Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungal pathogen first reported in the United States in 2016, resulted in over 33,000 confirmed cases over an eight-year period and a reported mortality rate of 30 to 50%, thus presenting the horrors of drug-resistant bacteria and inevitably facilitating major changes within the standard of hospital care and infection control across major U.S. cities.
Continue reading “Natali Petrosyan’s Case Study on C. auris Outbreak in the United States”Olivia Henriques’ Case Study on the 2025 Central Texas Flash Floods
On July 4, 2025, exceptional rainfall caused the Guadalupe River in Texas Hill Country to rise dramatically. Waters rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, cresting at a record 37 feet and resulting in one of the deadliest and fastest-moving flash floods in the history of the United States.
Continue reading “Olivia Henriques’ Case Study on the 2025 Central Texas Flash Floods”Devastating Texas Floods Highlight Emergency Response Failures
A devastating flash flood hit Central Texas over the July 4 weekend, killing at least 135 people, including nearly 40 children. The majority of the destruction is in Kerr County, located within the Texas Hill Country — an area home to multiple summer camps. Many of the dead include young campers and staff members from Camp Mystic. In response to the flooding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have activated disaster response and recovery resources, but many feel that the state did not do enough to prepare for a disaster of this magnitude.
Continue reading “Devastating Texas Floods Highlight Emergency Response Failures”Mariana Braga, Sierra Nasir, and Johnny Quinones’ Disaster Plan: Bellevue Emergency Response Plan for Ebola Outbreak in the Emergency Room
Introduction: As a hospital with high patient volume and staffing, Bellevue is particularly susceptible to higher transmission rates. Bellevue stands as one of the largest hospitals in the United States, with over 800 inpatient beds. Emergency room visits are, therefore, higher than in most other hospitals. Transmission potential is also amplified by the fact that New York City is the most populated city in the United States, often contributing to overcrowding in both public spaces and living environments. Its role as a transit hub and port of entry increases its risk of imported cases, and Bellevue’s location in Kips Bay, New York City, puts the hospital at a uniquely vulnerable position for receiving patients who may have been exposed. This combination makes Bellevue a critical frontline institution in the face of an infectious disease outbreak, and thus necessitates an actionable plan around a potential EVD outbreak.
Continue reading “Mariana Braga, Sierra Nasir, and Johnny Quinones’ Disaster Plan: Bellevue Emergency Response Plan for Ebola Outbreak in the Emergency Room”Lawrence Mfutso’s Case Study on Cyclone Freddy
In March 2023, Tropical Cyclone Freddy struck Malawi and areas across the South Indian Ocean. Over 676 people died and over 659,000 people were displaced, ultimately worsening an ongoing cholera outbreak in the area.
Mfutso establishes the epidemiological context in Malawi leading up to Cyclone Freddy, emphasizing how the lack of early warning systems and lackluster data collection resulted in increased mortality rates across the area.
Berkeley Sanchez, Shivani Shenoy, and Benjamin Tamarin’s Disaster Plan: Avian Influenza Outbreak Plan for Cali Hope Urgent Care Clinic
Introduction: CDC reports of the H5N1 cases over the years have been largely isolated in 5 states: California, Washington, Colorado, Texas, and Wyoming. In counties across California, cases of avian influenza have been reported, requiring a specialized response plan. The network of Cali Hope Urgent Care Clinic was chosen because of its patient reach and proximity to the epicenter. As an urgent care clinic, it is the best fit to detect and treat cases of avian influenza in humans as and when they arise and help the population in need.
Continue reading “Berkeley Sanchez, Shivani Shenoy, and Benjamin Tamarin’s Disaster Plan: Avian Influenza Outbreak Plan for Cali Hope Urgent Care Clinic”Kat Acierno, Natali Petrosyan, Martha Felipe’s Disaster Plan: ABC Emergency Plan for the Betty Ford Foundation
Introduction: Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive behavioral health care. The organization has treatment centers and provides nationwide telehealth services. One of their addiction treatment centers is located in Naples, Florida. Florida is one of the several states that experience leading hepatitis rates nationwide, which may be linked to the high rates of opioid use in the state. Due to the relatively high rate of hepatitis cases within the state of Florida and the impacts that the state has generally faced due to an ongoing opioid crisis, we have chosen to focus our disaster plan on the aforementioned drug rehabilitation center in Naples, Florida.
Continue reading “Kat Acierno, Natali Petrosyan, Martha Felipe’s Disaster Plan: ABC Emergency Plan for the Betty Ford Foundation”Kimari A. McCoy, Desere Thompson, and DJ Windsor’s Disaster Plan: Active Shooter Preparation at the Dallas Pediatric Cardiac Care Center
Introduction: Violence against healthcare facilities is on the rise because they are emotionally charged environments, with open access to the public, and a perceived lack of security. Because of their open layouts, family-centered design (such as play areas and group therapy rooms), and the presence of young, vulnerable people, pediatric care facilities may be seen as “soft targets.” Staff members must protect patients, cooperate with emergency responders, secure locations quickly, and communicate properly with children and families in such a situation.
Continue reading “Kimari A. McCoy, Desere Thompson, and DJ Windsor’s Disaster Plan: Active Shooter Preparation at the Dallas Pediatric Cardiac Care Center”Berkeley Sanchez’s Case Study on the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season
The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season was one of the most devastating in United States history, with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria causing extensive damage, resulting in approximately $265 billion in losses, widespread displacement, and significant rates of morbidity and mortality.
Continue reading “Berkeley Sanchez’s Case Study on the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season”Lori Preldakaj’s Case Study on the Itaewon Halloween Crowd Crush
On October 29, 2022, during Halloween festivities, a deadly crowd crush
occurred in the Itaewon district of Seoul, South Korea. The incident resulted in 159
deaths and nearly 200 injuries, making it one of the deadliest peacetime disasters in
South Korea’s history.