Are you prepared? - Health risk

Sei preparato Rischio sanitario

Knowing all about a phenomenon is the first step towards learning how to deal with it correctly and to defend oneself against possible danger. For this reason the Department is engaged in campaigns to create awareness and to communicate a few simple rules on how to prevent or reduce damages subsequent to a phenomenon.

In this section we have given the guidelines on how act in the event of heatwaves and epidemics, in addition to the specific “what to do” for each risk. Said regulations on how to act also include instructions on how to lend assistance to disabled persons in emergencies, with specific methods for the various disability typologies.

Influenza is an acute respiratory disease due to infection with influenza viruses, which occurs mainly in the winter period.

An influenza pandemic is defined as the spread of a new influenza  virus among people around the world.

What to do to prevent

Vaccination, especially for people at risk is the best way to prevent and fight influenza because it significantly reduces the chances of contracting the disease and in case symptoms of influenza develop, they are less acute and the risk of complications is reduced.

What to do in case of influenza  or pandemic influenza 

  • Consult your general doctor or the prevention department of your local health authority. To get reliable and up-to-date information about vaccination and the disease
  • Find out if you belong to risk categories for which vaccination is recommended: some people are more vulnerable than others to the virus
  • Use the vaccination only after having consulted your doctor or your local health authority. Vaccination protects you from the virus, but for some people it may not be recommended.
  • Consult the websites and follow the official announcements of the institutions. To be properly updated on the situation
  • Follow the instructions of the health authorities carefully, because in case of a pandemic special measures may be necessary for your safety
  • If you present symptoms seek medical attention immediately. Prompt diagnosis helps your recovery and reduces the risk of infection to others
  • Practice good hygiene for yourself and your home to reduce the risk of infection
  • If you have a sick person in your home, avoid sharing personal items to avoid transmission

Assistance to people with disabilities in emergency situations requires some special precautions. 

These recommendations are of interest and concern everyone, even if there are no disabled people living in our house: during an emergency, it may happen that you have to rescue not only your family, but also friends, colleagues, acquaintances, neighbors, schoolmates, people in need of help that you might meet by chance. It is good that everyone has at a minimum knowledge of the fundamentals of how to help people with disabilities.

If a person with a disability lives with you and your family

  • Check the emergency plans - municipal, school, workplace - paying attention to what may be crucial to the rescue of people with disabilities in order to avoid any doubts or uncertainty.
  • Find out the main architectural barriers in your area - stairs, steps, bottlenecks, perception barriers - they are all obstacles for a possible evacuation.
  • Help the person with a disability to collaborate as much as possible to boost his confidence in overcoming the situation and avoid wasting time and unnecessary actions.
  • Install alarm signals - acoustic, optical, mechanical, tactile, etc. - that can be understood by the person with a disability.
  • Identify at least one accessible escape route to a safe place, so as to be prepared for an emergency.

During the emergency

  • Help the person with a disability to collaborate as much as possible to boost his confidence in overcoming the situation and avoid wasting time and unnecessary actions.
  • Install alarm signals - acoustic, optical, mechanical, tactile, etc. - that can be understood by the person with a disability.
  • Identify at least one accessible escape route to a safe place, so as to be prepared for an emergency.

Assistance to people with disabilities in emergency situations requires some special precautions. 

These recommendations are of interest and concern everyone, even if there are no disabled people living in our house: during an emergency, it may happen that you have to rescue not only your family, but also friends, colleagues, acquaintances, neighbors, schoolmates, people in need of help that you might meet by chance. It is good that everyone has at a minimum knowledge of the fundamentals of how to help people with disabilities.

People with cognitive disabilities

Remember that people with cognitive disabilities

  • may have difficulty carrying out complex instructions over a short sequence of simple actions;
  • in dangerous situations they may not be very cooperative with the rescuer.

Therefore:

  • Make sure the person has understood the dangerous situation.
  • Assist the person in case of problems with poor directional sense
  • Give instructions using simple step-by-step instructions
  • Use simple signs or symbols that are easy to understand
  • Try to understand possible reactions
  • In case of aggressive behavior, give priority to protecting the physical safety of the person. Use coercive intervention if this is the only possible solution.

Assistance to people with disabilities in emergency situations requires some special precautions. 

These recommendations are of interest and concern everyone, even if there are no disabled people living in our house: during an emergency, it may happen that you have to rescue not only your family, but also friends, colleagues, acquaintances, neighbors, schoolmates, people in need of help that you might meet by chance. It is good that everyone has at a minimum knowledge of the fundamentals of how to help people with disabilities.

People with physical disabilities

If the person can move independently using a wheelchair, make sure that the path is free from any architectural barriers.

If there are obstacles, such as stairs or steps, help them to overcome them in this way: stand behind the wheelchair, hold the handles of the chair inclining it backwards about 45° and face the obstacle, keeping the inclined position until you reach a safe and flat place.

Remember to approach the obstacle always going backwards.

If you have to carry a person unable to cooperate, do not put traction on his/her joint structures because you may cause damage, but use the scapular girdle - shoulder joint complex - or the pelvic girdle - pelvis and hip joint complex - as gripping points.

Assistance to people with disabilities in emergency situations requires some special precautions. 

These recommendations are of interest and concern everyone, even if there are no disabled people living in our house: during an emergency, it may happen that you have to rescue not only your family, but also friends, colleagues, acquaintances, neighbors, schoolmates, people in need of help that you might meet by chance. It is good that everyone has at a minimum knowledge of the fundamentals of how to help people with disabilities.

People with hearing disabilities

  • Facilitate lip reading, avoid misunderstandings and facilitate rescue:
  • When speaking, keep your head still and place your face at eye level with the other person.
  • Speak clearly, if possible with correct pronunciation, using short sentences with a normal tone
  • Write in block letters names and words that you cannot communicate
  • Keep a distance of less than one and a half meters
  • People with hearing aids also have difficulty fully understanding speech, so follow the same precautions.

People with visual disabilities

  • Announce your presence and speak in a distinct voice
  • Explain the actual dangerous situation
  • Avoid alternating with a third person in the conversation
  • Describe in advance the actions to follow
  • Guide the person along the path as you consider appropriate, leaning on your shoulder and slighty behind
  • Announce the presence of obstacles such as stairs, doors, or other barriers
  • If you accompany several people with the same difficulties, help them holding hands
  • Don't leave the person once you reach a safe place, but ensure they are with someone else 

If a blind person with a guide dog is present

  • Do not pet or offer food to the dog without the owner's permission
  • If the dog is wearing the "guide" (harness) it means that it is intervening: if you do not want the dog to drive its owner, ask to remove the guide.
  • Make sure that the dog is safe with the owner.
  • If you have to take care of the dog upon the owner's request, hold it by the leash and never by the "guide".