Flooding Mold Extreme Weather Mitigation Formulate a

Flooding Mold Extreme Weather Mitigation Formulate a plan on how you would use clinical epidemiology to guide your options and actions on dealing with this issue. Scientists define flooding events by their probability of occurring in a given time period. For example, a hundred-year flood is a flood that would theoretically probable to occur only once every century. However, climate change and the changing atmospheric condition are predicted to increase the frequency of natural disasters as well as their intensity (Kelly, 2012).

The science behind climate change is becoming increasingly clear and many of the changes are already occurring. Just in 2011 alone, a dozen natural disasters occurred in the U.S. that were estimated to cause over a billion dollars in damages per each event. (National Climatic Data Center, 2012). The flood that occurred in Wilkes-Barre in September 2011 made the Susquehanna River crest at an unprecedented level of over forty feet. Because of the severity of the storm, over seventy thousand people had to be evacuated.

The damages incurred included over five thousand homes and businesses that were flooded. There were also a hundred and twenty sewage treatment plants that were impacted by the flood. As a result of the storm, health professionals had concerns for residents that were afflicted by the damage. It was believed that many people would be exposed to different kinds of mold which could cause a variety of health conditions amongst the public.

Because storms such as this are predicted to increase in frequency, clinical epidemiology can offer a perspective that can expedite the emergency responses in any future natural disasters. 2. Propose three (3) types of molds that could develop from flood damage and the associated health risks with each type of mold. Research has indicated that there is a correlation between dampness and mold in buildings and a potential increased risk of adverse health effects (Mudarri, 2007).

During any kind of major flooding where buildings and especially sewage treatment plants are impacted the risks are significantly exacerbated because the growth of mold is at its optimum levels. Some of the most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria (CDC, 2009). Stachybotrys chartarum (also known by its synonym Stachybotrys atra) is a greenish-black mold that has been linked with a lot of negative health effects.

Yet there are over ten thousand different strands of molds and it would be difficult for anyone to familiarize themselves with all of them. 3. Outline a plan to communicate key information to health practitioners who will most likely treat the symptoms of mold. Include a timeline when this outbreak can be expected. During a flood, literally everyone involved should be educated to the risks of mold exposure. Everyone including residents, contractors, emergency response professionals, and most of all health professionals should be aware of what risks they might encounter.

Health professionals monitoring patients for their symptoms as well as keeping detailed records on what they encounter. Any occurrences should be reported so that potential exposures can be monitored and tracked in order to limit the potential for future exposure. 4. Compare three (3) methods that could be used to decrease mold or exposure to mold. Include the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Ventilate the affected area as much as possible when working in any area that could potentially contain mold.

All clean up materials should be completely disposable and thrown away and double bags for safety. All workers should wear appropriate safety gear such as gloves, glasses, and HEPA respirator masks. 5. Formulate three (3) talking points the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection can use when addressing the concerns of the community on health risk associated with mold and what preventive measures can be taken to avoid contracting this infection. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection needs to be aware of three primary categories of response and containment information.

One category could be separated and customized for response crews, another for medical professionals, and for local residents. The timeframe for mold growth is estimated to be roughly 24 to 48 hours (EPA, 2011). Therefore the Environmental Protection agency will have to move quickly with their talking points and the spread of information. 6. Suggest the type of study you would use to evaluate the long-term effects of mold exposure and the reasoning behind your selection. The short-term effects of mold exposure are much easier to spot than long-term damages that may occur.