1 1. From a safety and security perspective, why is it important for the first responder on scene to conduct a “size-up?” What does the size-up process entail? The first responder on the site should quickly assess the situation to ensure that it is safe to offer care there and that the appropriate resources are brought in in accordance with the number of patients and their individual care requirements (Pascapurnama et al., 2018). A size-up process entails gathering and analyzing information that will influence decisions fire officers to make and actions firefighters take.
2 2. From a health and safety perspective, why is individual and area decontamination important? What does the decontamination process entail? Decontamination safeguards workers from potentially harmful substances contaminating and eventually penetrating protective clothing, respiratory equipment, tools, vehicles, and other siteused equipment. It safeguards all site personnel by limiting the transfer of dangerous materials into clean areas; it aids in preventing the mixing of potentially harmful chemicals. Also, it safeguards the community by preventing the unchecked transportation of contaminants from the site. In decontamination, pollutants collected on people and equipment are removed or neutralized. 3. From a public information standpoint, how can an emergency manager use the local media to effectively communicate the present situation and any relevant orders or guidelines to the public at large? Local media can aid in extending the reach of an emergency manager's message because of social sharing and the large number of people who use the platforms frequently. Residents can respond, ask questions, and share updates through it as an open communication channel. Employing the local media to disseminate crucial safety information, clarify misconceptions, and heighten situational awareness is another way emergency managers may support emergency management (Toppenberg-Pejcic et al., 2019). 4. From an evacuation and sheltering perspective, what factors would you need to consider if sheltering was required? Some factors to consider if sheltering was required include the availability of meals and water, basic first aid, and pet and service animal sheltering (if applicable). In addition, sleeping
3 quarters, hygienic support, and basic disaster services like counseling, financial assistance, and referral should also be available.
4 Reference Pascapurnama, D.N., Murakami, A., Chagan-Yasutan, H., Hattori, T., Sasaki, H., & Egawa, S. (2018). Integrated health education in disaster risk reduction: Lesson learned from disease outbreak following natural disasters in Indonesia. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 29, 94-102. Toppenberg-Pejcic, D., Noyes, J., Allen, T., Alexander, N., Vanderford, M., & Gamhewage, G. (2019). Emergency risk communication: lessons learned from a rapid review of recent gray literature on Ebola, Zika, and yellow fever. Health communication, 34(4), 437-455.