Public Health Emergency Response to Tsunami 2004: I. Effective Resource Management of Incident Command System for the Triad Interplay - การตอบโต้ภาวะฉุกเฉินทางสาธารณสุขในกรณีภัยพิบัติคลื่นยักษ์สึนามิ 2004

Abstract

               Incident command system (ICS) is an on-scene structural and functional organization of management-level positions applicable to small as well as large and complex emergencies. In the aftermath of devastating tsunami as public health emergency on Dec 26, 2004, the Office of Disease Prevention and Control (ODPC) 11 Nakhon Si Thammarat had pivotal role and responsibilities as a coordinating body of the “Disease Control Department Operation Center - DCDOC Phang-nga” that was an incident command post collocated with the incident base of the Department of Disease Control (DDC). Its wide experience to prepare for and respond to emergencies in Southern Thailand has been shown for management and operation challenges for ICS responsible for controlling personnel, facilities, equipment and communications. Key elements required for the organization to effectively and efficiently function were incident action plan and integrated communications and in doing so the ODPC 11 handled psychosocial effects of tsunami and managed environmental resources to ensure public health emergency response, not only for immediate response but also shortterm and long-term responses. This critical review based on lessons learnt from resource management for the DCDOC Phang-nga focuses on three sections (i.e., planning, logistics and finance/administration) of the ICS towards comprehensive resource management and integrated communications of the triad (i.e., interplays of ODPC 11, DCDOC Phang-nga and DDC). Such a synthesized functional model of the DCDOC Phang-nga will provide rational basis for next critical steps of their business plan to meet ultimate goals of emergency management for the future disasters.

Key words: incident command system, incident command post, incident base, Office of Disease Prevention and Control, Disease Control Department Operation Center, public health emergency response, comprehensive resource management, integrated communications, triad interplay