Frequent tornadoes are typical climate features in North America that happen in different regions including Canada, the East Coast and the Florida Peninsula. Special sirens are installed to warn citizens about the emergence of a tornado, and houses are supplied with lower-level safe spaces; however, these means are not sufficient to keep people entirely from harm. The consequences of tornadoes are inevitable, and many different organizations help people overcome difficulties caused by such disasters. AmeriCares is one such organization that provides all kinds of help and assistance before, during and after a tornado strikes, and AmeriCares can supplement governmental aid to tornado victims.
AmeriCares is a nonprofit international humanitarian organization located in Connecticut that supports long-term health programs and provides assistance in emergencies. Robert Macauley founded the organization in 1982 under the basic premise of collecting tax-exempt donations of medical instruments, materials, and drugs from individuals, U.S. corporations, and foundations (AmeriCares, n.d.). Having established close relations with more than one thousand large pharmaceutical and medical companies, AmeriCares now cooperates with various global companies and takes in donations in the form of medicines, diagnostic and medical equipment and tools, as well as food and food supplements (Simmons & Adachi, 2012). AmeriCares stores information about the goods transactions to ensure efficient and transparent distribution of all donations. The company stores materials intended for victims of natural disasters, such as tornadoes, in a separate warehouse in Connecticut, where they are easily accessible. After a tornado descends, materials are sent immediately to the disaster locations. The company privately organizes transportation and then distributes materials and medication, free of charge.
After a tornado event, the company utilizes its emergency response program, which enables efficient responses to all calls for help. After receiving notification about a disaster, AmeriCares activates an information network, collecting information about the extent of the event and begins to prepare the necessary transportation of materials to the disaster area, at the same time preparing their disaster nursing forces (Loke & Fung, 2014). Apart from medical provisions, AmeriCares sends the team to the area for the medication distribution. The team collects information about needs for nursing support, clarifies the number of injured, and figures out the quantity of nursing staff needed to complete any necessary rescue operation (Spain, Clements & DeRanieri, 2012; Adams & Berry, 2012). In catastrophic events, the health care system should work to its full efficiency, but often the number of nurse practitioners is not enough to aid all the injured, in which case AmeriCares provides on-the-spot nursing support. Nurses help manage the current situation, administer first aid, and help rescue and relocate survivors.
AmeriCares meets all governmental requirements in terms of nursing; the organization enables the staff to receive necessary certification and licensing to provide health care services. The nursing and surgical teams, as well as people responsible for medication distribution, are among the first on site in the disaster zone, where they deliver everything needed for assistance or resuscitation of victims. Apart from that, the organizations supply families with emergency kits, which enable people to prepare for upcoming tornadoes (W. A. Afifi, T.D. Afifi & Merrill, 2014). The overall goal of the company is to provide essential aid through medication, personnel, and disaster planning. AmeriCares is the multifunctional company that bears full responsibility for its staff and provisions, thus providing high-quality aid during and after tornadoes.
References
Adams, L., & Berry, D. (2012). Who will show up? Estimating ability and willingness of essential hospital personnel to report to work in response to a disaster. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 1(2). Web.
Afifi, W. A., Afifi, T. D., & Merrill, A. (2014). Uncertainty and control in the context of a category-five tornado. Research in Nursing & Health, 37(5), 358–366.
AmeriCares. (n.d.) Emergency programs. Web.
Loke, A. Y., & Fung, O. W. M. (2014). Nurses’ competencies in disaster nursing: Implications for curriculum development and public health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(3), 3289–3303.
Simmons, K., & Adachi, K. (2012). Global collaboration in disaster nursing. AORN Journal, 96(2), 196-202.
Spain, K. M., Clemets, P. T., & DeRanieri, J. T. (2012). When disaster happens: Emergency preparedness for nurse practitioners. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 8(1), 38-44.