Natural-Disaster Surveillance System
The Red Cross and CDC's Natural-Disaster Surveillance System was developed as a result of natural disasters throughout the world. Each year, thousands of people are killed or injured and billions of dollars in economic losses occur. The World Health Organization estimates that, worldwide between 1964 and 1983, nearly 2.5 million people were killed and 750 million were injured, left homeless, or otherwise harmed because of natural disasters. Unless action was taken to prevent such tolls, these statistics could only be expected to rise as populations increase and concentrate in vulnerable urban and coastal areas.
In 1987, the American Red Cross and Centers for Disease Control developed a natural-disaster morbidity and mortality surveillance system. Although various federal agencies collected data on natural disasters, this system was unique in two respects: it collected information on the circumstances of deaths and injuries for disaster-affected populations, and it collected information on injuries and illnesses sustained by American Red Cross disaster field staff. Recording and analyzing such information would eventually lead to the development of strategies to prevent injury and disease during and after natural disasters.
The American Red Cross had been collecting information on disaster-affected communities since 1905, when it was designated the national voluntary organization to provide relief for victims of disasters. The information collected was used for the sole purpose of human needs assessment. However, in 1986, almost a century after data were first collected, the Centers for Disease Control recognized this database as a unique source of disaster information, one with a great potential for finding new methods of disease and injury prevention. The Centers for Disease Control approached the American Red Cross to develop a natural-disaster surveillance system. A memorandum of understanding was created whereby American Red Cross Disaster Health Services staff agreed to collect data in the field on major natural disasters and Centers for Disease Control epidemiologists agreed to code and enter the data into a computer format for processing and statistical analysis.
The database included statistics on deaths, injuries, and illnesses associated with all major natural disasters that occurred in the United States and associated territories from 1987 to 1991. The Red Cross grouped major natural disasters into three classes of severity (Classes III-V) on the basis of the overall funds it commits to relief and rehabilitation: Class III, $50,000 - 250 000; Class IV, $250, 000 - 500,000; Class V, $2,500,000 and greater. In addition, data on any deaths or injuries associated with less severe events (Class I or Class II disasters) that were brought to the attention of the Red Cross would be included in the surveillance system.
The American Red Cross and Centers for Disease Control were continually improving the completeness of data collection during the aftermath of natural disasters. To ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of this system, it was critical that Red Cross field staff receive the cooperation of health professionals involved in disaster relief. The combined efforts of the many disciplines involved with disaster response increased the utility of this database for investigators who study the health and medical impact of natural disasters. In the future, it would be useful to compare this surveillance system with databases such as medical examiner and coroner reports, hospital records, and mortality statistics collected by the US Geological Survey and by the National Weather Service. With the careful analysis of data produced by this surveillance system, it would provide useful lessons for public health and public safety officials in their efforts to develop citizen protection guidelines that would reduce or prevent future disaster-related morbidity and mortality.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
