Emergency Medicine Concepts and Principles Research Paper

Emergency Medicine Concepts and Principles - Research Paper Example Emergencies – Emergencies, on the other hand are events which usually threaten public health, safety, and welfare (Department of Environmental Management, n.d). These incidents differ from each other in terms of size, location, and their causes, as well as impact; however, despite these considerations, they usually all impact negatively on the environment. Emergencies are also considered as unexpected events which impact negatively on the lives and properties of people, and eventually they prompt the use of community emergency and routine responses as well as procedures (Emergency Management Institute, n.d). Examples for emergencies include: forest fires, outbreaks of diseases, road blocking landslides, and floods covering towns and farms (Central Coast Center Independent Living, n.d). In Australia, in the two landslides which occurred from 1939 to 2007, about 28 individuals were killed and 101 other individuals significantly impacted (CRED, 2007). Wildfires numbering 28 were seen from 1939 to 2007, this caused the death of 300 people, and caused damages amounting to about 1.2 million US dollars (CRED, 2007). Disasters – Disasters are â€Å"a condition or situation of significant destruction, disruption and/or distress to a community† (Emergency Management Australia (2004, p. ix). In a similar vein, the United Nations (1992) consider disasters to be incidents which seriously interrupt the normal activities of society as they cause significant human and environmental losses – more than what can normally be handled by the community resources. Beachley (2005) enumerated the following as disasters: floods, extreme range of temperatures, epidemics, multiple car crashes, and environmental contamination through chemical agents. In... There are various principles and concepts which define and govern disasters and emergencies. Basically, disasters and emergencies are unexpected events which have a significant effect on various individuals and large communities. These disasters impact significantly on the lives of many people. They bring about physical as well as psychological effects. Emergency management helps authorities cope with these disasters and it helps people recover and prepare for these emergencies. Emergency management is important because most communities face a persistent hazard and risk for losses from emergencies and disasters. These hazards may come in the form of natural threats like floods, cyclones, earthquakes, and tsunamis; it also includes technological hazards like chemical, biological, and radiological threats. Australia is situated in an earthquake prone region which it at a continuous threat from earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as volcanic eruptions. It is also in a region likely to be hit by storms which lead to floods and landslides. It s humid temperature also places it at a higher risk for suffering bushfires. With adequate planning and coordination, the prevention and management of these incidents are ensured. The prepared communities are communities which have managed to make the necessary plans for these emergencies. The systems in this community are coordinated and the local as well as national agencies are linked with each other. With these plans in place, it is possible for people and communities to minimise the impact of disasters and emergencies.