NURS FPX 4055 Assignment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4055 Optimizing Population Health through Community Practice

Prof. Name

Date

Disaster Recovery Plan

Determinants of Health and Barriers

• Aging Population and Health Vulnerabilities: Valley City has a significant elderly population (22% over age 65), with over 200 individuals suffering from serious medical conditions that require assistance with mobility and chronic care management during emergencies (Capella University, n.d.).

• Disabilities and Communication Barriers: Approximately 147 residents have hearing or speech impairments and rely on tools like American Sign Language or lip-reading, making them particularly vulnerable when power outages or inaccessible communication systems prevent them from receiving emergency information (Capella University, n.d.).

• Language and Cultural Challenges: The growing Latino population (currently 3%) and the presence of undocumented individuals with limited English proficiency contribute to major communication gaps in crisis situations, restricting their ability to access timely health services and emergency alerts (Capella University, n.d.).

• Economic Instability and Public Safety Cuts: Severe financial difficulties have led to staff reductions in critical public safety roles like police and fire services, weakening Valley City’s overall emergency preparedness and response capacity (Capella University, n.d.).

• Strained Healthcare Infrastructure: Valley City Regional Hospital is operating close to maximum capacity (97 out of 105 beds filled) and relies on outdated medical equipment, with continued financial issues threatening staff levels and the hospital’s ability to handle disaster-related surges (Capella University, n.d.).

Interrelationships Among Determinants and Barriers

• High-Risk Populations Lack Access to Emergency Support: Over 200 elderly individuals with complex health conditions and nearly 150 residents with mobility or communication impairments in Valley City often face difficulties accessing evacuation support and medical care, as many shelters and healthcare facilities are not properly equipped for their needs (Kleinman et al., 2021).

• Language and Immigration Status Create Communication Barriers: The growing undocumented migrant population contributes to language gaps and trust issues, with many individuals having limited English proficiency and avoiding public services out of fear of deportation or discrimination, which leads to reduced access to emergency assistance (Dadson et al., 2024).

• Economic Instability Weakens Emergency Response Systems: Ongoing budget deficits have led to cuts in critical public safety staff, such as firefighters and police officers, reducing the city’s ability to respond effectively during disasters (Dadson et al., 2024).

• Inadequate Shelter and Support for Homeless Populations: The local homeless shelter is over capacity, leaving many unsheltered individuals without reliable transportation, housing, or access to recovery services—all essential for effective disaster response and rebuilding (Dadson et al., 2024).

• Strained Healthcare Infrastructure and Interconnected Challenges: Valley City Regional Hospital is nearly full (97 of 105 beds occupied) and operating with outdated emergency equipment; potential staff cuts would critically impair its capacity during large-scale emergencies. These healthcare limitations, when combined with cultural and economic barriers, magnify social vulnerability (Lee et al., 2022).

Disaster Recovery Plan

Promoting Health Equity Through a Culturally Sensitive Disaster Recovery Plan

• Equity-Focused Disaster Planning Reduces Health Disparities: A disaster recovery plan centered on equity, cultural awareness, and inclusivity can help close health gaps and improve access to services in Valley City, particularly for vulnerable populations (Kleinman et al., 2021).

• Elderly Populations Require Targeted Support: With 22% of residents aged 65 or older and over 200 managing complex medical needs, recovery efforts should prioritize mobile healthcare units, coordinated evacuations, and collaborations with long-term care providers to ensure continuity of care (Kleinman et al., 2021).

• High Social Vulnerability Elevates Risk During Disasters: Valley City aligns with CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) risk indicators, as it has a large elderly population, 147 residents with disabilities, and overstretched homeless shelters, all within the context of severe financial strain (CDC, 2024a).

• Language Access and Cultural Sensitivity Are Essential: To support the growing Latino community and undocumented immigrants, the recovery plan must include multilingual messaging and culturally competent outreach, addressing fears around language barriers and mistrust of government services (CDC, 2024a).

• Low-Income Communities Need Greater Recovery Support: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, low-income and less-educated groups are less prepared to handle and recover from disasters, often experiencing extended hardship without targeted support (Census Bureau, 2023).

• Social Justice and Culturally Informed Care Promote Equity: An effective recovery strategy must deploy culturally informed health professionals and ensure equal resource distribution, helping eliminate disparities tied to age, language, income, and disability in Valley City (Census Bureau, 2023).

Role of Health and Governmental Policy: A CERC Framework Approach

• Government and Healthcare Policies Shape Disaster Recovery Capacity: Valley City’s ability to recover from disasters is heavily influenced by policy frameworks that support timely and inclusive responses, especially given the city’s limited resources and vulnerable populations (ADA, 2021).

• ADA Ensures Accessibility for At-Risk Populations: The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that emergency responses must include accessible communication systems, evacuation routes, and shelter accommodations for people with disabilities—critical for the 147 disabled and over 200 medically fragile seniors in Valley City (ADA, 2021).

• CERC Principles Emphasize Inclusive and Empathetic Communication: The Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework calls for clear, inclusive, and empathetic messaging. This was lacking during the train derailment, which revealed failures in triage and communication, violating ADA standards (Hostetter & Naser, 2022).

• Stafford Act Provides Federal Disaster Relief and Public Health Support: The Robert T. Stafford Act facilitates emergency declarations and provides federal assistance for infrastructure repair, healthcare surge capacity, and essential services—crucial for Valley City’s overburdened hospital and outdated ambulances (FEMA, 2021).

• Data Collection Under Stafford Act Supports Transparent Recovery: The Act requires data tracking on key indicators like disease transmission, housing needs, and vulnerability mapping to ensure transparency and guide effective recovery efforts (FEMA, 2021).

• DRRA Shifts Focus to Prevention and Long-Term Resilience: The 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) enables pre-disaster mitigation investments. For Valley City, this supports upgrades to hospital infrastructure and clean water access, while trace-mapping helps identify service gaps and promote equitable recovery (FEMA, 2021).

Strategies to Overcome Communication Barriers and Interprofessional Collaboration

• CERC Framework Guides Effective Crisis Messaging: Valley City must apply the CERC model to deliver timely, accurate, and compassionate communication, especially given the city’s linguistic diversity and aging infrastructure (CDC, 2024b).

• Communication Must Be Multilingual and Multimodal: Addressing the needs of 147 residents with sensory impairments and undocumented migrants with limited English proficiency requires emergency alerts via audio, text, and visual formats (Lloyd, 2023).

• Cross-Agency Leadership Enhances Disaster Coordination: Designating shared leadership roles and developing standardized emergency protocols across fire, hospital, and law enforcement services strengthen interagency collaboration (Abbas & Miller, 2025).

• Centralized Planning Improves Response Efficiency: Regular interdepartmental meetings and unified resource hubs reduce confusion, prevent task duplication, and improve coordinated disaster responses (Aldao et al., 2021).

• Culturally Competent Outreach Reduces Health Disparities: Culturally trained health navigators and community liaisons ensure timely and equitable care for vulnerable groups like the elderly, disabled, and homeless (Aldao et al., 2021).

References

Abbas, R., & Miller, T. (2025). Exploring communication inefficiencies in disaster response: Perspectives of emergency managers and health professionals. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105393

ADA. (2021). Introduction to the Americans with disabilities act. ADA.gov. https://www.ada.gov/topics/intro-to-ada/

NURS FPX 4055 Assignment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Aldao, C., Blasco, D., Espallargas, M., & Rubio, S. (2021). Modeling the crisis management and impacts of 21st-century disruptive events in tourism: The case of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism Review, 76(4), 929–941. https://doi.org/10.1108/tr-07-2020-0297

Capella University. (n.d.). RN to BSN | online bachelor’s degree | Capella University. Www.capella.edu. https://www.capella.edu/online-nursing-degrees/bachelors-rn-to-bsn-completion/

CDC. (2024a, October 22). Social vulnerability index. Cdc.gov. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/place-health/php/svi/index.html

CDC. (2024b, November). Crisis & emergency risk communication (CERC). Cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/cerc/php/about/index.html

Census Bureau. (2023). QuickFacts: Valley City, North Dakota. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/valleycitycitynorthdakota/PST045223

Dadson, Y. A., Bennett-Gayle, D. M., Ramenzoni, V., & Gilmore, E. A. (2024). Experiences of immigrants during disasters in the US: A systematic literature review. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 27, 134–148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-024-01649-8

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2021, November 18). Stafford act. Www.fema.gov. https://www.fema.gov/disaster/stafford-act

NURS FPX 4055 Assignment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

FEMA. (2021, July 6). Disaster recovery reform act of 2018 | FEMA.gov. Www.fema.gov. https://www.fema.gov/disaster/disaster-recovery-reform-act-2018

Hostetter, H., & Naser, M. Z. (2022). Characterizing disability in fire evacuation: A progressive review. Journal of Building Engineering, 53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104573

Kleinman, D. V., Pronk, N., Gómez, C. A., Gordon, G. L. W., Ochiai, E., Blakey, C., Johnson, A., & Brewer, K. H. (2021). Addressing health equity and social determinants of health through Healthy People

1. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 27(6), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000001297

Lee, S., Dodge, J., & Chen, G. (2022). The cost of social vulnerability: An integrative conceptual framework and model for assessing financial risks in natural disaster management. Natural Hazards, 114, 691–712. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05408-6

Lloyd, G. (2023). Emergency preparedness and response: Examining rural hospitals (RHs) communication systems before, during, and after a natural disaster. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/2672/