The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a multitude of resources for various audiences on disaster preparedness and other health and safety topics.
Definition of a Disaster A disaster is an event or situation that overwhelms available resources and results in injury, death, and/or destruction of property. Terrorism or disaster preparedness includes several phases:
Planning – Becoming aware of what types of disasters may occur and taking steps to be prepared for different situations.
Rescue – Immediate steps taken during a disaster to ensure everyone is safe.
Response/Recovery – Actions and care taken during and immediately after
the disaster. The time when people work towards reestablishing normalcy. Emotional or mental health problems typically begin to emerge during
this phase.
Mitigation – Efforts to apply lessons learned to prevent future disasters or to lessen their impact.
Types of Disasters
There are different types of disasters; some occur without warning, while with others there is time for preparation.
Natural Disasters
Droughts
Earthquakes
Infestations or disease epidemics
Mudslides
Storms (blizzards, cyclones, hail or ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes)
Tsunamis
Wildfires
Technological Disasters
Hazardous material releases, spills
Power outages
Transportation crashes, derailments
Unintentional explosions, collapses
Terrorism or Violence
Arson
Bombings, intentional explosions
Cult-related violence
Multiple or mass shootings
Releasing of agents (biological, chemical, nuclear)
Riots
Humanitarian Disasters, Complex Emergencies
Droughts
Famine
Genocidal acts
Shelter, feeding, or medical care of displaced populations
War, violent political conflict
Certain disasters end quickly, while others affect large populations for an
extended period of time. Disasters can have physical, mental, and emotional consequences. Each person prepares and responds differently to a disaster; children are at increased risk during and after a disaster, for a variety
of reasons.
Children Have Unique Needs
Children younger than 18 comprise more than one-quarter of the US population. The AAP has created a document titled "The Youngest Victims: Disaster Preparedness to Meet Children's Needs" that you can share with others
to help raise awareness as to why children are at increased
risk or are more vulnerable in a disaster. As a parent, caregiver or teacher, emergency professional, health professional, or a child advocate, you can work with
others in your community to ensure children's needs are addressed in all disaster preparedness plans.
Customized Guidance for Pediatricians Pediatric Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness: A Resource for Pediatricians manual
