Disaster Information

Posted by Patricia Devine on June 11th, 2013 Posted in: Emergency Preparedness, News from NLM, News From NNLM PNR, Training & Education

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Two remote sessions relevant to those interested in disaster response are coming up in June from the Disaster Information Management Research Center, U.S. National Library of Medicine:

Thursday, June 20, 1:30 PM Eastern Time. Disaster Information Specialists Meeting (open to all interested parties). Topic: Accessing Free Biomedical Literature in Disasters. Speakers: Claire Allen, Knowledge Manager for Evidence Aid and Maria Collins, Public Services Division, National Library of Medicine.

Evidence Aid, established following the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December 2004, uses knowledge from Cochrane Reviews and other systematic reviews to provide reliable, up-to-date evidence on interventions that might be considered in the context of natural disasters and other major healthcare emergencies. There are currently four freely available ‘special collections’ which have, to date, used Cochrane Reviews to inform resources for earthquakes, resources for flooding and poor water sanitation, resources for PTSD and resources for burns.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) works in partnership with major publishers to provide free temporary access for healthcare professionals to full text articles from major biomedical title during/after disasters. This Emergency Access Initiative is activated for a specified time when agreed upon by NLM and the publishers.

Wednesday, June 26, 3:00 PM Eastern Time. Topic: Packing Your Digital Go-Bag: Essential Disaster Health Information on Your Mobile Device. Speakers: Disaster Information Management Research Center, U.S. National Library of Medicine personnel.

There are many mobile resources and apps available to assist responders, public health professionals and others in the disaster and preparedness workforce with information needs before and during emergencies and disasters. However, loading these resources on a mobile device just prior to or during a disaster may be too late. Finding and evaluating the best tools and resources takes time, as does learning how to use them effectively and quickly. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has developed a suite of widely-used resources for mobile devices such as WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) and has evaluated and made accessible on their Web site many other mobile apps and other information resources that are useful in emergency and disaster situations. In this webinar, representatives from NLM will identify and discuss key resources that responders and disaster/emergency preparedness professionals should load on their mobile devices as part of their preparedness activities.

To register: http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/classes/class_details.html?class_id=611