Early earthquake warning for hospital preparedness: Safeguarding vulnerable populations in Mexico city

Abstract

While some literature exists on the necessity of Early Earthquake Warning (EEW) for the general population, establishing its usefulness in high-risk environments like working with hazardous materials, machines, and in operating rooms, little is known about the relevance of this tool in safeguarding vulnerable people. Existing studies on the Mexican population's reactions to EEW have shown that people are likely not to differentiate their protective actions in response to an EEW or ground motion without an EEW. However, it is not possible to ascertain the same for specific population segments, such as healthcare professionals with responsibilities for individuals with physical vulnerabilities (i.e., hearing, mobility, vision, among others). This study explores the use of protocols in relation to EEW in Mexico City's hospitals, comparing them to the baseline results from three hospitals in the US, with the purpose to better understand the pertinence of the warning. In-depth interviews were conducted with hospitals' civil protection officials, staff, and representatives responsible for EEW provision and maintenance. Our findings indicate that the capacity (financial and human) to train and continuously perform drills is a limiting factor for protocol adoption, as well as the lack of clarity on where within the hospital the EEW should be located, how it should emit the warning, and who should do what in response. The challenges identified by the interviewees in Mexico and the US are very similar, while the practical employment of the EEW differs vastly.