), hearing loss, vision loss, mental health disabilities, physical disabilities, and substance abuse issues.

http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/dis/res/Training Bulletin flyer-State.pdf 

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If you're interested in finding out about other ongoing events, trainings, & services visit the following agency specific websites:

SF CARD:

http://sfcard.org/wp/upcoming-events