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Natural Disasters: The Role of the Veterinarian

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Roscoe M. Moore Jr ,
Ronald G. Kaczmarek  and
Yvette M. Davis
Roscoe M. Moore Jr*
Affiliation:
Medical Officer, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
Ronald G. Kaczmarek
Affiliation:
Chief, Epidemiology Branch, Center for Devices and Radiological Health Food and Drug Administration; Chief Veterinary Medical Officer, United States Public Health Service, Office of The Surgeon General, Rockville, Maryland, USA
Yvette M. Davis
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Fellow, United States Public Health Service, Rockville, Maryland, USA
*
Center for Devices and Radiological Health Food and Drug Administration 12200 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852USA
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Abstract

Natural disasters create a multiplicity of problems and hazards ranging from outbreaks of infectious disease to animal control problems. By virtue of their unique training and clinical skills, there is considerable potential for veterinarians to fulfill major roles in disaster intervention. The potential role of the veterinarian features a number of important tasks before, during, and after a natural disaster. Some of the tasks include: 1) resolution of problems common to many natural disasters; 2) control of disease vectors; 3) control of disease transmission; 4) herd management; 5) animal health care; 6) search and rescue; 7) animal control; 8) maintenance of medical supplies; 9) information dissemination; 10) disaster assessment; and 11) pre-disaster planning.

Type
The Administrator
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , June 1991 , pp. 265 - 270
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 1991

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