On Sept. 11, 2001, the first edition of a groundbreaking book on the public health component of disasters was at the printer. A few weeks later, the new resource rolled off the presses into the welcome hands of public health professionals rushing to respond effectively in the wake of the unprecedented and tragic terrorist attacks.
In the decade since APHA published the first edition of “Public Health Management of Disasters: The Practice Guide,” the role of public health professionals in managing disasters has become widely recognized. With the publication this summer of the third edition of the APHA bestseller, the need for such a resource is apparent, especially as public health workers are increasingly called on to respond to floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires and other disasters.
The aftermath of a Tulsa, Okla., tornado in 2010. Such disasters often have health implications.
Photo by Win Henderson, courtesy FEMA
Filled with useful information for public health professionals working in areas connected to disaster management, the book describes many kinds of disasters and the public health implications of each. Three-quarters of the book is either updated or new, and the book is at least one-third longer, said author Linda Young Landesman, DrPH, MSW, assistant vice president for New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.
For example, an entirely new chapter on ethical considerations has been added, Landesman said.
“That (chapter) is important because, with scarce resources, decisions may have to be made that require ethically considering what is best for the greatest good,” said Landesman, who is an APHA member.
New information on the needs of vulnerable populations is included, and a chapter on disaster communications has been updated to incorporate social media and new technology such as smartphones. A chapter on mental health strategies has been updated to include cultural competence.
Reflecting on the book’s long-term success, Landesman points out that she undertook the project with the goal of filling an important need.
“I didn’t think about it being successful,” Landesman said. “I wrote it because I felt there was a need in the field for the book. The book’s success just validates what I knew many years ago — that this was an important field within the profession. Other people just had to recognize that it was needed.”
A pioneer in the field of public health because of her work in preparedness, Landesman entered the field in 1982 as a social worker in Southern California and led an initiative to place public health preparedness on APHA’s radar screen in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The field has since grown and evolved, she said, noting that one of the book’s strengths is its success in bringing current information into one place, eliminating the need for time-pressed readers to go to many different sources in search of information necessary to effectively prepare for and respond to a disaster.
The book is designed for use by anyone working in emergency management, preparedness or the delivery of public health services, as well as public health students and those at training institutes, health departments and any community agency that either delivers public health or clinical services or works with the public during an emergency.
For more information or to order a copy, visit www.aphabookstore.org or email apha{at}pbd.com.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
