Every community is bound to experience emergencies occasionally. Emergencies are frequently caused by natural calamities such as hurricanes, fire, flooding, and earthquakes which leave destruction in their wake, resulting in the damage of properties and loss of lives. There are situations where the effects of an emergency cannot be managed by the available resources set aside by local authorities prompting them to request for more assistance. The lack of the ability to handle different emergencies may result in a higher number of casualties. Mass casualty incident is, therefore, an event where the number of casualties far exceed the locally available resources that can manage the situation ( Rauner, Schaffhauser-linzatti, & Niessner, 2012 ). Mass casualty incidents heavily depend on the available resources, the number of injuries and the seriousness of the injuries. To further expound on the topic, it is essential to analyze the security, government relations, and the philanthropic issues that are related to mass casualty incidents in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The preparation and the response to mass casualty incidents requires a multi-faceted approach from different institutions or relevant parties. The government, however, plays a vital role in ensuring that mass casualty incidents are adequately dealt with to reduce the losses that can be incurred. Rauner et al . note that the government is responsible for creating structures and relationships that ensure any emergency is promptly dealt with. They further argue that there has been a lot of discussions centering on the fact that there is no centralized federal office in Corpus Christi, Texas that is dedicated towards the support of emergency medical services, thus, negatively affecting emergency preparedness and response efforts. It was further noted that it is crucial for the government to create strong partnerships with the private sector to improve the ability and urgency of responding to incidents (2016). The partnerships created between the government and the private sector contributes to better and more effective responses by strengthening the workforce, incorporating technology in preparation efforts, and training the people who can be able to coordinate preparation and response efforts. The relationships created by the government and other stakeholders will also help the government in equipping health care facilities ( Agrawal, & Pooja, 2019) . Healthcare institutions play a critical role in ensuring that there are minimal casualties by providing treatment to the most affected individuals ( Goolsby et al., 2019 ). Goolsby et al. explain that according to a recently carried out poll, nine out of 10 healthcare professionals claim that they have experienced the lack or the shortages of critical medicines that are required during emergencies. A large percentage of the physicians also claim that emergency departments in several healthcare institutions are not adequately prepared to handle a patient surge during emergency events (2019). By creating partnerships, the government can encourage private entities to bridge the gap in emergency preparedness and assist public hospitals to better prepare for any emergency.
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Security is also an important factor concerning mass casualty incidents. It is essential that the security and safety of all the victims affected by emergencies together with the volunteers and professionals involved in the management of emergencies be guaranteed. The government along with other institutions contribute towards the safety and security of people in emergencies in different ways. Foremost, it is essential to initiate training and educational programs that will better prepare professionals and other volunteers on how to handle emergency situations and mass casualty incidents ( Agrawal, & Pooja, 2019 ). Through training, people can formulate better and more efficient ways of handling emergencies thus reducing the casualties and improving the safety and security of victims. Several organizations that assist during emergency situations can also contribute to the management of mass casualty incidents by directing the victims to where they can get assistance during emergencies. This can be done through broadcast messages with instructions of how and where to get help in the event of a natural disaster such as a hurricane. Also, signs that bear warnings should be erected to warn people not to go into certain areas during emergencies. With the signs, more people will avoid dangerous areas thus maintain their safety ( Goolsby et al., 2019 ). Further, according to Goolsby et al. (2019 ), the management of the safety of people plays a vital role in the efficient management of mass casualty incidents. Improving security means that there will be a fewer number of casualties, making it easy for health care professionals to handle casualty incidences. From the analysis of security, it is evident that it is a determinant of how different institutions prepare for and handle mass casualty incidences. It is therefore crucial for the relevant authorities, including the government to put more emphasis on ensuring that the security of people is guaranteed during emergencies.
Philanthropy is one of the major factors that determine the effective management of mass casualty incidences. With the advancement of technology and the penetration of the internet into various regions around the world, it is now easier for people to make donations that go towards emergency management. It is now possible for someone on one continent to make monetary donations towards a course in another continent at the touch of a button ( Adini & Peleg, 2013). Adini and Peleg note that a keen observation of online social media platforms will reveal prompts to donate funds for several purposes. The ease of making donations has made philanthropy a vital aspect in the effective management of mass casualty incidences. They further asserted that almost 70 to 80 percent of the money donated in the event of an emergency is directed towards the preparation and the management of mass casualty incidences (2013). The funds are used to equip emergency departments in various areas such as Corpus Christi in Texas ( Agrawal, & Pooja, 2019) .
In summation, the management of mass casualty incidents requires the coordinated efforts of different stakeholders such as the government and the private sector. Mass casualty incidents refer to the events where the number of casualties far exceed the locally available resources that can manage the situation. Mass casualty incidents heavily depend on the available resources, the number of injuries and the seriousness of the injuries. The government, however, plays an essential role in ensuring that mass casualty incidences are adequately dealt with to reduce the losses that can be incurred. The partnerships created between the government and the private sector contributes to a better and effective response by strengthening the workforce, the incorporation of technology in preparation efforts, and training of people who can be able to coordinate preparation and response efforts. It is also essential that the security and safety of all the victims affected by emergencies together with the volunteers and professionals involved in the management of emergency situations be guaranteed.
References
Adini, B., & Peleg, K. (2013). On constant alert: Lessons to be learned from Israel’s emergency response to mass-casualty terrorism incidents. Health Affairs, 32 (12), 2179-85.
Agrawal, & Pooja, M.D., M.P.H. (2019). Is the plural of anecdote data? Creating an evidence-based policy for mass casualty incidents. American Journal of Public Health, 109 (2), 189-190. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304889
Goolsby, C., M.D. Ed, Strauss-Riggs, K., Rozenfeld, M., M.A., Charlton, N., M.D., Goralnick, Eric, M.D., M.S., Peleg, Kobi, PhD., M.P.H., . . . Hurst, Nicole, M.D., M.P.H. (2019). Equipping public spaces to facilitate rapid point of-injury hemorrhage control after a mass casualty. American Journal of Public Health, 109 (2), 236-241. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304773
Rauner, M. S., Niessner, H., Leopold-wildburger, U., Peric, N., & Herdlicka, T. (2016). A policy management game for mass casualty incidents: An experimental study. Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, 28 (1-2), 336-365. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10696-014-9205-z
Rauner, M. S., Schaffhauser-linzatti, M., & Niessner, H. (2012). Resource planning for ambulance services in mass casualty incidents: A DES-based policy model. Health Care Science, 15 (3), 254-69. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10729-012-9198-7
