Emergency preparedness and disaster activities: Linking the backstretch worker to culturally appropriate response plans

The health of a community depends on the ability of the citizens to collectively prepare, initiate and promote community participation in reducing the impact of natural or man-made disasters. The terrorist events of September 11, 2001; violence in Colorado shootings in 2012, and recently Hurricane Sandy 2012 have all become sentinel events in United States to develop emergency preparedness plans. The backstretch community at the Philadelphia Race Track located in Bensalem, Pennsylvania is a vulnerable population based on the social determinants of migratory seasonal working racetrack employment, low English proficiency (LEP), housing units that are classified as a temporary residence, and chronic health concerns due to barriers of access to healthcare providers. Self-efficacy cognitive learning theory will be used in translating linguistically appropriate emergency preparedness messages in the disaster education initiative. The challenges are complex in nature due to access to LEP messages, lack of personal preparedness plans, and cultural views regarding preparedness. The goal is to initiate community partnership in backstretch worker community and Philadelphia Thoroughbred Race Track stakeholders in the development of a preparedness plan of action. Fostering intracollaboration can provide the communities of interest the motivation to engage in preparedness activities to improving health outcomes in a mass casualty incident.Key words: preparedness, backstretch worker, low English proficiency, self-efficacy