Washington state has flunked its disaster preparedness test.
According to the American College of Emergency Physicians’ State-by-State Report Card, Washington state received an overall grade of “D+” and an “F” in disaster preparedness.
The report card judges states on five critical areas:
- Access to Emergency Care
- Quality and Patient Safety Environment
- Medical Liability Environment
- Public Health & Injury Prevention
- Disaster Preparedness
While Washington did earn an “A-“ in public health and injury prevention, the fifth highest score in the nation, the state failed to implement improvements in preparedness, and it has not set aside funds fir disaster preparedness funding that would cover a health care surge. For example, if a disaster strikes, the state would lack the funding and procedures to ensure treatment for the medically or mentally vulnerable, according to My Edmonds News.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, states and districts with the highest scores in disaster preparedness include:
- Washington D.C. (Highest ranked all around)
- North Dakota
- Louisiana
- New York
- Nevada
How does your state compare? Find out here at the ACEP Report Card website.
