Chapter 20 Community Preparedness: Disaster and Terrorism
Origin: Chapter 20- Community Preparedness- Disaster and Terrorism, 1
1. The public health nurse works in New England during the winter months. An ice storm
cripples the city, and electrical outages affect the power grid. Trees and frozen power
lines are down throughout the city, and the timeline for restoration of power is 7 to 10
days. The management team should classify this occurrence as:
A) An emergency
B) A natural disaster
C) Terrorism
D) An accidental disaster
Ans: B
Feedback:
Natural disasters are the result of naturally occurring events that have an impact on the
environment, the economy, and the people who live in the area. Emergencies are
considered events that require a swift, intense response on the part of existing
community resources. Disasters are often unforeseen, serious, and unique events that
disrupt essential community services and cause human morbidity and mortality that
cannot be alleviated unless assistance is received from others outside the community.
Terrorism is defined by the United Nations as “any action intended to cause death or
serious bodily harm to civilians or noncombatants with the purpose of intimidating a
population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain
from doing any act.” Accidental incidents (or disasters), broadly defined, are those that
happen as a result of circumstantial factors (e.g., road conditions, human error, and
physical plant deterioration) and are usually not deliberate.
Origin: Chapter 20- Community Preparedness- Disaster and Terrorism, 2
2. The national weather service warns of an impending ice storm that may have crippling
effects on the community. Widespread electrical outages are predicted as well as
freezing temperatures. The community health nurses are mobilized to establish
emergency living quarters and clinics for those without heat. The nurses' actions are
occurring during which phase of the disaster?
,A) Impact
B) Postimpact
C) Preimpact
D) Preparedness
Ans: C
Feedback:
Disasters have a timeline, often referred to as a life cycle or phases. These include the
preimpact phase (before), the impact phase (during), and the postimpact phase (after).
Actions taken during these phases affect the illness, injury, and death that occur
following the incident. Although disasters vary significantly, the response to each is
similar. Preparedness is not a phase of the disaster itself but of the emergency
management response to the disaster.
, Origin: Chapter 20- Community Preparedness- Disaster and Terrorism, 3
3. The management team is in the process of identification of hazards associated with the
ice storm that is expected to disable electrical service to the city. To identify areas most
vulnerable to damage and plan for an effective response, which data or methods of data
collection may be used? (Select all that apply.)
A) Geographic information
B) Satellite imagery
C) Census data
D) Historical data on previous events
E) Planning board declarations
Ans: A, B, D
Feedback:
The identification of all existing and potentially dangerous situations before disasters
occur is the first step in planning for an effective response. Different circumstances
result in different types of injuries or illness, damage, and disruption of communication
and transportation. Gathering historical data about previous disasters is helpful. Aerial
photography, satellite imagery, wireless remote sensing devices, and geographic
information systems are tools commonly used in hazard identification. Census data
would not likely help identify areas vulnerable to damage. Planning board declarations
are not data or a method of data collection.
Origin: Chapter 20- Community Preparedness- Disaster and Terrorism, 4
4. Five weeks after a category 4 hurricane, a town in southern Louisiana continues to battle
for survival. The flood waters have now receded. The nurse is part of the disaster
recovery team. Epidemiologic analysis of this town includes factors that influence the
health status of this community. Which data may be included in the epidemiologic
analysis report? (Select all that apply.)
A) Continuing death
B) Population shift
C) Contamination of water supplies
Origin: Chapter 20- Community Preparedness- Disaster and Terrorism, 1
1. The public health nurse works in New England during the winter months. An ice storm
cripples the city, and electrical outages affect the power grid. Trees and frozen power
lines are down throughout the city, and the timeline for restoration of power is 7 to 10
days. The management team should classify this occurrence as:
A) An emergency
B) A natural disaster
C) Terrorism
D) An accidental disaster
Ans: B
Feedback:
Natural disasters are the result of naturally occurring events that have an impact on the
environment, the economy, and the people who live in the area. Emergencies are
considered events that require a swift, intense response on the part of existing
community resources. Disasters are often unforeseen, serious, and unique events that
disrupt essential community services and cause human morbidity and mortality that
cannot be alleviated unless assistance is received from others outside the community.
Terrorism is defined by the United Nations as “any action intended to cause death or
serious bodily harm to civilians or noncombatants with the purpose of intimidating a
population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain
from doing any act.” Accidental incidents (or disasters), broadly defined, are those that
happen as a result of circumstantial factors (e.g., road conditions, human error, and
physical plant deterioration) and are usually not deliberate.
Origin: Chapter 20- Community Preparedness- Disaster and Terrorism, 2
2. The national weather service warns of an impending ice storm that may have crippling
effects on the community. Widespread electrical outages are predicted as well as
freezing temperatures. The community health nurses are mobilized to establish
emergency living quarters and clinics for those without heat. The nurses' actions are
occurring during which phase of the disaster?
,A) Impact
B) Postimpact
C) Preimpact
D) Preparedness
Ans: C
Feedback:
Disasters have a timeline, often referred to as a life cycle or phases. These include the
preimpact phase (before), the impact phase (during), and the postimpact phase (after).
Actions taken during these phases affect the illness, injury, and death that occur
following the incident. Although disasters vary significantly, the response to each is
similar. Preparedness is not a phase of the disaster itself but of the emergency
management response to the disaster.
, Origin: Chapter 20- Community Preparedness- Disaster and Terrorism, 3
3. The management team is in the process of identification of hazards associated with the
ice storm that is expected to disable electrical service to the city. To identify areas most
vulnerable to damage and plan for an effective response, which data or methods of data
collection may be used? (Select all that apply.)
A) Geographic information
B) Satellite imagery
C) Census data
D) Historical data on previous events
E) Planning board declarations
Ans: A, B, D
Feedback:
The identification of all existing and potentially dangerous situations before disasters
occur is the first step in planning for an effective response. Different circumstances
result in different types of injuries or illness, damage, and disruption of communication
and transportation. Gathering historical data about previous disasters is helpful. Aerial
photography, satellite imagery, wireless remote sensing devices, and geographic
information systems are tools commonly used in hazard identification. Census data
would not likely help identify areas vulnerable to damage. Planning board declarations
are not data or a method of data collection.
Origin: Chapter 20- Community Preparedness- Disaster and Terrorism, 4
4. Five weeks after a category 4 hurricane, a town in southern Louisiana continues to battle
for survival. The flood waters have now receded. The nurse is part of the disaster
recovery team. Epidemiologic analysis of this town includes factors that influence the
health status of this community. Which data may be included in the epidemiologic
analysis report? (Select all that apply.)
A) Continuing death
B) Population shift
C) Contamination of water supplies
