Skip to main content

Nature’s Fury and Human Heroes

Image
By
Natural calamities, such as the recent Uttarakhand Tsunami, are characterized by six Ds: destruction, death, devastation, disease, depression and despair. Yet, despite all this, it comes as a one-in –a-lifetime type opportunity for some to put their learning, ability and skills to real test.
For the soldiers and officers who daringly rescued thousands of jolted starving stranded pilgrims to safety, it was an opportunity that transformed them from unknown regulars to national heroes.
Several heroes must have been born in such conditions. States of sudden chaos and vacuum throw up new leaders who emerge from within the group, motivating those around and telling them what to do, setting common goals that fellow survivors feel compelled to join in for their collective survival, and showing the way through their own actions.
The opportunity for medics and para-medics in such situations is immense.
In the first phase, they run shoulder to shoulder with the rescuers, providing first aid and splinting broken spines and bones of the injured before moving them to safety. This is a vital oft-neglected step for which even rescued people often pay a heavy price with lives and disability.
Bones of the head (skull) and spine act as cages to protect the soft and vulnerable brain and spinal cord. Fractures here often cause compression with disastrous consequences.If they are dragged or lugged unknowingly, pieces of brokenbone may press and tear the tender nerves or cord, often causing permanent paralysis or death.
One of the essential steps in disaster management, therefore, is splinting of injured body parts before attempting to move the person. What it means is that wounded parts of the body should be immobilized to prevent further damage. The spine is best immobilized by placing the victim on a hard stretcher and strapping the body, broken limbs by tying to a piece of wood or branch, and mobile parts, such as dangling fingers, by bandaging or strapping to the stable ones. It is safer to keep the splint on till the victim is seen by an expert in a hospital and evaluated with x-rays or scans.
After the 1st wave of death from injuries and drowning, the 2nd wave follows at its heels with infections. People stranded without potable water, shelter or electricity are prone to pneumonia and diarrhoea, and their huddling together makes the germs spread quickly from one to the other. Antibiotics and vaccines are as important at this phase as clean water, food, blankets and shelter to prevent outbreaks and epidemics.
Another neglected aspect of disaster management is tackling the emotional trauma of those who have been through it all and seen wailing spouses been dragged away by swirling waters, parents being knocked down to death by falling boulders, and infants crying incessantly in their arms before falling finallysilent.

How does one help them cope and persuade them to live on rather than jump into the waters? Think about it till we meet next week.
As published in HT City ( Hindustan Times) dated 7 July, 2013
.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How do you like your Tea?

By
The way we drink our tea may not only reflect our taste and style, but our health as well. Tea drinking is around 4700 years old and had its origin in China. Leaves of the shrub Camellia sinensis (tea plant) were in use at that time as a remedy for wounds and diseases. With the legendary emperor Shenong brewing and drinking its extracts, tea drinking became a popular habit in this part of the world. The British, impressed with the brew and the customs that go with drinking it in China and Japan, tried to emulate and evolve a tea-drinking custom of their own, and soon “tea-time”became a familiar term across the globe. Every home or cafe seems to have its own flavour. The north Indian variety of “chay” is a glass of hot creamy milk (more cream as it gets more “special”) with lots of sugar and a lacing of  “tea liquor” of strong tea that grows on lower heights (Assam, Nilgiri, Sri Lanka etc). In contrast, the Chinese and Japanese prefer light green or jasmine tea without a drop of mi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Food Fads in Liver Disorders

By
In an attempt at trying to do well to those they love, spouses and parents often enforce diets on patients of liver diseases that often turn out to be detrimental. The commonest food fad is pale insipid boiled cabbage being doled out to nauseous patients suffering from hepatitis that makes them puke even more.  The liver, in a way, is a buzzing manufacturing unit that requires lots of energy to keep its multiple functions going. And it derives all this from the food we eat. During disease, such as during an attack of jaundice, when many of the liver cells get killed, the liver attemptsdamage control by trying to regenerate quickly. For its cells to multiply however, it requires a generous supply of energy that comes from carbohydrates, and protein, the building block for its cells and tissues. Boiled green vegetables unfortunately have neither of these. Hence the situation often progresses to that of a starved liver unable to recuperate due to cut-off food suppl...
2 comments
Read more

Colas have No Class

By
Cola drinks, once a symbol of American upmarket style, is now to be found perched mainly on the shelves of road-side ‘paan walas’ and local grocers. True, there still are Americans who drink more colas than water, and consume an average of 2 bottles per day of the tangy fizzy dark drink, but it has clearly fallen in stature as offering it to visitors or serving it at parties is no longer elegant. Premiere schools in Lucknow such as La Martiniere College for girls have shunned colas from their canteen for the last 4 years. The story started with extensive campaigns by HOPE Initiative (Health Oriented Programs and Education) in 2005 creating awareness among the bright students about the long term harms of cola drinks. A heated debate followed in which the rights of an individual student  was pitched against the hazards of allowing gullible youngsters to be enticed by aggressive marketing to gulp colas and fall sick. The intelligent and alert La Marts students dcided on ...
Post a Comment
Read more