MEDIA RELEASE: Are you health prepared for a disaster?

I undertook a media training program through my employment at the University of Canberra. At the conclusion of this training program, I prepared a ‘mock’ media release and participated in a ‘mock’ interview.

MEDIA RELEASE: Are you health prepared for a disaster?

Whilst people often give thought to the sentimental items they would quickly collect if they were evacuated from their homes, such as photo albums and computers, they often neglect to think of the items that support their health needs.

Jamie Ranse, Assistant Professor at the University of Canberra says "people should give consideration, and be prepared to take items such as; a list of their previous medical and surgical history, a number of days worth of medications, and an accurate list of their current medications.”

In Australia, following the 2011 Queensland floods, 2009 Victorian and 2003 Canberra bushfires, people were relocated to evacuation centers where they remained displaced for a number of days or weeks. Whilst in these centers a proportion of the displaced persons will require medications of some kind. During a disaster, medications become increasingly hard to access, and this is made even harder if people don't accurately know what medications they take.

Jamie Ranse also says "people should have a basic understanding of first aid principles, and have a small first aid kit in an accessible location, possibly the car”

It is of importance that people have a basic understanding of first aid principles. During disasters, emergency services are stretched beyond capacity, and they will not be able to respond in a timely manner to minor injuries or ailments. Similarly, in some cases emergency services may not be able to respond at all, as disaster events can make your location inaccessible, due to fire, flood or damaged road and other infrastructure.

Jamie Ranse says "it is important that communities and people within these communities are as self-sufficient as possible, as you cannot rely on emergency services to be operating as normal during disasters. Being 'health prepared' will ensure that you are as self-sufficient as possible and assist health professionals provide timely assistance to the community"