| NCJ Number: |
187173  |
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| Title: |
Design and Assessment of Mock Mass Disasters for Dental Personnel |
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| Journal: |
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume:46 Issue:1 Dated:January 2001 Pages:74-79 |
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| Author(s): |
Iain A. Pretty B.D.S; David A. Webb M.Sc.; David Sweet D.M.D |
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| Date Published: |
January 2001 |
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| Annotation: |
In order to provide a prepared team of dental members, a mock
disaster exercise (Operation: DENT-ID) is conducted annually in
Vancouver, Canada; the current study analyzes the effectiveness
of this exercise in relation to team organization, assessment of
preparedness, and the emotional and psychological issues.
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| Abstract: |
In order to determine the success of the exercise, several
methods were used. Data were collected during the mock scenario
and immediately following the conclusion of the exercise.
Collection methods included structured questionnaires and
semistructured interviews with key team members and participants.
Observation of participants was conducted during the exercise to
examine the team dynamics. Data were collected from the results
of the questionnaires and analyzed with information obtained from
group observations and the semistructured interviews. Interviews
were conducted with each of the three team leaders,
representatives from the Coroners Service involved in the
Provincial disaster plan, and the guest speaker who had
participated in a disaster involving a plane crash at sea. The
study identified areas of weakness that should be addressed. One
of the most pivotal areas of weakness was that of willingness to
leave the work space and support the identification effort. The
second area of weakness pertained to the psychological issues.
The preparedness data, in conjunction with interviews, showed
that the participants felt this area deserved more attention. It
is clear that more attention must be given to the psychological
aspects of mass disaster preparedness. The presence of actors who
exhibit signs of posttraumatic stress disorder within teams and a
psychologist trained in this area may help address this. 4
tables, 2 figures, and 19 references
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| Main Term(s): |
Police research |
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| Index Term(s): |
Canada; Crisis intervention; Crisis intervention training; Dental analysis; Disaster procedures; Victim identification |
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| Page Count: |
6 |
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| Format: |
Article |
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| Type: |
Program/Project Description |
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| Language: |
English |
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| Country: |
United States of America |
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To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=187173 |
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