Riverbed City: The Ruby Lake Evacuation Mission

With a chemical plum spilled and flowing to the Ruby Lake neighborhood, there was an issue of an evacuation order by the authorities. This process was not an easy task because the plan used was outdated and established before the Latinos settled in the region. Given the prevailing situation and the role of the healthcare systems in handling the hazard, it is crucial to form an health hazard preparedness plan by undertaking the TOWS analysis to ensure that in future such mission is not challenged.

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TOWS Matrix

External Opportunities

There is an opportunity for the local hospitals notifying the county emergency departments when there is occurrence of hazards and their effects on the population

The health care institutions may offer logistical support to the people in the PCB affected areas

Additional support enhanced by communication between the hospitals and the local people via the emergency alert systems External Threats

The evacuation plan for the city is outdated and was established before the settlement of the Latinos

There is a threat of traffic jams enhanced by the chemical spills hindering the process of evacuation

Also, there is a risk of heart attacks as well as other related complications during the stressful period

It is not clear if the available resources will be enough for all the people evacuated from the affected regions

Internal Strengths

There is existence of the EPA superfund site on the hands of the residents

Support from the local media for the evacuation

Identification of the cause of PCB contamination as train derailment

Action by the local leaders such as Felicity Pearson by establishing a grass root organization known as Citizens Lobbying for the Environmental Action and Responsibility

Participation of the regional hospitals in the health hazard response SO

S1-O1-O2- The health care institutions to use the EPA support in offering the logistical support as well as deriving information about the effects of the hazard to revise some parts of the plan

S2-S3-O3- Using the media to identify why the hazard occurred and offer effective communication between the hospitals and the residents

S4-O2- Applying the influence of the local leaders to make sure that the hospitals offer logistical support

S5-O1- The hospitals active in the mission to notify the emergency departments on the extent of the chemical spills

ST

S1-T1- Using the influence of EPA to establish updated mission plan

S2-S4-T3- The local leaders through the media to calm the residents down for them to reduce the possibility of other related health complications

S3-S5-T4- Given that the hospitals are aware of the effects of PCB on the population, they should evaluate the required resources and seek financial support from external sources

S4-T2- Utilize the influence of leaders to ensure that the traffic officials solve the problem of traffic jams as hospitals and other emergency institutions deliver the medical supplies and food.

Internal Weaknesses

Existence of Referral patterns as well as agreements between some of the regional hospitals outside the region

Lack of coordination between the authorities and the local communities

Some of the people have been affected by the chemical spills introducing more complications

Communication barrier between the health care officials and the residents WO

W1-O2- Breaking the referral patterns through effective communication to increase the logistical support

W2-O1- To enhance the coordination between the local authorities and the hospitals to achieve the objective of the mission

W3-W4-O3- Including translators to break the communication barrier between the health care officials for the emergency alert systems to be effective WT

W1-W2-T2-T4- Engaging all the hospitals and authorities to source for adequate resources and increase traffic flow

W3-W4-T1-T3- Removing the communication barriers through effective strategies to minimize the risks of other health complications as well as enhance the supply of medicals

Through the analyses of the internal and external environments, the health care institutions in Riverbed City, and specifically, in the Ruby Lake area can use the techniques identified in the TOWS matrix to change the strategies in their mission plan. Different from the SWOT analysis, the TOWS is a simple tool used in establishing strategic alternatives as identified in the Ruby Lake region matrix to identify how the health care systems can take an opportunity and reduce the effects of the chemical spill hazard on the residents through evacuation.