Disaster Response Training for Vulnerable Populations

The health issues following recent major disasters, such as the World Trade Center and Hurricane Katrina, have demonstrated the importance of disaster-site worker safety and health training for all workers responding to events. At greatest risk are the populations who have had no prior disaster-site trainings, such as skilled support personnel and immigrant and day laborers. These populations often suffer the most health issues as they are unprepared for the hazardous conditions of the site, including misuse or lack of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and the deficiency or lack of available training. Since much of the health issues could have been prevented if workers received training prior to the event, pre-disaster occupational safety and health training is not only critical but necessary to protect the well-being of disaster-site workers. Pre-deployment training, such as OSHA's Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training Program, must be comprehensive and must be tailored to the worker's level of literacy, language and other needs. This is not only important but necessary in order for workers to perform their tasks to the best of their ability.