Environmental pollution emanating from the disposal of industrial production is a significant threat to the sustenance of life. For instance, according to Ganguly et al. (2017), the Bhopal disaster reveals gaps in industrialization safety measures damaging to society. Toxic contamination made local authorities move industries away from urban centers to limit the catastrophe (kadamsevasamiti, 2010). Thus, crisis managers outline the vital role that public health facilities play in mitigating such situations. The availability of emergency response teams is crucial, and they should possess the required expertise.
Crisis preparedness is essential in ensuring prompt response and saving of lives. The action plan on responding to the chemical outbreak is critical and should be implemented strategically. During training, the rescue team should master environmental chemistry, persistence, and rate of diffusion. Secondly, knowing symptoms emanating from the chemical outbreak, will limit the damage during the rescue (Sørensen, 2020). Thirdly, to minimize the risk of exposure, the team needs to understand the injuries. Additionally, the rescue team should know emergency actions to reduce risk on their side and the public. Utilizing protective equipment effectively reduces the chances of being exposed to chemicals substances.
Training local team response is an integral approach for staff to retain control of the incident. Public health centers should disseminate skills to the community on how to respond to the hazard. Staff must acquaint themselves with rescue operations by practicing before an actual crisis. Orientation training simplifies complex elements and plans procedures in readiness to potential situations. Participants should act out sensitive steps and outline challenges for rectification. The team should continually evaluate their response strategies and tactics to ensure they improve their performance. The health department should communicate health standards and safety guidelines to be observed during the rescue mission.
Measures to Minimize Risk Following a Chemical Disaster
Mitigation refers to efforts deployed by the response team to save lives during a crisis. The process begins with planning, where the local team involves the affected community in their operations. The plan should address all forms of threats basing on their risk to the locals and the entire state. Essentially, the team should offer reliable and accessible communication that is linguistically appropriate. Integrating all critical partners is vital in gaining compliance to support the mitigation process (Rayawan et al., 2021). During the response, emphasis should be placed on coordination, consistency, and precise information.
The Bhopal gas tragedy could have been avoided if the warning on safety measures was addressed. For instance, the plant received evidence that the crisis was impending but was slow to act (NDTV, 2010). The matter was also raised by the state assembly six months before the disaster, but they didn’t act due to negligence. My reaction to such an event would be taking the warning into consideration and implementing the proposal to prevent it from happening. Further, my team would be more accountable for the damages and offer assistance to the affected. Secondly, if staff observed the basic requirements, such as handling pipes, the tragedy would not have occurred. Risk messages should be published everywhere, and staff should be trained on how to report suspected danger. Finally, moving the factory away from the city to a scarcely populated area should be considered. Dealing with crisis in rural setup has proven to be effective when compared to crowded urban centers.
Empowering communities is essential in ensuring informed decisions during risk management. Authorities should focus on long-term vulnerability reduction by building critical infrastructure and mobilizing resources. Assessment of the risk prepares the decision-makers, community members, and response team to reduce damage. The availability of emergency response teams is crucial, and they should possess the required expertise. Governments should plan and set resources to reduce crises and have experienced teams for the same purpose. Moreover, the community plays a vital role in facilitating the recovery process when it is involved from the beginning.
References
Ganguly, B. B., Mandal, S., & Kadam, N. N. (2017). Genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of methyl isocyanate (MIC) reviewed on exposed Bhopal population and future perspectives for assessment of long-term MIC-effect. Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology, 7(3). Web.
kadamsevasamiti. (2010). Bhopal gas tragedy explore the truth [Video]. YouTube. Web.
NDTV. (2010). Bhopal gas tragedy: 25 years on [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Rayawan, J., Tipnis, V. S., & Pedraza-Martinez, A. J. (2021). On the connection between disaster mitigation and disaster preparedness: The case of Aceh province, Indonesia. Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 11(1), 135-154. Web.
Sørensen, K. (2020). Lack of alignment in emergency response by systems and the public: A Dutch disaster health literacy case study. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 1-4. Web.