Geriatric Mental Health Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

394 Appendix II Glossary of Terms Commonly Used in Geriatric Mental Health
Guard, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Public Health Service
[e.g.. Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry (ATSDR)].
*Emergency Medical Services (EMS) System. The coordination of the
prehospital system [e.g., public access, dispatch, EMTs/and medics,
ambulance services] and the in-hospital system [e.g., emergency departments,
hospitals, and other defi nitive care facilities and personnel]
to provide emergency medical care.
*Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics (EMT-Ps).
Trained emergency medical responders, paramedics and EMTs, are
trained to diagnose and treat the most common medical emergencies
in the fi eld and to provide medical treatment while en route to
the hospital. Paramedics are more highly trained than EMTs.
*Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The location where department
heads, government offi cials, and volunteer agencies coordinate the
response to an emergency.
*Emergency Response Team. A team of federal personnel and support
staff that is deployed by FEMA during a major disaster or emergency;
the duty of the team is to assist the Federal Coordinating
Offi cer (FCO) in carrying out his or her responsibilities under the
Stafford Act; team members consist of representatives from each federal
department or agency that has been assigned primary responsibility
for an emergency support function as well as key members of
the FCO’s staff.
*Epidemic. The occurrence of any known or suspected contagion that
occurs in clear excess of normal expectancy. [A threatened epidemic
occurs when the circumstances are such that a disease may reasonably
be anticipated to occur in excess of normal expectancy.]
Episodic Memory. Memory of one’s own experiences that is unique
and localizable in time and space.
*Evacuation. An organized removal of civilians from a dangerous or
potentially dangerous area.
Executive Functions. Goal formulation, planning, and execution of
plans.
*Exposure Surveillance . To look for risk exposure in a disaster setting.
Exposure may be based on the physical or environmental properties