Public health and natural hazards: new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an Australian bushfire case study
Abstract Objective: Public preparedness for natural hazard events is low. With worsening severe weather events due to climate change, public health policy and practices must evolve to more effectively engage communities. This study's findings identify and suggest new strategic public health pol...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12897 |
| _version_ | 1797763644734308352 |
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| author | Rachel Westcott Kevin Ronan Hilary Bambrick Melanie Taylor |
| author_facet | Rachel Westcott Kevin Ronan Hilary Bambrick Melanie Taylor |
| author_sort | Rachel Westcott |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: Public preparedness for natural hazard events is low. With worsening severe weather events due to climate change, public health policy and practices must evolve to more effectively engage communities. This study's findings identify and suggest new strategic public health policies to shift the practice of all‐hazards preparedness into routine, everyday life. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews, focus groups and Thematic Analysis were used to investigate the interactions between participant groups: emergency responders and animal owners. Results: Three policies designed to improve human safety and well‐being are proposed and discussed. These are (i) a new system of workplace leave, (ii) an innovative regime of financial incentives for fire‐ready properties, and (iii) review of the use of firebreaks on farms and rural blocks. Conclusion: Policies proposed in this research aim to proactively narrow the awareness‐preparedness gap and build adaptive capacity to minimise risk to human health in all‐hazards contexts. Further research could evaluate the efficacy of trialled public policy. Implications for public health: These new policies seek to contribute to establishing and maintaining a culture of preparedness as a routine aspect of everyday life, and thus promote and protect public health in the short, medium and long terms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:44:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85d50fa43aef4b0c8663afe033afeae7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:44:24Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-85d50fa43aef4b0c8663afe033afeae72023-08-02T03:37:59ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052019-08-0143439540010.1111/1753-6405.12897Public health and natural hazards: new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an Australian bushfire case studyRachel Westcott0Kevin Ronan1Hilary Bambrick2Melanie Taylor3Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine Western Sydney University Sydney New South WalesBushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre Melbourne VictoriaSchool of Public Health and Social Work Queensland University of Technology Brisbane QueenslandBushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre Melbourne VictoriaAbstract Objective: Public preparedness for natural hazard events is low. With worsening severe weather events due to climate change, public health policy and practices must evolve to more effectively engage communities. This study's findings identify and suggest new strategic public health policies to shift the practice of all‐hazards preparedness into routine, everyday life. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews, focus groups and Thematic Analysis were used to investigate the interactions between participant groups: emergency responders and animal owners. Results: Three policies designed to improve human safety and well‐being are proposed and discussed. These are (i) a new system of workplace leave, (ii) an innovative regime of financial incentives for fire‐ready properties, and (iii) review of the use of firebreaks on farms and rural blocks. Conclusion: Policies proposed in this research aim to proactively narrow the awareness‐preparedness gap and build adaptive capacity to minimise risk to human health in all‐hazards contexts. Further research could evaluate the efficacy of trialled public policy. Implications for public health: These new policies seek to contribute to establishing and maintaining a culture of preparedness as a routine aspect of everyday life, and thus promote and protect public health in the short, medium and long terms.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12897bushfirepreparednesspublic health policyemergency respondersanimal owners |
| spellingShingle | Rachel Westcott Kevin Ronan Hilary Bambrick Melanie Taylor Public health and natural hazards: new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an Australian bushfire case study Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health bushfire preparedness public health policy emergency responders animal owners |
| title | Public health and natural hazards: new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an Australian bushfire case study |
| title_full | Public health and natural hazards: new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an Australian bushfire case study |
| title_fullStr | Public health and natural hazards: new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an Australian bushfire case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Public health and natural hazards: new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an Australian bushfire case study |
| title_short | Public health and natural hazards: new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an Australian bushfire case study |
| title_sort | public health and natural hazards new policies and preparedness initiatives developed from an australian bushfire case study |
| topic | bushfire preparedness public health policy emergency responders animal owners |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12897 |
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