NYU GPH Journal of Public Health Disasters
A student-led journal driven by the latest research in public health disaster preparedness and management.
Yusuf discusses three perspectives of preparedness: the community level, the business sector, and government officials. Being prepared by having a plan, establishing authorities, and encouraging public participation can determine the extent of damage following a disaster. Yusuf argues that the core of preparedness is knowing who to turn to in a time of crisis, which is essential in all three perspectives.
Continue reading “Iman Yusuf’s Precis on Three Perspectives of Preparedness”
Bertinetti discusses the Great East Japan Mega Disaster, causing an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear reactor failure. The disaster provided lessons for how countries can prepare proper mitigation strategies. For example, structural strategies included considering how to make buildings more resilient. Non-structural strategies looked at policy and research.
Continue reading “Sydney Bertinetti’s Brief on Structural and Non-Structural Mitigation Strategies”
The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 killed 57 people, leading to various mitigation strategies to reduce potential harm from future eruptions, as highlighted by Bush in this brief. Structural mitigation strategies included infrastructure reinforcement, the construction of retention dams, and the growth of modern technologies, like monitoring systems. Additional non-structural strategies were important, too, like changing human behavior, education campaigns, and policy changes.
Continue reading “Savannah Bush’s Brief on Structural and Non-Structural Mitigation Strategies”
Rosenbaum reports on the relationship between mitigation and community resiliency in disaster management, highlighting how community action can bring about change in risk management. Rosenbaum touches on issues of collective responsibility, community-based risk reduction in local contexts, and effective communication tactics as important roles in mitigation and resilience.
Continue reading “Edward Rosenbaum’s Précis on Mitigation and Community Resilience”
Tang discusses how mitigation strategies can be implemented to build community resilience. By empowering communities to identify their vulnerabilities and change structures of inequity from within, they can become more resilient in the face of disasters. The report similarly emphasizes how community resilience can be a call for change in disaster mitigation.
Continue reading “Kimberly Tang’s Précis on Mitigation and Community Resilience”
Baez summarizes the connection between mitigation and community resilience, noting how mitigative strategies can lead to managing risk, adapting to changes, and pushing toward long-term resilience. The report emphasizes how mitigation and resiliency can aid in maintaining a self-sufficient and empowered community in the face of disaster.
Continue reading “Brianna Baez’s Précis on Mitigation and Community Resilience “
Introduction: The 2015-16 Zika Virus Epidemic resulted in an estimated 18 deaths, 711,381 infections, and over 3,000 cases of infant microcephaly. It led to a new understanding of the Zika virus’s severity, the development of new rapid response systems for emerging infectious diseases, and improved vector control strategies.1 The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the disaster as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on February 1, 2016, and declared it over on November 18 of the same year.
Continue reading “Matthew Emer’s Case Study on the 2015-16 Zika Virus Epidemic”
Introduction: West Africa experienced the largest and longest-known Ebola epidemic from 2013 to 2016. In August 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and by the time the epidemic was declared over in June 2016, there were 28,610 reported cases and 11,308 deaths. The scope of the epidemic revealed the inadequacies of many West African countries’ modern healthcare systems and indicated the need for better global health security.
Continue reading “Angela Dai’s Case Study on Ebola Outbreak in Western Africa”
Introduction: The 2025 Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire have resulted in a death toll of 29, with 7,500 fire and emergency personnel deployed. They have become two of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history. The fires were precipitated by the combination of drought-like conditions and strong Santa Ana winds. It signifies an importance for us to evaluate the causes, the responses, and future initiatives to prevent wild disaster events in the region in the future.
Continue reading “Iris Auyeung’s Case Study on the California Wildfires “
On September 11, 2001, the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial aircraft, crashing two into the Twin Towers in New York City, one into the Pentagon Building, and one into a field in Pennsylvania. The attacks killed 2,977 people, including the hijackers.
Continue reading “Mark Alicea’s Case Study on the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks”