Disaster Preparedness of Emergency Medical Responders

Abstract

Introduction  : Emergency medical responders who work closely to the community ought to have disaster preparedness for helping population properly.

Objective : To study the disaster preparedness of emergency medical responders

Methods : This study was a cross-sectional survey by using questionnaires among emergency medical  responders at Ruamkatanyu foundation  on March 15-16, 2019.

Results : We surveyed 440 emergency medical responders(EMRs). Most of them were 356 men  (80.91%). The median age was 38 years old (IQR 31-43) . The 313 EMR s(71.14%) reported they have moderate level of knowledge of disaster preparedness and 81 EMRs (18.41%) have high level of knowledge.The majority of emergency medical responders reported that they had medical knowledge of disaster preparedness (183, 41.59%). 326 Emergency medical responders(74.09%)  reported that they gained knowledge by participating in training with medical personnel.  Most of them  have knowledge of floods (273, 62.05%). 203 emergency medical responders(46.14%) had knowledge of survival bag but 142 EMRs (32.27%)had survival bag for use. 141 emergency medical responders(32.05%) have participated in disaster response drills that caused them not prepare for disaster properly.

Conclusions : The emergency medical responders believed that they had moderate level of knowledge of the disaster preparedness and most of them had medical knowledge from participating in training with medical personnel. The majority planned but did not prepare for disaster due to they did not practice in disaster reherasals.