Previous Disasters Research Articles

Self-care strategies used by disaster responders after the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria: a mixed methods study

BackgroundDisaster responders are exposed to several physical and mental health risks. This study aimed to describe self-care strategies used by disaster responders after the earthquake in Syria and eastern Turkey in February 2023.MethodsA study specific web-based questionnaire survey was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data according to a convergent mixed methods approach. Data from 252 disaster responders responding to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria were analyzed using both descriptive and analytical statistics and summative content analysis of free-text answers. Data were collected in March to July, 2023.ResultsThe most used self-care strategies included resting, social support from colleagues in the field, extra intake of food or drink, and intake of medicines. The recovery strategies varied due to previous disaster response experience, indicating that supportive self-care strategies can be developed or learned.ConclusionGiven the extreme conditions and limited possibilities of external support, sufficient self-care is an essential competence among disaster responders. Self-care strategies can be both external processed such as intake of medicines, social support from others, and internal processes such as personal reflection. Providing oneself with self-care activities seems to be a skill developed with increasing experience supported by pre-deployment training. Therefore, to enhance resilience, self-care strategies should be encompassed in pre-disaster response training.

The impact of educational and training programs on disaster awareness and preparedness among health sciences students: A quasi-experimental study

Disaster preparedness among health sciences students is critical but often insufficient. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a disaster awareness and impact reduction educational intervention in enhancing disaster preparedness. A quasi-experimental single-group pretest-posttest design was employed, with the intervention consisting of 16 h of education delivered over four weeks via a distance learning platform. The study involved 599 students from the faculties of health sciences, who were assessed at baseline and three months post-intervention. Results indicated that students’ baseline disaster preparedness levels were low, with no significant correlations found between demographic characteristics, previous disaster experiences, or prior disaster preparedness training and baseline preparedness levels. Repeated-measures Analysis of Variance confirmed a significant impact of the intervention after controlling for baseline preparedness levels. Significant improvements were observed post-intervention across all preparedness dimensions: disaster physical protection, disaster planning, disaster assistance, disaster warning systems, and total preparedness levels (p < .001). The most substantial gains were noted among students with initially low preparedness levels. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating disaster preparedness education into health sciences curricula to better equip future healthcare professionals for effective disaster response.

Do typhoon disasters foster climate change concerns? Evidence from public discussions on social media in China

Combating the adverse impacts of extreme climate events through adaptation depends on climate change awareness from both governments and the public. It has long been discussed that historical experiences of climatic hazards might help to foster and raise public concerns about climate change, and consequently contribute to climate actions. However, current studies have reached no consensus on the impacts of the occurrence of extreme climatic hazards on the public's climate change awareness. This study provides a national-level analysis of climate change-related posts accompanying extreme typhoon events in China from 2011 to 2022, based on social media big data and machine learning, to discern the relationship between occurrences of typhoon disasters and climate change concerns on Weibo—in terms of the volume, contents and sentiment expressed in climate change-related posts. Our analysis found that the volume of climate change-related posts generally did not significantly increase during or after typhoon disasters. In terms of contents, though, the proportion of contents about climate change impacts did significantly increase during typhoon events, from 41.74 % to 48.97 %, and these disasters also significantly provoked negative sentiment toward climate change, which increased from 62.47 % to 70.18 %. Contents about climate change impacts and negative sentiment, however, were observed to bounce back to pre-disaster levels within about twelve days after typhoon events. Our study emphasizes the importance of learning from previous climatic disasters, to foster public concerns about climate change and thereby to promote climate actions.

Help-Seeking Behaviors in a Community Experiencing Multiple, Concurrent Natural Disasters. Lessons from a Greater Houston Community

Previous disaster research exploring mental health consequences has been conducted after a single disaster. Community mental health nurses offer critical support in the aftermath of a disaster through complex assessments, psychosocial education and treatment. This research examines help-seeking behaviors in a Greater Houston community struggling with two simultaneous disasters, a historic winter freeze amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Three Mental Health Crisis clinics, staffed by an interdisciplinary team, offered walk-in crisis services. The study characterizes adults who accessed services and describes those who accepted follow-up, subsidized behavioral health therapy or case management, including populations experiencing health disparities. Statistical analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics. Those who recognized the need for behavioral health care and accessed episodic care differed from those who accepted follow-up care. The population that was more likely to accept follow up care largely consisted of females, individuals without a previously existing mental health condition, those who reported trauma exposure, and young adults of Hispanic/Latino origin. Nurses can leverage female support to inspire male adults to seek care and advocate for increased resources and training to support culturally relevant care. Nurses and the interdisciplinary team need to assess for trauma exposure, as it influences care decisions.

AI-enhanced healthcare management during natural disasters: conceptual insights

Natural disasters often lead to significant disruptions in healthcare delivery, exacerbating the already formidable challenges faced by healthcare systems. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) offers a promising approach to mitigate these challenges and enhance healthcare management during and after natural disasters. This conceptual paper aims to propose a framework for the integration of AI into disaster response efforts, with a focus on optimizing resource allocation, improving patient triage, and enhancing overall system resilience. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, this paper identifies the gaps in current disaster management practices and explores the potential of AI to address these shortcomings. By analyzing case studies and examples from previous disasters, the paper highlights the transformative impact that AI technologies such as predictive analytics, machine learning, and robotics can have on healthcare delivery in crisis situations. The objectives of this paper are twofold: to define a strategic approach for incorporating AI into disaster response protocols and to outline the expected outcomes of implementing such a framework. Expected benefits include expedited triage processes, more accurate resource allocation, and improved communication systems, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and enhanced system efficiency. The proposed framework emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between healthcare professionals, technologists, policymakers, and disaster response experts. It also addresses ethical considerations and potential challenges associated with AI implementation in disaster settings. In conclusion, this paper underscores the critical role of AI in bolstering healthcare management capabilities during natural disasters. By leveraging AI technologies, healthcare systems can become more adaptive, responsive, and resilient in the face of unforeseen challenges, ultimately saving lives and minimizing the impact of disasters on communities. Keywords: AI-Enhanced Healthcare Management, Natural Disasters, Conceptual Insights.

Public's social media use during the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on 6 February 2023

Social media facilitates crisis management and emergency response efforts by disseminating disaster information during disasters. Understanding the positive and negative contributions of social media to disaster management after devastating disasters will make social media more effective and efficient for crisis management in the future. The objective of this study was to investigate the public's social media use in the 15-day period after the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, in Türkiye. The study was designed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The data were collected from 1698 people residing in Türkiye via a survey method and analyzed via descriptive, ordinal logistic regression, and thematic analysis. The thoughts of 245 participants regarding social media use were analyzed qualitatively. The results showed that social media was employed as a powerful resource for sharing information after the earthquakes. The participants used Instagram the most and followed the social media accounts of the institutions the most. Posting the physical and psychological damage of earthquakes and humanitarian aid negatively affected the participants and caused them to think that social media was useless. Due to the information shared by social media phenomena and nongovernmental organizations, the participants stated that social media was useful after the earthquakes. For people to share posts that will contribute to search and rescue, aid and damage assessment on reliable and high-follower social media accounts, disaster managers, scientists and policy makers should understand communities' usage intentions, satisfaction and criticism regarding social media accounts and platforms during previous disasters.

Edukasi Mitigasi Bencana Kebakaran di Sekolah Dasar Islam Plus Baitul Maal

Fire is a disaster that can come suddenly, so efforts to handle it need to be prepared. Disaster mitigation, especially fire, needs to be taught to children early to prevent more significant impacts. Community service aims to educate and assist Baitul Maal Plus Islamic Primary School, South Tangerang, in handling fire disasters. The methods used are education and outreach on fire disaster mitigation, Fire simulation, and education on the types of fire handling equipment that can be reached nearby. Community service activities will be carried out in August 2023. The results obtained through the pretest and posttest were that students' understanding of the previous fire disaster was 63%, increasing to 92%. Also, knowing the fire evacuation process in various situations and conditions, which was 34%, increased to 93%. Furthermore, knowing the function of tools that can be used to handle fire disasters, both small and large scale, previously 35%, there was an increase in understanding of 87%. Based on these results, understanding was significantly increased after carrying out community service activities.

Measuring mental health outcomes in Walbridge Fire 2020.

In August 2020, Sonoma County experienced the Walbridge Fire (part of the Lake-Napa Unit Complex Fire). Following the repopulation of evacuated residents, the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management circulated a Resident Experience Survey to learn from stakeholders how the fire impacted their lives, how emergency response to the fire met their needs, and to gather information to improve future disaster response activities. A total of 1,583 English and 55 Spanish surveys were completed. This paper describes a mixed-method research using survey data to understand broader mental health implications of the Walbridge Fire on residents. This study developed a quantitative Global Worry Model to explore which survey factors contributed to poorer mental health outcomes. Quantitative analytics looked at how language, loss, emergency alerts, and family size were measured for significance with a survey reported on a mental health questionnaire. Open-ended survey responses surrounding previous disaster experience, pre-existing health issues, and environmental conditions (smoke and the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic) were contributory to responder's stress and anxiety. Final data analysis concluded that those who faced immediate loss presented with significant self-declared stress and anxiety.

A Review of Oil Spills on Marine Life and Associated Wildlife

Oil is an ancient fossil fuel used to power sectors like heat and electricity production. A wide range of fuels in automobiles and lubricants for mechanical machines have a significant role in our economy. Oil spills occur due to accidents, such as vessels crashing or being damaged, problems with oil platforms and drilling, and people making mistakes or equipment breaking down. Other causes include natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, and volcanic activity underwater. Volcanic eruptions can release oil and gas stored beneath the seafloor. The intense heat and pressure can cause hydrocarbons to escape, forming oil slicks on the water's surface. We provide a summary literature review and overview framework to help communities systematically consider the factors and linkages that would influence the consequences of a potential oil spill. The focus is on spills from oil tanker accidents. Drawing primarily on empirical studies of previous oil spill disasters, we focused on several domains of interest: the oil spill, the physical marine environment, marine biology, human health, and policy

The Impact of Exposure to Previous Disasters on Hospital Disaster Surge Capacity Preparedness in Finland: Hospital disaster surge capacity preparedness.

As disasters are rare and high-impact events, it is important that the learnings from disasters are maximized. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of exposure to a past disaster or mass casualty incident (MCI) on local hospital surge capacity planning. The current hospital preparedness plans of hospitals receiving surgical emergency patients in Finland were collected (n = 28) and analyzed using the World Health Organization (WHO) hospital emergency checklist tool. The surge capacity score was compared between the hospitals that had been exposed to a disaster or MCI with those who had not. The overall median score of all key components on the WHO checklist was 76% (range 24%). The median surge capacity score was 65% (range 39%). There was no statistical difference between the surge capacity score of the hospitals with history of a disaster or MCI compared to those without (65% for both, P = 0.735). Exposure to a past disaster or MCI did not appear to be associated with an increased local hospital disaster surge capacity score. The study suggests that disaster planning should include structured post-action processes for enabling meaningful improvement after an experienced disaster or MCI.

Enhancing landslide risk reduction strategies in Southeast Bangladesh.

By integrating primary and secondary data, this study found that several political-economic aspects are major anthropogenic contributors to the recent increase in landslides in the region. The contributing factors included the following: policy and action plans to raise regional population; land management; illegal deforestation; plans to establish hydroelectricity in hilly areas; ownership of settlements; manipulation of water, gas and electricity supply to illegal settlements; commercial plantations; lack of risk governance; unplanned development activities; natural population rise; increased settlement along hill slopes. This study identified and discussed lessons learned from previous landslide disasters, the weakness of early warning systems and their dissemination and ways to improve evacuation, rescue, relief and risk reduction. Finally, this study formulated recommendations for the effective implementation of landslide risk reduction in southeast Bangladesh.

The Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19: A Protocol for a Comprehensive Assessment of the Short- and Long-Term Health Impact of the Pandemic in the Netherlands.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected public health. Directly, the pandemic resulted in over 6.6 million deaths, numerous hospitalizations, and widespread illness. The pandemic has also affected health indirectly through government-imposed protective measures, causing decline in mental well-being and increasing social isolation. Unlike previous disasters or crises, the pandemic's worldwide and enduring impact necessitates a unique research approach. The Network for Health Research in Disasters in the Netherlands responded by initiating a longitudinal, extensive research project called the Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19. The Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19 explores both the direct and indirect health effects of the pandemic at the population level. The Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19 employs a dual-pronged monitoring strategy alongside an annual literature review. This strategy comprises short-cycle monitoring (conducted quarterly) and long-cycle monitoring (conducted once every one or two years). This comprehensive approach enables the evaluation of health trends during the pandemic, facilitating comparisons with pre-pandemic levels and identification of risk and protective factors. Both monitoring methods incorporate data from surveys and general practice registries. The integration of annual literature reviews with these measurements enables iterative research, while dialogues on policy and practice improvements enhance the knowledge-to-action process. Much of the existing knowledge about the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is derived from research on sudden-onset disasters limited to specific geographical areas. This study is anticipated to provide valuable fresh insights into the evolving dynamics of population health and specific vulnerabilities within the ongoing pandemic context.

Determinants of nurses’ readiness for disaster response: A cross-sectional study

Reducing the impacts of disasters is imperative in these times when disasters continually threaten people's lives. Given that the readiness for disaster response of nurses are essential in mitigating damage, however, studies on the determinants of nurses' readiness for disaster response remain inconclusive and require further research, especially with various populations. This study therefore aimed to investigate factors associated with readiness for disaster response among Taiwanese hospital nurses. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 365 eligible and registered nurses at a medical centre in northern Taiwan. The Readiness for Disaster Responses Scale including four subscales: personal preparedness, self-protection, emergency response, and clinical management were used for assessment. Analyses were performed using multiple linear regression models. Our study results showed that the length of nursing work was positively associated with nurses' readiness for disaster responses (β = 0.28, p < .001). Nurses with a master's degree and working in intensive care units or emergency rooms had higher readiness for disaster responses (β = 0.13, p = .032; β = 0.14, p = .024) than those with a bachelor's degree and working in other units/specialties (i.e., outpatient department, operating rooms, etc.). Furthermore, nurses with previous disaster training were associated with greater readiness for disaster responses (β = 0.24, p < .001). This study findings indicate that the identified determinants of hospital nurses' readiness for disaster responses can be taken into consideration in the future recruiting of nurses for deployment to disaster response assistance and the designing of disaster training programmes specifically for nurses.

Designing, analyzing, and experimentally verifying a uniaxial shear box for investigating the length effect of buried pipelines during soil liquefaction

During an earthquake, buried pipelines can be threatened by various factors such as fault movement, ground motion, and soil liquefaction. Among these, fault movement and ground displacement have been identified as the most direct causes of pipeline fracture and rupture, as evidenced by previous earthquake disasters. While numerous studies have focused on the failure modes and mechanisms of pipelines crossing faults, little attention has been given to the dynamic uplift behavior of buried pipelines during soil liquefaction. To address such an issue, this study designed a uniaxial shear box to investigate the dynamic characteristics of buried pipelines during soil liquefaction. The box dimensions are 3600 mm × 1000 mm × 1100 mm and can embed a pipeline specimen of 3000 mm in length for testing. The seismic input motion direction is designed to be consistent with the axial direction of the pipeline to avoid lateral input motion influence. This study used DEEPSOIL analysis software to investigate whether the response of a uniaxial shear box under conditions of dry sand and saturated sand is consistent with theoretical analysis results. In addition, a preliminary test was conducted to ensure compliance with the requirements of subsequent pipeline tests, specifically on the uplift behavior of buried pipelines. The results showed that the soil dynamic responses under both dry sand and saturated sand conditions were consistent with the DEEPSOIL analysis software results. Furthermore, the pipeline test results verified that the input motion did not generate additional forces on the buried pipeline, but did indeed trigger soil liquefaction and cause the pipeline to uplift. These findings demonstrate that the uniaxial shear box designed in this study meets the design requirements and can be used to investigate the dynamic response of buried pipelines subjected to soil liquefaction under the influence of length effects in future studies.

Demographic predictors of disaster preparedness behaviour: Sylhet and Sunamganj, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Bangladesh is a country prone to natural disasters, and disaster preparedness behavior (DPB) is an important factor in reducing the damage caused by these disasters. However, DPB has been neglected at the national level. This study aimed to investigate disaster preparedness behavior (DPB) among households in two districts in Bangladesh, Sylhet and Sunamganj. The researchers collected data through face-to-face interviews with 536 households and used the Public Readiness Index to measure DPB scores. The study found a surprisingly low level of preparedness among households, with an average DPB score of 2.42 out of 8. Individual and household characteristics, including sex, marital status, income level, previous disaster experiences, losing someone due to disaster, having a differently-abled member, house ownership, and house material, were identified as the prime predictors of DPB scores. However, these factors only explained 25.1% of the variance, suggesting that other predictors may also exist. The study recommends that policymakers prioritise the most disaster-vulnerable groups and develop policies that support these households and their members. This could include education and awareness campaigns, material support to households, and community-based approaches to disaster preparedness. However, the study has some limitations, including its limited generalizability and reliance on self-reported data. Further research is needed to identify other associated factors, such as disaster risk, intensity, vulnerability, and awareness, to gain a better understanding of DPB in Bangladesh.

TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF POST-DISASTER HEALTH SERVICES INTERVENTIONS: THE 2023 KAHRAMANMARAŞ EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY

Purpose – In order to meet the most urgent needs of the regions affected by the biggest earthquake of the century, government, national and international actors have made enormous efforts. However, some international studies evaluating the effectiveness of previous disaster relief efforts have expressed that inefficient use of resources in the disaster relief process should be a matter of concern. The main purpose of this study is to obtain evidence to support post-earthquake healthcare interventions and to establish a reference on earthquake relief.&#x0D; Design/methodology/approach – The data of the study covers the period from 6 February to 16 February 2023 and was obtained from the official daily reports of the Health Disaster and Coordination Centre Unit (SAKOM) of the Ministry of Health. The data consisted of allocations of rescue units, human resources, workload and other information recorded in official daily reports. In addition, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method was used to evaluate the technical efficiency of health services provided in 10 provinces affected by the earthquake in the first emergency period of the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquake&#x0D; Findings – The technical efficiency scores of the health services provided in the earthquake-affected provinces are analysed, it is seen that while the average technical efficiency was 52% (SD: 0.30) on the 5th day of the earthquake, it increased significantly to 80% (SD: 0.21) on the 10th day. This result shows that health services in earthquake zones have started to be provided more efficiently over time. The rapid normalisation of health services in earthquake zones is an important indicator for the performance of disaster management and crisis response teams.&#x0D; Originality/value – Despite the extensive research on earthquake response and health services individually, there's a noticeable gap in literature explicitly exploring the relationship between the two. This lacuna in research is particularly evident when it comes to examining the efficiency of health services during seismic disasters.

Subawe, traditional knowledge, and faith-based organisations promoting social capital and disaster preparedness: A Lombok, Indonesia case study

This article explores the relationship between a system of traditional and indigenous knowledge called subawe, social capital, and disaster risk reduction. The Sasak tribe in Lombok has an intricate ontological system of jinn, spirits, and deities that are part of their social capital and network. Through different channels some of the Sasak feel, dream, and experience spiritual nodes of energy, this sensation is called subawe. They receive these through dreams, songs, verses, possessions, and sensory experiences. Furthermore, during and after the earthquakes members of society received messages that Dewi Anjani, the spirit queen of Lombok created the earthquakes as punishment for desecrating her home, Mt. Rinjani. The largest faith-based organisation in Lombok, Nahdlatul Wathan embraces localised forms of Islam and types of traditional knowledge and stories. Through their widespread network on the island, they conveyed the stories and verses of old about subawe, previous disasters, and the messages brought through a belief system based on other dimensional planes (alam ghaib). As a result, heightened social capital was observed throughout the island in terms of aid, relief, and trauma healing. Data is gathered through interviews, participant observation, group sessions, document analysis, and oral histories. I argue that incorporating traditional knowledge in localised forms of disaster risk reduction will improve social capital and lessen the traumatic experiences of the victims. This article is written based on ethnographic and anthropological research in Lombok Indonesia during and after the August 2018 earthquakes and a second and third entry in 2019 and 2022.

Hospital disaster preparedness in the Netherlands

IntroductionDespite having a good health care system, recent studies show that the Netherlands scores low on hospital disaster preparedness. A possible reason could be that there is a Dutch framework based on self-evaluation and intercollegiate evaluation but no formal set of requirements for hospital disaster preparedness plans. Study ObjectiveEvaluation of disaster preparedness of hospitals in the Netherlands by using the WHO Hospital Emergency Response Checklist to systematically assess the quality, strengths, and weaknesses of Dutch hospital disaster preparedness plans. MethodsHospital crisis coordinators sent their most recent disaster hospital plan and crisis plan. Two researchers independently studied and scored the content of the received plans according to the WHO Checklist. Overall scores per hospital and key components were calculated based on the number of points assigned to each priority action. ResultsTwenty hospitals (29% of all Dutch hospitals) participated in the study and scored between 33 and 97 out of 184 points. Twelve hospitals scored ‘insufficient’, eight scored ‘unacceptable’ according to WHO cutoff points. No hospital scored ‘effective’. The key components command and control, triage, and communication scored highest. Logistics and supply management, human resources, and continuity of essential services scored low. An unexpected finding was a large variety in configuration of the studied plans. ConclusionNone of the participating hospitals reached an effective preparedness score. Issues that received attention in response to previous disasters scored well on the WHO Checklist. Components that were not addressed in the Dutch evaluation framework for crisis management scored low.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and previous natural disasters on the mental health of healthcare workers in Puerto Rico.

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic worries (e.g., fear of contagion) and previous exposure to natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes) on Healthcare Workers (HCWs) mental health in Puerto Rico. Participants completed a self-administered online survey including items on sociodemographic information, working conditions, fears, and worries about the COVID-19 pandemic, past natural disaster experiences, depressive symptoms, and resilience. Logistic regressions models were performed to explain the relationship between depressive symptomatology and COVID-19 experiences and worries. 40.9% (n = 107) of the sample were classified as having some level (mild to severe) of depressive symptomatology (PHQ-8 ≥5). Results reflect normal to high levels of psychological resilience (BRS; M = 3.7, SD = 0.7). A significant association was found between depressive symptomatology and psychological resilience (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.25-0.77). The odds of having depressive symptomatology were almost five times higher (OR = 4.79, 95% CI: 1.71-13.44) among those who reported emotional coping difficulties during the pandemic after experiencing a natural disaster compared to those that did not, when adjusting for psychological resilience and residence region. Despite normal to high psychological resilience levels, HCWs who reported emotional coping difficulties due to previous disasters were at risk of developing depressive symptomatology. Results suggest interventions to address the mental health of HCWs could benefit from considering other individual and environmental factors beyond resilience. Findings could inform future interventions to promote HCWs' well-being before, during, and after a natural disaster or pandemic outbreak.

The Impact of Previous Disasters on Hospital Disaster Surge Capacity Preparedness in Finland

Introduction:In a disaster, the number of victims and severity of injuries may overwhelm the treatment capacity of the local hospital. Surge capacity is the hospital’s ability to receive and treat an increased number of patients. This study aimed to explore if a past disaster or mass casualty incident (MCI) affects local hospital surge capacity preparedness.Method:The current hospital preparedness plans (HPPs) of University and central hospitals receiving surgical emergency patients in Finland were collected (n=28). The HPPs were read and analyzed using the World Health Organization (WHO) hospital emergency checklist tool with eight key components and 67 action items. The scores of key components were compared by percentage of the maximum score. The surge capacity score was compared between the hospitals that had been exposed to a disaster or MCI with those who had not. The effective level was considered as 70% of total points.Results:The overall median score of all key components was 76% (range 24%). The highest score was in command and control (median 93%, range 29%) and the lowest in post-disaster preparedness (median 50%, range 90%). The median surge capacity score was 65% (range 39%). There has been 12 disasters or MCIs during the past 25 years in Finland, all anthropogenic. There was no statistical difference between the surge capacity score of the hospitals with a history of a disaster or MCI compared to those without (65% for both, p=0.735).Conclusion:In Finland, the overall hospital preparedness level is effective with command and control being the best covered area. Surge capacity preparedness was below the effective level and it was not affected by a past disaster or MCI. Present-day challenges with the lack of resources in the health care system, more attention should be drawn to the surge capacity aspect in hospital preparedness plans.