Failures in complex technological systems could have multiple dire aftermaths, including many deaths and injuries. These events, such as nuclear accidents, pose serious threats and long-lasting health and environmenta...Failures in complex technological systems could have multiple dire aftermaths, including many deaths and injuries. These events, such as nuclear accidents, pose serious threats and long-lasting health and environmental consequences to workers, the local public, and possibly the whole country and neighboring regions. Such failures,given interconnectivities and interdependencies, could also have spillover effects and threaten the integrity of other systems operating in the same area. There is an essential need for effective integration and interoperability among multiple emergency response agencies, possibly from different countries, in the case of an accident in a safetysensitive industry that causes the release of hazardous materials or contaminants. This article proposes a generic integrated system-oriented model to address this urgent need. It has been applied to the Persian Gulf area and its waters as a case study because of the existence of multiple co-located, safety-sensitive industries such as nuclear power generation, offshore oil and gas drilling, seawater desalination, and seafood harvesting. The Persian Gulf region and its ecosystems are highly vulnerable, and the countries around the Gulf are tightly interdependent, with an urgent need for cooperative emergency response planning. The Black Sea and other semiclosed, water-based ecosystems can also benefit from this model.展开更多
In 2018,the Emergency,Disasters and Ambulatory Transportation General Department at the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia established hospital emergency planning and preparation units(HEPPUs)to improve hospitals’abi...In 2018,the Emergency,Disasters and Ambulatory Transportation General Department at the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia established hospital emergency planning and preparation units(HEPPUs)to improve hospitals’ability to respond to disasters.This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the functioning of HEPPUs within hospitals in the western region of Saudi Arabia.Qualitative research methodology and semistructured interviews with emergency managers were employed.Four key themes emerged from the data:establishment and evolution,roles and responsibilities,communication and coordination,and challenges and limitations.The findings emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration,effective communication,and responses to challenges in enhancing healthcare resilience and disaster management.This study contributes insights and offers practical recommendations for improving the preparedness and performance of HEPPUs within Saudi Arabian hospitals.展开更多
文摘Failures in complex technological systems could have multiple dire aftermaths, including many deaths and injuries. These events, such as nuclear accidents, pose serious threats and long-lasting health and environmental consequences to workers, the local public, and possibly the whole country and neighboring regions. Such failures,given interconnectivities and interdependencies, could also have spillover effects and threaten the integrity of other systems operating in the same area. There is an essential need for effective integration and interoperability among multiple emergency response agencies, possibly from different countries, in the case of an accident in a safetysensitive industry that causes the release of hazardous materials or contaminants. This article proposes a generic integrated system-oriented model to address this urgent need. It has been applied to the Persian Gulf area and its waters as a case study because of the existence of multiple co-located, safety-sensitive industries such as nuclear power generation, offshore oil and gas drilling, seawater desalination, and seafood harvesting. The Persian Gulf region and its ecosystems are highly vulnerable, and the countries around the Gulf are tightly interdependent, with an urgent need for cooperative emergency response planning. The Black Sea and other semiclosed, water-based ecosystems can also benefit from this model.
基金the deanship of scientific research at Taif University for funding this study。
文摘In 2018,the Emergency,Disasters and Ambulatory Transportation General Department at the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia established hospital emergency planning and preparation units(HEPPUs)to improve hospitals’ability to respond to disasters.This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the functioning of HEPPUs within hospitals in the western region of Saudi Arabia.Qualitative research methodology and semistructured interviews with emergency managers were employed.Four key themes emerged from the data:establishment and evolution,roles and responsibilities,communication and coordination,and challenges and limitations.The findings emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration,effective communication,and responses to challenges in enhancing healthcare resilience and disaster management.This study contributes insights and offers practical recommendations for improving the preparedness and performance of HEPPUs within Saudi Arabian hospitals.
