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Parks & Rec Business
| Lessons from Katrina and other Disasters Emergency recovery and the role of parks and recreational venues By Sean Kaufmann On July 19, 1989, United Airlines flight 232 departed Denver at about 2:09 p.m., climbed uneventfully to a cruise altitude of 37,000 feet, and at approximately 3:16, the flight notified ATC center that the #2 engine had failed. When the #2 engine failed it sent shrapnel flying that severed hydraulic lines. Not only had the jet lost an engine, it was almost uncontrollable. It was basically a flying brick. The flight made an emergency landing at the Sioux City airport, and thanks to the steely nerves of the flight's captain, what could have been a crash that claimed the lives of everyone aboard, did not. Most would survive the crash landing. The rest of the story here that's not often told was the quick and professional response of Sioux City's emergency personnel, which would play a vital role in mitigating this disaster. Ironically, the city had drilled on a similar emergency shortly before the crash. Sioux City was, in fact, probably the best place in America to land in an emergency. "Fortunately, Sioux City was prepared for that. Because even though they'd practiced this wide-bodied aircraft that they didn't have, on July 19, we put a wide-bodied aircraft on the very same runway they used for practice, and we gave them 200 survivors to start with, instead of 150," explained the flight's captain, Al Haynes. "So having a drill, having a plan, and taking it seriously, and working on it, is very, very important for any community, no matter what size you are, or who serves you." The success in Sioux City at turning the tide of disaster speaks volumes about the importance of preparation... for anything, any time and anywhere. Particularly given our recent slate of disasters -- from 9/11 to Katrina -- the need to prepare locally for both local and disasters of national impact is even greater, and parks and recreation departments can be a vital player in bringing everyone together and educating the community. Beyond the Borders All emergencies begin and end in the community, but the Internet and 24/7 news coverage puts images of the most serious emergencies in the living rooms of all Americans across the country. Providing information to the public during an emergency situation may be considered a fantastic public service, but the effects on individuals and communities miles away from where the emergency occurs can be quite serious. Research has shown that through vicarious rehearsal, people miles away from emergency situations begin acting to protect themselves and families as though they were directly involved in the current situation. This is not panic, as panic actually makes people participate in behaviors that decrease the likelihood of surviving (like standing and watching a building fall on them versus running away). But we do know that during emergency situations people act very differently. They seek information to determine personal risks, and once those risks have been identified they begin doing things that can actually hinder emergency response efforts in other areas of the country. Parks and recreational venues across the country can play a very significant role in all phases of emergency situations (preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation). Long-Range Recovery The images from Hurricane Katrina sparked enormous needs within most Americans to lend a hand. People from across the country gave donations, said prayers, and participated in many activities to assist those in need. Some cities opened their doors and continue to provide services for those who lost homes, jobs and loved ones. Fact is, it's natural for us to hurt as others do and there seems to be an internal drive that pushes us with great desire to help others during an emergency. If people are not provided with opportunities to assist others during an emergency (even if they are many hundreds of miles away), closure can't take place and those within a community may not be as resilient if or when an emergency event occurs in their community. Giving people something to do during emergency situations has clearly shown to lower depression rates, minimize post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and increase the resiliency of a community to respond to and recover from an emergency situation. Think about it... What other place could be better than a park or recreational venue to get the people of the community together after an emergency situation to bring donations, raise money, donate blood, and listen to how their community is preparing for emergency situations that may be localized? Professionals can help by accepting donations, people can help by giving donations, and emergency response organizations benefit by sharing information about what they are doing and how people can begin preparing to protect themselves and their families. There is nothing out there like a 4th of July event with hamburgers, hot dogs, and strangers coming together to celebrate one cause. Why not have Americans come together to help other people who have a great need in other parts of country, while using this venue as an opportunity to educate and prepare communities for potential emergencies? Next time something catastrophic happens and you want to help, open the doors of your parks and recreational venues to host a recovery effort for those affected by the emergency. Contact businesses to not only donate, but come to the event and allow people to donate through them (i.e., grocery stores and groceries). Have the American Red Cross come out to accept all types of donations -– from blood to supplies, to anything that may be needed. Contact fire, police, and local emergency management agencies to attend and ask them to facilitate informational sessions and provide educational materials about what they are doing today. Contact local and state politicians to show their support and be there. Create a theme, like "Americans Love New Orleans" or "Let's Be Prepared for Anything" and get local television stations and radio stations to market the event. Fact is, every single person mentioned above -- from people in the community to businesses to politicians to emergency responders -- will all be affected if a community experiences an emergency situation. They will all be asked to work together to help a community overcome and recover from the emergency situation. Get them together now, allow them to participate in the recovery efforts for other communities, and provide opportunities to emergency responders to exercise for emergency situations that could occur in their communities. There is nothing more American than helping a neighbor out –- and there is no other location that is more American than a park or recreational venue. It is simply a perfect place to host a disaster recovery event and will build community resilience, foster partnerships between organizations responding to emergencies, and offer an outlet for Americans to begin coping with national tragedies. All which leads to better preparedness and more awareness of today's threats. Sean Kaufman is the Director of Programs at the Center for Public Health Preparedness and Research in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Partner and Chief Public Health Officer for Go2Gear Inc. and the Area Chair for the Health and Sciences Department at the University of Phoenix, Atlanta Campus. Sean has several years of experience in the fields of health education, crisis and risk communication and emergency preparedness. |
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