Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA)

Threat and Hazards Assessment Table: Nationwide Children's Hospital (Ohio) – Preparedness and Response for Tornado.
Natural

Technological

Human-caused

Resulting from acts of nature

Involves accidents or the failures of systems and structures

Caused by the intentional actions of an adversary

According to Federal Emergency Management (2019), communities should consider two assessment criteria when establishing threats and hazards: (a) the degree to which the hazard will likely affect the community or organization and (b) the potential impact of the hazard-induced challenges based on the organization's response capability. Whereas the United States (U.S.) meteorologists and atmospheric scientists have researched intensely about tornadoes, a significant share of the evidence focuses on specific regions, including Dixie Alley and Tornado Alley. There is the potential for a tornado in Ohio with a considerable potential to pose significant hazards (Reynolds, 2020). There is a high probability that a tornado will happen in Ohio, thus impacting the hospital's operations.
There is a high vulnerability to hospital infrastructure and building damage. All tornadoes lead to damage, but violent ones can lead to rip buildings to shreds, cause vehicles to be airborne, and turn broken glass, as well as other debris, into harmful missiles (National Weather Service, n.d).
People in the hospital will face an extremely high risk of being hit by falling and flying objects and hazards from extremely high winds.
There is a high risk due to possible loss of life and deteriorated healthy and safety of hospital stakeholders and patients. According to Wurman et al. (2021), Tornadoes potentiate direct harm to infrastructure, people, and communities. Therefore, the natural disaster will likely affect the hospital's operations, undermine healthcare accessibility, and lead to possible loss of life (Seeger et al., 2021).

* Secondary hazard effects will likely manifest within the healthcare facility following a Tornado.
* Damaged oxygen and other gas cylinders could explode, causing harm to patients. There is also the potential for hemorrhaging and eardrum rupture.
* Damaged high-pressure tanks and toxic chemicals such as oxygen and other gases could lead to chemical hazards and fire outbreaks.
* Sewer lines could also rupture. This could contaminate the water pipes, thus creating a high probability of a biological calamity. There could be spread of E Coli, cholera, and other hospita...