The World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine aims to improve the quality of education and advocacy for disaster risks education and emergency health care. Examples of such disasters include epidemic thunderstorm asthma, Hurricane Sandy, and ballistic missile concerns in Hawaii.
An epidemic thunderstorm asthma results from large groups of people developing the symptoms of asthma in a short period of time; in 2016, an epidemic thunderstorm asthma led to a 58% increase in people taken to public hospital emergency departments for with breathing, respiratory, and allergy problems. As a result, epidemic thunderstorm asthma campaign and education programs, communication, warning, and coordination protocols were implemented for future emergency events.
The National Disaster Medical Response to Hurricane Sandy collected data that ranged from vital signs, ages, sex, chief complaints, and final impressions. According to Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, patients had lower acuity levels and frequent respiratory complaints. This study aims to observe the needs of Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, so that future response efforts can be efficient and productive.
In 2018, a false ballistic missile alert in Hawaii encouraged research that examined the relationship between triggered anxiety from traumatic events and the change individual/family emergency preparedness plans after the event. Surveys of 209 participants were conducted to report that post-disaster emergency plans included receipt of electronic emergency alerts, prior emergency training, and
higher reported connectedness to community. Higher event anxiety led people to develop more comprehensive emergency preparedness plans, which increases the range of emergency preparedness education.