Centervale: A Public Health Response

Public health professionals must be involved in numerous planning activities that are related to emergency public health responses. This aspect of environmental health is fast becoming a highly popular sector. Events related to natural disasters and responses to terror attacks over the past decade have become very real.

This assignment addresses emergency public health responses that are capable of providing meaningful help to communities when such events become evident.

Consider the following:
The city of Centervale has a population of 75,000 and continues to grow. It is located approximately forty-five miles outside of a huge metropolitan area of over two million people.
Centervale has been developing their local disaster management plan since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The city elects a mayor and city council which contracts a city manager.

City officials and planners have been following the latest protocols as provided for instate and federal guidelines for a community of its size and configuration. However, the city’s plans have mostly focused on responses to terrorism threats. Plans show incomplete responses to other public health emergencies or natural disasters. For the most part they have continued to rely on local first responder protocols that have been in place for years.
You have been invited as a Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness specialist to make a proposal to the city council, in the hopes that they will hire you to help Centervale fully develop its plans to include protocols for a full and measured response to other disasters of a public health nature, including natural disasters.

The city council is allowing you forty-five minutes for your presentation. Keep in mind the scalability factor for the size of population and location. Your presentation must include a risk-based, all-hazards, and capability-approach response. Be sure to address the following in your presentation:

Common Mission Area
Prevent Mission Area
Respond Mission Area
Protect Mission Area
Recover Mission Area
Use the National Preparedness Guidelines (NPG) as a starting point in researching relevant information.
Complete the following:

Develop a PowerPoint presentation that outlines your suggested path to updating Centervale’s disaster management plan.
Ensure you support your arguments with examples and scholarly references.
Use the slide speaker’s notes to clarify further explanations. You may also use the audio function in your presentation.

Develop a 10-slide presentation in PowerPoint format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

Grading Criteria:
Assignment Components
Proficient
Maximum Points
Identify two public health threats to Centervale, one that arises from terrorism and one that arises from natural disasters.
CO 1, 2, 4

PO 1.b, 2.a, 4.a

ILO 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Public health threats identified are specific and appropriate to consider; both threats due to terrorism and to natural disaster are present.
20
Create a Common Target overview that outlines basic planning and communications.
CO 3, 6, 7

PO 1.b, 2.a, 3.b, 4.a, 5.a, 6.a

ILO 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Common Target overview is clear and accurate. It outlines basic planning and communications needed. Specific evidence from the scenario and from scholarly research is used to support ideas.
32
Identify basic prevention strategies Centervale should conduct.
CO 2, 3, 7

PO 1.b, 2.a, 3.b, 6.a

ILO 1, 2, 3, 6
Prevention strategies identified are clear, specific, and appropriate for Centervale to conduct.
32
Recommend specific protection strategies to mitigate the effects the disasters have on public health. Make sure you address infrastructure, food and agriculture, and epidemiological services; make sure you account for both human and animal health.
CO 2, 3, 7

PO 1.b, 2.a, 3.b, 6.a

ILO 1, 2, 3, 6
Specific protection strategies recommended are clear, specific, and appropriate for Centervale. They clearly help mitigate effects disasters have on public health; they address infrastructure, food and agriculture, and epidemiological services. They also account for human and animal health.
36
Develop a basic response plan that outlines specific, appropriate steps Centervale must take to ensure proper response.
CO 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

PO 1.b, 2.a, 3.b, 4.a, 5.a, 6.a

ILO 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Response plan is clear and appropriate for Centervale. Specific steps that are likely to ensure proper response are presented.
36
In your response plan, explain the common issues facing the health of the responder teams and propose steps to mitigate those issues.
CO 3, 5, 6, 7

PO 1.b, 2.a, 3.b, 4.a, 5.a, 6.a

ILO 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Common issues facing health of responder teams are accurately identified and are specific. Steps to mitigate those issues are clear, specific, and appropriate.
36
Develop a recovery plan that explains how Centervale can provide long-term public health care (e.g., disposing of materials, restoring facilities, etc.).
CO 3, 6, 7

PO 1.b, 2.a, 3.b, 4.a, 5.a, 6.a

ILO 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Recovery plan is clear, specific, and appropriate. Provision of long-term public health care is clear, complete, and accurate.
36
Writing Components

Organization:

Write with clear organization, including introduction, thesis/main idea, transitions, and conclusion.
CO_W

PO: 3.a, 3.b, 6.a

ILO 2
Introduction has a clear opening, provides background information, and states the topic. The assignment (e.g., report, presentation) is organized around an arguable stated thesis or main idea. Transitions are appropriate and help the flow of ideas. Conclusion summarizes main argument and has a clear ending. Writing generally provides a consistent coherency among ideas.
16
Usage and Mechanics:

Write using proper grammar, spelling, usage, and mechanics to provide smooth readability.
CO_W

PO: 3.a, 3.b, 6.a

ILO 2
Writing follows conventions of spelling and grammar throughout. Writing skills are competent. Good command of language. Bullet points and/or sentence structures are accurate. Capitalization, punctuation, and indentation reasonably well followed. Spelling errors are very few. All errors are infrequent and do not interfere with readability or comprehension.
20
APA Elements:

Include proper attribution, paraphrasing, and quotations of all sources.
CO_W

PO: 3.a, 3.b, 6.a

ILO 2
Using APA format, accurately paraphrased, quoted, and cited throughout the presentation when appropriate or called for. Only a few minor errors present.
20
Audience and Communication:

Write specifically to key audience, using terminology and tone appropriate for the audience.
CO_W PO: 3.a, 3.b, 6.a

ILO 2
Writing is focused. Tone is adequately formal in keeping with the audience.
16
Total:
300