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Health Impacts of Large-Scale Floods: Governmental Decision-Making and Resilience of the Citizens

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Dick Q.P. Fundter ,
Bas Jonkman ,
Steve Beerman ,
Corsmas L.P.M. Goemans ,
Rosanna Briggs ,
Frits Coumans ,
Jan Willem Lahaye  and
Joost Bierens
Dick Q.P. Fundter*
Affiliation:
Safety Faculty Hogeschool Zeeland/University of Applied Sciences, Vlissingen, the Netherlands
Bas Jonkman
Affiliation:
Technical University Delft, Delft, the Netherlands
Steve Beerman
Affiliation:
International Life Saving Federation, Chair Medical Committee, Canada
Corsmas L.P.M. Goemans
Affiliation:
Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations, Directorate General Safety and Security, Crisis Control Department, The Hague, the Netherlands
Rosanna Briggs
Affiliation:
Essex Council Emergency Planning, Essex, UK
Frits Coumans
Affiliation:
Medical Emergency Preparedness and Planning Office (GHOR) Gelderland zuid, Tiel, the Netherlands
Jan Willem Lahaye
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology, Westfries Gasthuis Sneek, the Netherlands (Jan-Willem Lahaye runs a number of social programs in Sri Lanka. He spoke on behalf of Piayadasa Silva who is involved in flood mitigation in Sri Lanka)
Joost Bierens
Affiliation:
VU University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
*
Safety Faculty Hogeschool Zeeland/University of Applied Sciences, Edisonweg 4, 4382 NW Vlissingen, the Netherlands E-mail: dick.fundter@hz.nl
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Abstract

During the 15th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine in Amsterdam, May 2007 (15WCDEM), a targeted agenda program (TAP) about the public health aspects of large-scale floods was organized. The main goal of the TAP was the establishment of an overview of issues that would help governmental decision-makers to develop policies to increase the resilience of the citizens during floods. During the meetings, it became clear that citizens have a natural resistance to evacuations. This results in death due to drowning and injuries. Recently, communication and education programs have been developed that may increase awareness that timely evacuation is important and can be life-saving. After a flood, health problems persist over prolonged periods, including increased death rates during the first year after a flood and a higher incidence of chronic illnesses that last for decades after the flood recedes. Population-based resilience (bottom-up) and governmental responsibility (top-down) must be combined to prepare regions for the health impact of evacuations and floods. More research data are needed to become better informed about the health impact and consequences of translocation of health infrastructures after evacuations. A better understanding of the consequences of floods will support governmental decision-making to mitigate the health impact. A top-10 priority action list was formulated.

Keywords

evacuationfloodspublic health
Type
Tap Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 23 , Issue S2: Reports from the 15th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 13–16 May 2007 , August 2008 , pp. s70 - s73
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2008

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