Operational Issues Emergency Responders Faced When Dealing With Torontos SARS - Essay Sample

In the SARS emergency in Toronto in 2003, emergency responders faced several operational issues. Under the watch of the whole world, a flu-like illness was spreading in Hong Kong (Howitt & Leonard, 2009. Everyone was focused on identifying sick people in China, and yet Toronto was not aware that the flu was in the city and infecting several hospital facilities. Some operational issues include the weakness of health systems which permitted the outbreaking infection to amplify, spread and compromise professional and patients wellbeing. Ideally, the health workers were at the greatest risk since they were exposed to direct contact with patients and to respiratory organs that were already infected.

The intervention involved setting a surge of patients who had to be placed in intensive and expensive care. Also, the surge led to a demand for more facilities for isolation and using demanding or socially disruptive measures like contact tracing, active surveillance, mass screening, and enforced quarantine.

Compare Issues in SARS With Those in Hurricane Katrina Caused in New Orleans.

The SARS disaster was natural and occurred without much human intervention while the Hurricane Katrina was a combination of natural factors and human negligence. In both cases, there is issue of human failure as in Hurricane Katrina the system in place to curb such a disaster was destroyed by the storm. In the SARS human factors and poor health systems contributed to the spread of the flue. Also, both cases reflect incident of unpreparedness since Toronto was not ready to curb the flu suppose it entered in the city. Also, in the Hurricane Katrina, the storm caught most by surprise. The unpreparedness in both cases makes the incidents heighten the extent of destruction.

Lessons Emergency Responding Leaders Should Learn from Toronto's SARS

Some important lessons need to be learned to form the Toronto SARS incident. To begin with, it is important to appreciate the need to report an incident of potential threat to spread internationally, promptly and openly. Any attempt to preserve self-image and conceal incidents if infectious diseases should be deemed as a stop-gap measure which would cost extremely high prices. Emergency responding leaders should ensure to report any potentially harmful cases, promptly and with transparency as a means for providing information that would be critical in managing outbreaks and threat to international public health.

It is also important for leaders to ensure that they are updated on global alerts. Luckily acquiring information is easy with electronic communication. For instance, the global warning given by WHO provided reliable information on the nature of the flu and the areas with severe of scare incident (Howitt & Leonard, 2009). Also, there is need to embrace a habit preventive measures like screening people at entry points and offering travel recommendations. Specifically, it would be helpful to do so when there is query or reports about an outbreak. Such measure has been noted to be useful in containing international spread of emerging infection. The further preventive measures help to curb the spread and get infected patients medical attention early before the disease spreads to uncontainable levels. Lastly, emergency leaders should appreciate the role of cooperation with others in their field and also other stakeholders. By pulling resources together, it is easier and more efficient to manage the situation.

Reference

Howitt, A. & Leonard, H. (2009). Managing Crises: Responses to Large-Scale Emergencies. CQ Press: Washington D.C.