Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T17:15:55.764Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Preparations for Severe Winter Conditions by Emergency Health Personnel in Turkey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2014

Cüneyt Çalışkan ,
Aysun Algan ,
Hüseyin Koçak ,
Burcu Küçük Biçer ,
Meltem Şengelen  and
Banu Çakir
Cüneyt Çalışkan*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency and Disaster Management, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey
Aysun Algan
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
Hüseyin Koçak
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency and Disaster Management, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey
Burcu Küçük Biçer
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
Meltem Şengelen
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
Banu Çakir
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
*
Address correspondance and reprint requests to Cuneyt Caliskan, MSc student, Emergency and Disaster Management, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Terzioglu Campus School of Health, Canakkale 17100 Turkey (e-mail [email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

Emergency and core ambulance personnel work under all environmental conditions, including severe weather condtions. We evaluated emergency medical personnel in Çanakkale, Turkey, for their degree of preparedness.

Methods

A descriptive study was conducted in Çanakkale, Turkey, within 112 emergency service units and their 17 district stations. Surveys were developed to measure the level of preparedness for serious winter conditions that individual workers made for themselves, their homes, and their cars.

Results

Of the 167 survey participants, the mean age was 29.8 ± 7.9 years; 52.7% were women; more than half (54.75%) were emergency medical technicians; and 53.3% were married. Only 10.4% of those who heated their homes with natural gas had carbon monoxide detectors. Scores relating to household and individual preparation for severe winter conditions increased by participants’ age (P < .003), being married (P < .000) and working in the city center (P < .021); and for men whose cars were equipped with tow ropes, extra clothing, and snow tires (P < .05). Absenteeism was higher for central-city personnel than district workers because they were less prepared for harsh winter conditions (P = .016).

Conclusion

Many of the surveyed emergency health personel demonstrated insufficient preparations for serious winter conditions. To increase the safety and efficiency of emergency medical personnel, educational training programs should be rountinely conducted. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-4)

Keywords

112 Emergency Health Personnelserious winter conditionsdisasterswinter storms
Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 8 , Issue 2 , April 2014 , pp. 170 - 173
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Guha- Sapir, D, Vos, F, Below, R, Ponserre, S. Annual disaster statistical review 2011: the numbers and trends. WHO-CRED-Universite Catholique de Louvain. Belgium; July 2012.Google Scholar
2. Ross, S. Severe weather. In: Witheric M, ed. Natural Hazards, 2nd ed. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Nelson Thornes Ltd; 2002:65-68.Google Scholar
3. Reininger, BM, Raja, SA, Carrasco, AS, etal. Intention to comply with mandatory hurricane evacuation orders among persons living along a coastal area. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2013;7(1):111.Google Scholar
4. Turkish State MeteorologicService. Character of meteorological disasters [in Turkish]. Turkish State MeteorologicService website. http://www.mgm.gov.tr/arastirma/dogal-afetler.aspx?s=kuvvetliruzgar. Accessed December 15, 2012.Google Scholar
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services. Extreme cold: a prevention guide to promote your personal health and safety. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/. Accessed November 15, 2012.Google Scholar
6. Kilbourne, EM. Cold enviroments. In: Noji. EK, ed. The Public Health Consequences of Disasters. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press; 1997:275-286.Google Scholar
7. Federal Emergency Management Agency, US Department of Homeland Security. Residential building electrical fires. Topical Fire Report Series. 2008; vol 8, issue 2. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v8i2.pdf. Accessed November 15, 2012.Google Scholar
8. Ahrens, M, Hall, J, Comoletti, J, Gamache, S, LeBeau, A. Behavioral mitigation of cooking fires through strategies based on statistical analysis. Washington, DC: National Fire Protection Association, US Department of Homeland Security; August 2007. http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/cooking/fa-312.pdf. Accessed November 15, 2012.Google Scholar
9. Valnicek, SM, Chasmar, LR, Clapson, JB. Frostbite in the prairies: a 12- year review. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1993;92(4):633-641.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Koçak, H. Preparedness, Awareness and Participation in an Earthquake as a Natural Disaster: Japan and Turkey (Afyon Province Example) [in Turkish] [PhD thesis]. Ankara, Turkey: University Institute of Social Sciences; 2004.Google Scholar