Welcome to Lutheran Hospital of Indiana

ASSUMPTIONS

1. Disasters occurring in Allen County typically impact community health standards and typically require a public health response. Waste water, solid waste, potable water, air quality, health supplies and public health services are commonly affected. This necessitates public health advisories and interventions including disease control measures. Communities may become overwhelmed addressing the medical needs of disaster victims.

2. Disasters impact the provision of health services in community health settings and hospitals. Providers in these settings will be called upon to provide health services to the affected population in accordance with any advisories issued. In addition, providers will be tasked with providing general information to public health officials about the health status of the population they serve (i.e., disease reporting, syndromic surveillance and specimen submission).

3. Disasters may lead to secondary events such as the release of chemical, biological or radiological materials that could seriously impact communities and overwhelm state and local public health response organizations.

4. During an event involving hazardous materials, the lead agencies of ESF #8 and ESF #10 Oil and Hazardous Materials will ensure that response activities that overlap the two ESFs are coordinated and lead responsibilities are determined for all participating.

5. Emergency events may render local health districts inoperable.

6. A disaster may exceed the resources of the local public health and medical community and State and Federal emergency resources may be required.

7. Although a primary hazardous event may not initiate a public health emergency, secondary events stemming from the initial event may do so.

8. Disruption of sanitation services and facilities, loss of power and massing of people in shelters may increase the potential for disease and injury.

9. Catastrophic disasters may require the relocation of hospital and medical facilities.

US Patent Numbers 7,720,998 B2, 7,836,207