by Pawel Gromek (Author)
Epidemic Risk Reduction: A Civil Protection Approach focuses
on disaster risk reduction (DRR) relative to epidemic outbreak and the
concept of civil protection and public safety. First and foremost, the
primary role of public officials and agencies―including police,
military, public health, and emergency management and response
professionals―must be the safety and security of citizens. The book
provides practical solutions and policies that can be enacted and
instituted to protect human life and health as well as property and
environment in the scope of human survival, providing essential
services, and providing for peoples’ basic needs.
The
author examines epidemics as disasters, similar to natural hazards or
other large-scale events that require planning, preparedness,
mitigation, and response. The approach is unique in looking at tools for
risk assessment and strategic planning formulated around civil
protection measures as a means to reduce and mitigate risk. Often,
preparedness and response planning is siloed with an epidemiological and
medical response at the forefront. While absolutely important and
essential, doing so―in conjunction with coordinated government efforts
to provide necessary supplies, security, and logistics―is equally
critical to meet the public’s needs and provide a coordinated response.
Key Features:
- Examines the phenomenon of epidemics and hazards, explaining that they are often multi-hazard
- Provides public leaders with various considerations to meet the challenge of managing the complexity of various threat vectors
- Details
universal terms and definitions―e.g., disaster, risk, and
epidemic―using diagrams, illustrations, and analogies to clearly explain
critical concepts
- Presents
epidemic risk reduction strategies―based on the lead role that
disaster, emergency management, and state/civil authorities need to
play―focusing primarily on individual health and security
Epidemic Risk Reduction: A Civil Protection Approach establishes
a common language which will help in overcoming barriers for more
coordinated efforts focused on epidemic management and operational
response. While drawing on current research, and based on theoretical
knowledge, the book also provides practical examples from around the
world that look at real-world response efforts. This includes
recommendations on how politicians, crisis response personnel, emergency
planners, and public administrators and health professionals can better
plan and prepare for future epidemics.
