Connections between extreme weather events and public health: Cases from the frontline

Extreme weather predictions are part of the climate change story. This includes a range of conditions that will threaten public and environmental health, including prolonged heat waves, increased amount and severity of storms, and enhanced conditions for tournedos and hurricanes with associated flooding and extreme winds. The immediate, short, and long-term health and welfare needs of the public require careful preparation. While we may have learned much from the Katrina experience and its aftermath, it is not clear that we have incorporated all of this knowledge into our city/county/state emergency response contingencies. Much of our disaster preparedness focuses on immediate needs but falls short of planning for longer-term, dislocated populations. In addition, planning for targeted populations such as those who are institutionalized (hospitals, group homes, and prisoners), the elderly, and those with minimal resources and low resiliency is a critical part of climate change-related public health. There is also a need for an educational plan/guidance for those re-entering flooded areas that addresses drinking water issues, mold mitigation, and other threats that may be associated with the aftermath of flooding. Creating a coordinated communication/action plan for private emergency responders like the American Red Cross, public emergency responders, local health care providers (including hospitals and pharmacies), and public health agencies is crucial. Such planned coordination may not necessarily be in place at this time in the areas where such threats exist.