National Index: Iowa more ready than most for disasters

How prepared is Iowa when it comes to dealing with a natural disaster or public health scare?

According to a study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, it's more prepared than most.

The National Health Security Preparedness Index tracks the nation's progress in preparing for, responding to and recovering from disasters and other large-scale emergencies.

The index combines measures from more than 130 individual capabilities to determine the preparedness of health security surveillance; community planning and engagement; information and incident management; health care delivery; countermeasure management; and environmental and occupational health.

'Iowa has made substantial gains over time,” said Glen Mays, author of the report who also leads the National Health Security Preparedness Index Program Management Office at the University of Kentucky. 'Its health security surveillance has improved 14 percent since 2013.”

Overall, the state scored 6.8 out of 10 for overall preparedness. The national average was 6.7.

Iowa scored above the national average in four of the six measured categories, met the national average in one category and fell below the national average in the final.

Iowa has followed national trends, Mays said.

The United States has consistently improved its ability to prepare for and respond to disasters and other large-scale health emergencies during the past three years.

'I can't tell with certainty what's driving the improvement,” he said. 'But we have seen an improvement on the national level as well as Iowa as a whole.

'Practice and experience do have a large role to play, and there have been a number of events that helped us focus on preparedness going back to Hurricane Sandy, Ebola, influenza outbreaks and Zika.”

The country, as a whole, lost ground in environmental monitoring - measuring the safety of the food and water system - Mays said, pointing to Flint, Mich. as an extreme example. However, this is an area where Iowa scores well above the national average - 8.1 compared with 6.4.

But one area the state could improve upon, May said, is community planning.

'Preparedness is a complex endeavor,” Mays said. 'A lot of organizations need to play a role. ...

Community planning means engaging the schools, child care, not-for-profits - do they have enough registered volunteers? It's really looking at your social and organizational capital.”

Preparedness levels trended upward for all but four states between 2013 and 2015, according to the study. Mays said he hopes states and communities use the study to look at their strengths and gaps as well as to start conversations.

'Look for opportunities for improvement,” he said. 'Who can you get around a table? No one agency is responsible. Hospitals, the local and state health departments, the local chapter of the Red Cross all need to be part of this. Where do we need to improve?”