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Case Study: “The Cascadia Quake—A Public Health Preparedness Challenge”
Ch. 3: Preparedness & Public Health Response
Scenario
A magnitude 8.9 earthquake hits the Pacific Northwest, causing major structural damage across Washington and Oregon. Bridges collapse, water treatment systems fail, multiple hospitals lose power, and two counties report chemical leaks from damaged industrial sites. Public health agencies must coordinate with emergency management, healthcare coalitions, and community partners to contain secondary health threats.
Within 72 hours the following issues emerge:
1,250 displaced residents living in temporary shelters Severe drinking water contamination in two counties Emergency departments operating on backup power Increase in gastrointestinal illness among shelter residents Medication access disruptions for people with chronic diseases Reports of poor coordination between public health, EMS, and hospitals Confusion in communication: inconsistent emergency messages reaching the public Your regional health department director has asked you—an operations and population health specialist—to provide an assessment and short-term plan.
Student Tasks (3–4 pages)
Identify the key public health functions that should activate immediately (assessment, policy development, assurance). Map the preparedness gaps using the capabilities from Chapter 3 (surveillance, communication, incident command, environmental health response, etc.). Describe the populations most at risk and the social determinants affecting recovery. Develop a prioritized 72-hour public health action plan, including: Disease surveillance Risk communication strategy Emergency shelter health operations Coordination with healthcare systems Identify short-term and long-term preventive measures to reduce morbidity and restore essential services.
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