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Response Functions in Disasters: Iran Flash Flood 2016

Part of: Floods collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2019

Reza Abbaszadeh Dizaji ,
Ali Ardalan  and
Farin Fatemi
Reza Abbaszadeh Dizaji
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ali Ardalan
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Farin Fatemi*
Affiliation:
Research Center for Health Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Farin Fatemi, Research Center for Health Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran (e-mail: f-fatemi@alumnus.tums.ac.ir).
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Abstract

Objective:

Heavy rain and flash flooding left behind a trail of disaster in the western and south-western provinces of Iran in April 2016. The purpose of this study is to highlight the response functions that should be undertaken when such disasters strike.

Methods:

Secondary data, such as documents, organizational reports, and forms completed during response to the flood visits, were the methods of data collection in this study. Then, collected data were analyzed according to the response functions to disasters.

Results:

The study found that a strong disaster response function was the early warning system, by the Iran Meteorological Organization, announced 1 week before the flood. Weaker functions were the lack of coordination among response organizations and the lack of a safety officer in the Incident Command System structure during the flash flood.

Conclusions:

The list of the disaster response functions identified by this study should aid the decision makers and first responders in facing natural or man-made disasters and enable them to better prepare for response functions in the future disasters.

Keywords

flash floodresponsedisasters
Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 13 , Issue 5-6 , December 2019 , pp. 842 - 844
Copyright
Copyright © 2019 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 

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