Search

The article uses Fukushima as a catalyst to progress the discussion of creating a effective Nuclear Emergency Response Team.  Schmid uses the examples of the unexpected flow of events to support the unprecedented need for a diverse group of individulals, not just "Scientific Elites". She compares the responses fromthe 1979 Three Mile Island incident to the current state of respond to show how little has changed dispite the short lived boost in attention.

“The smell of death was overpowering the moment a relief worker cracked open one of the hospital chapel’s wooden doors.”

“The physician, Anna Pou, defended herself on national television, saying her role was to “help” patients “

The main arguement is that there needs to be a larger emphasis on the biosocial understanding of medical phenomina, to help prevent or reverse disease infection in low income, diverse, or war strikin communities.  

Doctors without Borders is a group that not only responds to emergencies and disasters, they also create predictions to problems that are affecting third-world communities. The research that best embodies this is the research conducted regaurding the  'Effect of Mass Supplementation with Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food during an Anticipated Nutritional Emergency' they used this information gathered in Niger to prove that with early intervention in children ages 6 to 23 months you can reduce mortality rate in areas at risk for nutritional deficiency crisis'.

This article has been referenced at least once in 'Making Sense of Disaster' by Howard Davis which focuses on response to acute human disasters.  

The article's main focus is on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and it's inhabiants. It follows the city through the aftermath of the storm, analzying the rebuilding efforts that were never truly seen to completeion. They describe the goverments' lack luster efforts to help the displaced survivors and thus their continued feeling of displacement by survivors.

The bibliography contains many references to academic studies on PTSD, and other event based mental disorders. this diverseness in bibliography shows a more statistical approach to analyzing the situtation rather than ubjective opinion.

• "Most organizations have their own definitions and categories for reporting incidents, which makes comparative research difficult"
• "There are also often inconsistencies in the categories used to describe perpetrators e e.g. terrorist, state actors, non-state actor e and these categories have legal ramifications under both International Humanitarian Law and in national legal frameworks. Although a standardizing of terminology and scope of study would be welcome, this has proven difficult."
• "Although violence directly affecting health service delivery in complex security environments has received a great deal of media attention, there is very little publically available research, particularly peer-reviewed, original research."