NURS FPX 6020 Assessment 1 Risk Assessment
The significance of risk assessment was highlighted in April 2024 when two tornadoes hit the Kankakee County, Illinois, area at precisely the same time, causing significant damage and leaving inhabitants without electricity for a week. It started as a strong downpour, developed into several funnel clouds, and produced two tornadoes in different locations throughout the county. Numerous tree limbs and power wires were brought down by these storms, leaving several areas without electricity for five to seven days. Through a thorough assessment and decision-making process, the needs of the community had to be completely determined in order to permit the cleanup and lower the risk to the health and welfare of the populace. Among the hazards that initially impacted the neighborhood were injuries from exposed or damaged building materials, carbon monoxide poisoning from generators, and fallen power lines (National Weather Service, n.d.). In NURS FPX 6020 Assessment 1, the community must be evaluated for other threats beyond these physical dangers, such as infectious disease, rapid resource depletion, and a decline in safety and security.
Apply Decision-Making Approach
Although the Midwest isn’t known for large earthquakes or powerful hurricanes that lash the coast, it does have tornadoes. In 2024, there were 1,796 confirmed tornadoes in the United States, setting a new record for the number of tornadoes in the state of Illinois, which saw 142 tornadoes. In 2006, 125 tornadoes hit Illinois, setting a previous record (National Weather Service, n.d.). 107,502 people are living in Kankakee County, according to the 2020 US census (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). About 19,546 persons in Kankakee County are 65 years of age or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). When the two tornadoes hit, many people lost power due to broken power lines
and tree limbs. According to NURS FPX 6020 Assessment 1, this led to senior citizens in Kankakee County being worried about the loss of electricity, especially those who needed it for health-related reasons. For several days, thousands of residents, both elderly and non-elderly, were without electricity. Food supplies spoiled as a result, and individuals with medical needs had to find alternate sources, highlighting the importance of risk assessment and efficient planning. A person’s health is at risk when they are unable to obtain essentials, including food, shelter, water, and medication. Dehydration from a lack of access to clean drinking water, overheating from inadequate shelter and/or air conditioning, and deteriorating health concerns as a result of the inability to get and properly store prescriptions are some of the recent issues that have emerged in the SID.
An effective model for comprehending how individuals, groups, and communities adapt to high-stakes, quickly changing events like tornadoes is the Adaptive Decision-Making Model. The model reflects the decision-making process used by emergency management staff and local communities to assess hazards, adjust to changing circumstances, and promptly prevent tornadoes in Kankakee County (Costa et al., 2023). Behavioral research and emergency management theory serve as the foundation for the adaptive decision-making model. As stated in NURS FPX 6020 Assessment 1, the idea of making decisions quickly in emergency situations is emphasized, and several essential components of this process are demonstrated. Situational awareness, risk perception, health risk assessment, choice evaluation, information search, implementation action, and revision are just a few of the definitional components that make up the Adaptive Decision-Making Model. The community needs to understand the gravity of the situation and the risks involved. In this instance, it would be to understand the tornado’s severity and the dangers it presents to the neighborhood. After the situation is known, the community
must recognize the tornado threat by comprehending the warnings and searching for environmental cues that indicate the tornado’s intensity. Maintaining current, accurate information about tornadoes and the threats they bring to Kankakee County is a crucial component of being ready for any event. Depending on the existing circumstances created by the tornado, the community must take one of several alternative approaches while dealing with the damage it caused. One of the most crucial things you can do while a tornado is approaching is to act. For others, deciding whether an evacuation is required or if a shelter-in-place arrangement is more suitable requires the use of risk assessment tools. As stated in NURS FPX 6020 Assessment 1, the community’s final stage is to gather input and make any necessary adjustments in light of newly acquired knowledge or evolving circumstances.
Flexible, knowledgeable, and context-aware adaptation is highlighted in the Adaptive Decision-Making Model as a crucial element of Kankakee County’s tornado risk management strategy. According to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Office of Homeland Security (2023), it supports the notion that merely having a plan is insufficient for disaster management; the community must also be able to modify it in real time as new information becomes available. Even more crucial are adaptable strategies to protect areas like Kankakee County, where climate change may result in more frequent or severe occurrences.
The growing frequency of tornadoes raises concerns about potential environmental health impacts, underscoring the significance of risk assessment. Air pollution is an important concern due to tornadoes’ strong winds, especially for people who already have respiratory disorders. The particulate matter created by natural and construction waste is one of the primary problems. Likewise, inhaling gases or particles might result in lung penetration or respiratory tract inflammation, which is concerning and emphasizes the necessity of risk assessment (Ayta,
Apply Personalized Information
In Kankakee County, approximately one-fourth of the population is over 60. Knowing that 94.9% of persons 60 and over in the US have at least one health problem to manage is crucial when considering this age group (Top 10 chronic illnesses impacting older adults). 7.4% of Kankakee County’s population is thought to have functional limitations in performing daily living tasks, which makes it difficult for them to live independently (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). Additionally, 11.5% of Kankakee County’s population lives below the poverty line (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). For this group, access to affordable treatment and health interventions for disease prevention and management is essential.
Due to its inclusion in the Midwest, this region is susceptible to various environmental risks, most notably tornadoes. Therefore, addressing these concerns with some of the most susceptible county residents is crucial. Because they are exposed to more air particles and stagnant water due to the storm damage, these residents are more likely to experience health issues. NURS FPX 6020 Assessment 1 emphasizes that because chronic disease is so common in Kankakee County among people over 60, standing water, infections, and/or air pollutants can exacerbate symptoms.
According to a Kankakee County research, older and low-income residents were more likely to experience poor health due to poor air quality and limited access to medical treatment. These groups are more susceptible to respiratory conditions and chronic illnesses. However, more thorough data on healthcare consumption and neighborhood exposures would be required for a more accurate health risk assessment to address any biases and omissions in the risk estimates that are now available.
Integrate Epidemiological and System-Level Aggregate Data
Kankakee County has a public health profile that combines the unique combination of natural disasters, tornadoes, and chronic disease trends. According to epidemiology, chronic disease costs are high in the county. For instance, adult obesity prevalence is more than twice the national rate at 36%, while diabetes prevalence is nearly twice the national rate at 11% (Kankakee County Health Department, 2020). 20% of people say they never engage in leisure-time physical exercise, tobacco smoking is a chronic issue, and lifestyle risk factors exacerbate these health effects (Kankakee County Health Department, 2020).
Kankakee County’s health care system faces numerous systemic problems. In our area, the ratio of primary care physicians to residents is about 1,500 to 1, which is significantly higher than the national norm of 1,000 to 1. This ratio is the most immediate indicator of strain. Furthermore, in order to receive emergency and preventative care, almost 12% of the population does not have health insurance (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). All of these structural obstacles postpone avoidable ER visits and chronic illness treatment. The region’s health care outcomes are complicated by environmental exposures. Since Kankakee County experiences multiple tornadoes every ten years, it is regarded as a high-risk tornado area.
Tornadoes disproportionately damage vulnerable populations, including the elderly, the poor, and the disabled, as they disrupt access to drugs, demolish medical facilities, and induce
physical and psychological stress. For instance, a storm-related displacement may make it more difficult for patients to get follow-up medical care or to get prescription medication refills, which could exacerbate long-term illnesses like diabetes or chronic respiratory disorders. These system-level limitations and epidemiologic trends make it abundantly evident that public health planning must be a part of comprehensive disaster preparedness. To enhance population health outcomes in Kankakee County, it is necessary to manage chronic illness, make the health care system more resilient, and target vulnerable populations during and after tornadoes.
Need for Communicating Effectively with the Community
During challenging times, it is critical to keep the public informed about the seriousness of any potential health risks while also communicating with community members in a constructive and supportive way. Public education on safety measures, such as avoiding standing water, damaged structures, fallen trees and power lines, and power outages, is part of this. In order to be ready for severe weather and potential storm-related threats, it is crucial to have supplies on hand in advance. A safe place to shelter during a storm, functioning generators, radios, and flashlights that run on batteries, bottled water, and a means of taking prescriptions are all examples of this. Furthermore, meeting demands can mean the difference between life and death, even though it is impossible to prepare for every possible threat (Gustin, 2020).
In actuality, social media has emerged as a crucial tool for communication to reach a large audience. Kankakee County residents can join a variety of Facebook groups. Members are encouraged to use this group to inform other members of any issues that are occurring in Kankakee County. In the aftermath of the tornadoes, this was particularly useful since it allowed people to ask for assistance with debris clearance, locate additional community resources, receive outage updates, and reach out to help others. This helped the elderly population that
would not have been able to get help otherwise, since they did not know where to look for support. It also helped locals warn others about neighborhood dangers like closed roads or downed power lines, proving the usefulness of risk assessment tools.
Conclusion
In 2024, Kankakee County saw tornadoes that created significant health and safety problems, particularly for the elderly, the impoverished, and people with chronic illnesses. Lack of access to medical care and environmental issues like air pollution and power outages made these vulnerabilities worse. A more resilient and healthy community can be achieved through disaster planning, improved communication, and vulnerable populations, as noted in NURS FPX 6020 Assessment 1.
References
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Gustin, J. (2020). Tornado preparedness. Professional Safety, 65(2), 51–52.https://library.capella.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/tornado preparedness/docview/2354857759/se-2
Illinois emergency management agency & office of homeland security. (2023). Illinois natural hazard mitigation plan. https://iemaohs.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/iemaohs/recovery/documents/plan-illmitigationplan.pdf
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U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Age and Sex: Kankakee County, Illinois (Table S0101). American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates Subject Tables, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2025, from https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST1Y2023.S0101?q=ages+for+Kankakee+County
U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Kankakee County, Illinois. data.census.gov. Retrieved May 26, 2025, from https://data.census.gov/table?q=kankakee+county
U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Kankakee county, Illinois: Health. Explore census data. Retrieved May 26, 2025, from
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U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). QuickFacts: Kankakee County, Illinois. Retrieved May 26, 2025, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/kankakeecountyillinois
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