What starts as a simple spark can result to an uncontrollable fire in less than thirty seconds. Prospects indicate that fire spreads very easily and requires just a few seconds to become what fire extinguishers and related experts otherwise term as risky and uncontrollable.
Nevertheless, emergency preparedness for fire with regard to hospital professionals is always significant (Reilly & Markenson, 2011).
It comes to such a situation when hospitals’ professionals seek to bring together the necessary equipment that can help reduce the consequences of a fire outbreak.
Under these circumstances, the level of readiness is very important as it helps determine the extent at which the hospital professionals will react to a fire outbreak. Since fire can shake a whole hospital, it is always vital for doctors and other assisting personnel to equip themselves with the general elements of managing an emergency (Hogan & Burstein, 2007). In an event of fire, hospital professionals prepare themselves in view of combating this epidemic by setting up an incident command system, which facilitates the integration of the community emergency planning commonly forwarded by the available groups. Hospital professionals also equip themselves with decontamination materials in the wake of a fire outbreak (Rosdahl & Kowalski, 2008).
Decontamination is a part of the emergency preparedness procedures that are employed at any given time when fire incidents are on the rise. It is important to indicate that even though medical professionals should always seek to avail preparedness, materials for an emergency in position in case of a fire outbreak, turning for other measures is even more substantial (Reilly & Markenson, 2011).
Specialists in the fire department maintain that evacuation is indeed a congruent strategy that hospital professionals should always consider in an event of fire as it ensures safety and hospital expenditures in the long run.
Given that these emergency preparedness measures may help reduce the impacts of a fire outbreak, turning around for disaster recovery procedures is preliminary (Clements, 2009).
It helps restore those affected by the fire tragedy to their previous status but this happens in places where such a move is possible.
Terrorism
Documented evidence states that disasters may be natural while others are man-made. Terrorism is an example of artificial disaster that may cause people loss of their lives and in other cases, loss, or destruction of their properties (Ciottone, 2006). In whichever case, terrorism does not result into anything productive but rather diminishes any feeling of freedom and security within and outside the said territory.
Take a look at the September 9/11 terrorist attacks; it is notable that both the American citizens and the outside world felt threatened security wise (Veenema, 2007).
As a result, the government, with the support of other concerned organizations resolved to form such groups like the Local Emergency Planning Committees, which supports hospital professionals in combating terrorism activities.
It is therefore deducible that one way in which hospital professionals prepare for terrorist emergencies is via forming negotiation and support committees that help facilitate the delivery of services to the affected individuals (Hogan & Burstein, 2007).
There may be an incident where someone comes in to attack the hospital with a weapon. Here, it is advisable that both patients and hospital officials should make a highway where some individuals can escape.
In addition, the alarm system should be in place and in good condition, which will alert the security officers on the attack immediately.
At times, terrorist activities may include holding innocent citizens hostage, shooting and wounding individuals, and/or releasing hazardous gases into an enclosed building. Under these circumstances, the lives of many people are always at stake, a situation that calls for emergency preparedness in not only hospitals but also in security agencies (Rosdahl & Kowalski, 2008). Of late, terrorist and other related criminal activities have skyrocketed and the available means of combating their consequences are being diversified. Hospital professionals equip themselves with emergency handling facilities such as masks and gloves if they are up against hazardous gases.
The increased rate of potential attacks by the terrorist directs the consequence and unique burden on Medical personnel. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the hospital management to prepare in advance for the fight against such act.
Thus, the hospital officials have the mandate to implement policies that will protect health care personnel during the time when they will be attending to the victims. Therefore, it is pertinent to have ambulance in standby to evacuate some patients to other hospitals, order extra medical supplies and make arrangements for security personnel.
The terrorists may shoot and injure their victims making it hard for the hospital professionals to just sit and wait for the final decision.
