Module 14.4 Think about it - Website Exploration

Using the Resilience Through Learning website (https://www.usuhs.edu/ncdmph-learn/KnowledgeLearning/2013-05Oklahoma.htm), I wanted to learn about the natural disaster of Tornadoes. Tornadoes are the most common natural disaster in my hometown of Lubbock, Texas.

Per year, approximately 1,200 tornadoes hit the U.S. Tornadoes primarily affect the central U.S. in the region known as Tornado Alley. The National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health (NCDMPH) provides many resources that helps individuals prepare and ready themselves for a natural disaster. A fantastic resource, I found one from this website is the extensive summary written by the Center of Disease Control (CDC). In the CDC website, they list excellent resources for what to do before, during, and after a tornado.

Below is a very handy infographic that cover the basics of how to stay prepared for a tornado.
CDC Infographic

A very important fact sheet I found on the NCDMPH website for public health professionals and healthcare providers refers to the importance of psychological first aid. For me, some major takeaways from this factsheet on what NOT to do are:
Don't  

• Force people to share stories with you
• Give simple reassurances like "everything will be OK" or "at least you survived"
• Tell people what you think they should be feeling thinking or doing now
• Make promises that may not be kept
• Criticize existing services or relief activities

In Lubbock, TX there are no such state services like for disaster healthcare volunteers. The closest thing would be volunteering for one of the local hospitals or non-profit, the most prominent related to public health is the Red Cross.

Sources:
https://www.usuhs.edu/ncdmph-learn/KnowledgeLearning/2013-05Oklahoma.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/tornadoes/index.html#injuries
https://www.cstsonline.org/assets/media/documents/CTC_psychological_first_aid.pdf