Managing Care during Emergencies: Resources for Before, During, and After an Earthquake

/ 7 January 2020 / 0 Comments

A healthcare worker in Puerto Rico sees to a family after a hurricane

[Editor’s Note: We are relieved to report that our Migrant Clinicians Network staff in Puerto Rico are safe after several devastating earthquakes. Our hearts go out to our Puerto Rico colleagues who are struggling in the aftermath and fearful of more tremors. While the situation remains tenuous, we know that our health center partners are already hard at work to support their patients and clients, particularly around issues with mental health. Despite a lack of electricity, Marysel Pagán Santana, DrPH, MS, MCN’s Puerto Rico Program Manager, pulled together the following useful resources.]

Resources Specifically for Earthquakes

There are a number of organizations that provide information on the local and national level in the case of earthquakes. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Ready.gov, supported by the United States government, share information and news surrounding the science of earthquakes, including how to prepare for and react to earthquakes in an emergency situation.

Puerto Rico has a local office for reporting, mitigation, education and research related to earthquakes in the area. The Seismic Network provides live updates to emergencies as well as educational material about earthquakes in Puerto Rico. Here you can access maps that show areas of vulnerability and eviction routes in the case of a tsunami.

Other organizations and websites with useful information and graphics:

Department for the Management of Emergencies and Disasters in Puerto Rico (Negociado para Manejo de Emergencias y Desastres en Puerto Rico)
FEMA Puerto Rico’s social media: ¡Protéjase durante los terremotos! (Protect yourself during earthquakes!)

Health Care during Emergencies

In their emergency preparedness page “Prepárate,” the Department of Health of Puerto Rico offers basic information about emergency provisions, special populations, tools for family communication plans, emergency numbers, and maps of health centers.

Resources for Management and Safety in any Emergency

Drink Safe Water (Tips for safe drinking water in disasters)
Emergency Supply List (List of food and safety items to buy in preparation for a disaster)
Eat Safe Food (Tips for eating safely during disasters)
Infection Control (Information about how to prevent illness after a disaster)
Special Populations (Recommendations for people with health conditions or special needs)
Directory of Health Centers in Puerto Rico (Including hospitals, Diagnostic and Treatment Centers, 330 Centers, and Dialysis Centers)

Resources for Mental Health Care (Spanish)

Guía Técnica de Salud Mental en Situaciones de Desastres y Emergencias (Technical Guide for Mental Health in Disaster and Emergency Situations)
This document provides evidence-based technical guidelines that are suggested for the planning and implementation of psychosocial interventions and mental health solutions in emergency situations and natural disasters.
Guía Técnica de Salud Mental en Situaciones de Desastres y Emergencias (Technical Guide for Mental Health in Disaster and Emergency Situations)This document provides evidence-based technical guidelines that are suggested for the planning and implementation of psychosocial interventions and mental health solutions in emergency situations and natural disasters.
Evaluación de necesidades y recursos psicosociales y de salud mental Guía de herramientas para contextos humanitarios (Needs assessment and Psychosocial resources for Mental Health) This document offers a critique and collection of tools for those looking to design and administer a needs assessment of mental health and psychosocial resources in the case of humanitarian crisis. This includes natural disasters or emergencies caused by conflicts like war.
Apoyo psicosocial en emergencias y desastres: Guía para equipo de respuestas (Psychosocial Assistance in Emergencies and Disasters: A Guide for Disaster Response Teams)
Consejos para sobrevivientes de un desastre u otro evento traumático: Manejo del Estrés (Tips for Survivors of Disasters or Other Traumatic Events: Managing Stress)
Puerto Rico: Salud Mental (¿Cómo ayudar?, Líneas de Apoyo)