A Web-Based Interactive Map to Promote Health-Care Facility Flood Preparedness

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Public Health Preparedness
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Background:

• Limited understanding exists regarding how emergency preparedness professionals and healthcare facility (HCF) administrators assess flood risk for HCFs.
• Assessing the spatial relationship between HCFs and floodplains is crucial for effective emergency planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the knowledge of emergency preparedness and HCF management professionals concerning HCF locations within floodplains.
• To assess the utility of a web-based interactive map for identifying HCFs in floodplains and aiding preparedness efforts.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to HCF administrators and public health emergency preparedness professionals in Illinois.
• Participants completed the survey before and after interacting with a web-based interactive map displaying HCFs and floodplains.

Main Results:

• Forty HCFs in Illinois were identified within floodplains, including 12 long-term care facilities.
• Baseline assessment revealed limited knowledge among preparedness professionals about HCFs in floodplains and scarce GIS resources.
• Respondents indicated the interactive map would be valuable for planning and communication.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a need for improved data sources and tools to accurately map HCFs in relation to floodplains.
• Interactive mapping tools show promise for enhancing flood risk assessment and preparedness for healthcare facilities.
• Similar GIS-based approaches could be beneficial for disaster preparedness in other geographical areas.