The leadership exercise activity is based on the physical characteristics and resources of a real facility located in New York City. The exercise focuses on an operational and planning scenario and includes the development of an Exercise Report also known as an After-Action Report (AAR). Links and materials, including the required report template, are provided in the attachments below.
Note: Since the AAR are completed utilizing a template, compliance with the most recent approved APA format is only required for in-text citations and references.
The AAR is created by incorporating targeted leadership knowledge development, self-assessment assignments, and homeland security or public safety leadership analysis with your observations from the leadership exercise. The AAR represents a personal understanding and plan of public safety leadership based on the course research, lecture content, conferences, reports, the leadership exercise, and your leadership performance. The completed AAR correlates with professional homeland security and public safety leadership best practices, resulting in a tangible product that can become a base for future leadership development.
The AAR will be developed using the provided template and structured to cover all of the following topics:
Presentation and discussion of academic and anecdotal resource materials
Deconstruction of current homeland security or public safety leadership
Identification of acceptable and effective professional homeland security or public safety leadership principles
Collation of data from personal leadership self-assessment assignments and Personal Leadership History Report
Comparison and contrast of self-assessment data, to include applicability, with best practices and identified leadership principles
Presentation and discussion of future personal leadership development and opportunity
To complete this assignment, perform the following tasks:
Please first read the Hurricane Chester Exercise Instructions that provides an overview of the assignment.
Next, please read the Participant Guide that provides detailed guidance on how to conduct the exercise.
If you have any questions on how to complete the exercise, please contact the course faculty.
Once you fully understand the assignment, please conduct the exercise by reading the HMLS 495 Exercise Slides.
Finally, please complete the Hurricane Chester Exercise Report Template.
Common Digestive Conditions? In everyone’s life, they must have experienced a digestion disorder, whether it is a lingering gastrointestinal ailment requiring lifestyle change or is a meal that doesn’t agree with our stomach. According to Peyskensn & Penaloza (2017), digestive problems are extremely common in people afflicting one in five people.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
When stomach bile or acid flows into the food pipe causing lining irritation, it causes gastroesophageal. Many people experience heartburn, but when it occurs regularly, it indicates a sign of gastroesophageal disease. The disease mostly presents as heartburn which, when uncontrolled, can lead to lining wearing of the esophagus, leading to bleeding. Poddar (2019) notes that the condition can also cause extreme chest pains, which sometimes are mistaken for heart attack.
The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens to allow food in the stomach and closes to stop stomach acids from flowing back into the esophagus in a normal digestion. However, when the LES is weak and relaxed, it lets the stomach acids flow back in the throat, which causes heartburn hence GERD. One can control the disease by taking two hours to rest after a meal before bedtime. However, over-the-counter medication can help reduce the occasional heartburns, but chronic ones need prescriptions and sometimes surgery.
Chronic Diarrhea
Another form of Common Digestive Conditions is Diarrhea. It can be termed as loose stool, which is impossible to ignore. Diarrhea that happens more than twice and lasts for a week can be a medical concern. It can be caused by different things, including the inability of the body to absorb food, infection, an endocrine disorder, or a disease, for example, irritable bowel syndrome. Sometimes, some medications cause diarrhea as a side effect. However, chronic diarrhea may indicate a more serious problem that needs more professional medical attention. The underlying cause of diarrhea should be treated as quickly as possible, which needs to eliminate some foods and medicine and improve hygiene.
Chronic Constipation
Also Chronic Constipation is a Common Digestive Condition. It occurs when people get fewer than three bowel movements in a week or longer where the stools are hard and difficult to pass. Some other symptoms of constipation include straining when passing stool and feeling as though there is a blockage in the rectum. There are no evident research results for the cause of chronic constipation.
However, colon or rectum blockage, nerve problems around the colon or rectum, difficulty with elimination muscles, and hormonal changes in the body can cause chronic constipation. Although occasional constipation is normal, some people experience chronic constipation that interferes with their normal daily life. The condition can be treated by taking lots of water and fluids, managing stress, staying active, taking foods low in fiber, and creating regular bowel movements.
Gastroenteritis
Another Common Digestive Conditions is Gastroenteritis. It is a short-term illness sometimes called the stomach flu caused by a bacterial or viral infection and swelling of the digestive system. The disease has symptoms like diarrhea, fever, stomach pains, crumbing, vomiting, nausea, and headache. The most common cause of the disease is a virus, including rotavirus and norovirus. Other causes of the disease can be through contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food, and being unhygienic. The best way to treat the infection is by taking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, maintaining hygiene to prevent the spread of the infection. As for children, standard vaccination of rotavirus should be followed.
Stomach Ulcers as a Common Digestive Conditions
Moreover, Common Digestive Conditions include stomach Ulcers. Ulcers are breaks or holes formed at the lining of the upper parts of the small intestine or the stomach that contact enzymes stomach acids. The stomach has acids that help in food digestion and protects the stomach against microbes. Also, the stomach produces a thick layer of mucus which protects the body tissues from the acid. However, when the protective mucus becomes inactive and ineffective, the acid starts damaging the body tissues causing ulcers (Almurshidi, & Abu-Naser, 2017). The disease has some symptoms which include, indigestion, causing stomach discomforts, heartburn, and GERD.
Other symptoms include bloating, burping, nausea, and vomiting, and sometimes weight loss. One can prevent the disease by taking many fruits and vegetables, foods high in soluble fiber, probiotics, and not consuming alcohol frequently. It can be treated by protecting what causes more acid in the body. However, surgical treatments can be done when one experiences consistent bleeding, re-occurring ulcers, and lack of bowel movements.
In conclusion, the digestive system works as a tool for breaking down food. However, if some parts of the system are not working properly, digestive disorders may develop, such as chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers, gallstones, or diarrhea. Some digestive disorders, when not treated, can cause serious problems.
Common Digestive Conditions References
Almurshidi, S. H., & Abu-Naser, S. S. (2017). Stomach disease intelligent tutoring system.
Peyskensn, L., & Penaloza, A. (2017). Common digestive symptoms as a rare presentation of prostatic cancer. New Horizons in Clinical Case Reports, 1, 21.
Poddar, U. (2019). Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children. Pediatrics and international child health, 39(1), 7-12.
Obesity is a medical problem caused by excessive body fat, which also increases the risks of getting other complicated diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain cancer diseases. It has become one of the leading health problems and the most neglected by people. There are many reasons why people have a problem with losing weight.
Usually, obesity to some people is inherited from parents affecting the amount of body fat one stores in their body and how the fat is distributed. Environmental and physiological factors, physical activities combined with poor diet can also lead to obesity (Chuang, Chiu, Lee, Liu, Tsao, et al., 2016). Eating diets rich in vegetables and fruits can reduce obesity risks compared to least pro-vegetarian people who consume foods rich in animal foods like meat and eggs. Plant-based diets are associated with reduced body fats and weight, which is an intervention to obesity.
In most cases, obesity is caused by taking in more calories than one can burn through physical activities and exercise, which are stored in the body as fats. Those calories are caused by consuming unhealthy diets, which are more non-vegetarian products, including fast foods and meat. Also, liquid calories are caused by high-calorie drinks like alcohol and soft drinks, which add many calories to the body.
Diets rich in vegetables can help weight loss because they focus on foods with low-calories like fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, seeds, soy, and nutrient-dense. However, being a vegetarian does not mean consuming fewer calories as some vegetables like soy cheese, snack bars, cookies, and pie contain many calories. In simple form, people should watch more on what they consume, and do exercise. There has been a drastic increase in people suffering from obesity and obesity-related diseases in the last couple of decades, and that’s why states, communities, and the federal government is putting emphasis on people consumption healthier food and doing a lot of exercises.
Vegetarians reduce the chances of being obese by bringing different benefits to the body, including weight loss. Switching to a diet rich in vegetables helps people lose weight as they don’t consume many calories. It also lowers the level of cholesterol in the body as vegetables are easily absorbed. Foods rich in vegetables help people not only from getting obese but lowers the chances of getting cancer diseases; research shows that people who consume vegetable foods have lower chances of getting cancer than non-vegetarian people.
It is true, people who base much on vegetable foods have lower chances of getting obese. However, alongside vegetarian foods, people should also get the right number of calories from the food, focusing on various fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, limit processed foods and alcohol intake, avoid added sugars and unhealthful fats, and participate in an overall healthful lifestyle.
References
According to Chuang, S. Y., Chiu, T. H., Lee, C. Y., Liu, T. T., Tsao, C. K., Hsiung, C. A., & Chiu, Y. F. (2016) argues that vegetarian diet reduces the risk of hypertension independent of abdominal obesity and inflammation: a prospective study. Journal of hypertension, 34(11), 2164-2171.
What is autism? Autism is a wide range of disorders that impair speech, non-verbal communication, and social behaviors. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with autism (Lord et al., 2018). The condition affects the brain development of an individual, which influences how they relate with others. It creates problems when interacting with others since communication is a challenge. Repetitive behavioral patterns can also characterize the disorder. Autism has a wide variety of signs which describe its spectrum.
In answering the question “What is autism,?” there are several subtypes of autism that are caused by different factors, such as genetic and environmental influences. Autism is a spectrum condition with various challenges. The challenges faced by patients with this illness vary, whereby some can live independently while others require more support in daily living than others.
The development of autism can be attributed to sensory sensitivities or other medical issues. Conditions such as seizures, sleep disorders, or gastrointestinal illnesses comprise health issues that lead to autism (Lord et al., 2018). Also, mental health problems such as anxiety, challenges in concentration, and depression can cause autism.
The first symptoms of the illness often occur when an individual is two or three years of age. The early symptoms include decreased eye contact, indifference to their loved ones, and lack of responses to conversations; However, in rare cases, the disease can be diagnosed for a child aged 18 months (Lord et al., 2018). Other children grow normal until later years in life when they suddenly lose interest in activities, become withdrawn, and fail in language abilities. The level of severity for the children can vary from low functioning to high functioning. It is recommended that interventions for the conditions be applied early since it results in positive impacts later in life.
Children with autism have a high risk for the illness if there is a family member with autism. There are certain combinations of genes that increase the risk of a child being diagnosed with autism. The disease can be hereditary for autism spectrum disorders such as fragile X syndrome and Rett syndrome (Muhle, Trentacoste, and Rapin, 2014).
Genetic mutations can also raise the vulnerability to the illness, although this can also occur spontaneously. It is because autism impacts the growth of brain cells and communication. Autism is likely to occur four times more in boys compared to girls. Early detection for the illness improves the quality of life for children with autism.
No medical test is used to diagnose the sickness; instead, how the child speaks, and acts is analyzed based on their age and comparison to others. In 2016, about 2 in 1000 persons globally were estimated to have autism. However, the rate of autism diagnosis in the United States is high at 0.7%.
Reference
Muhle, R., Trentacoste, S. V., & Rapin, I. (2014). The genetics of autism. Pediatrics, 113(5), e472-e486.
Lord, C., Elsabbagh, M., Baird, G., & Veenstra-Vanderweele, J. (2018). Autism spectrum disorder. The Lancet, 392(10146), 508-520.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a problem experienced by many people that affects the large intestine. Not all people have signs and symptoms as they can control them by managing diet, stress, and lifestyle. However, others have symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, constipation, or diarrhea, which needs to be managed for quite some time. In others, the bowel movement changes in appearance, while others change how often they have bowel movements (Varjú, Farkas, Hegyi, Garami, Szabó, et al., 2017).
Sometimes the IBS becomes more persistent to the point of seeing a doctor as they may indicate a sign of more severe conditions like cancer. Such symptoms include night diarrhea, weight loss, experiencing bleeding, which is a symptom of severe conditions like anal fissures, hemorrhoids, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Other serious signs include unexplained vomiting, having difficulties swallowing, and persistent pain that isn’t relieved by bowel movements or gas.
IBS is caused mainly by intestinal muscle contraction, whereby if they are more robust and last longer than usual, they can cause bloating and diarrhea. Also, when the intestinal contractions are weaker, they slow down food passage leading to hard and dry stool, causing bleeding. Abnormalities in the nervous digestion system can cause poor coordination between the intestines and the brain, leading to an overreaction in the normal digestion process, which in return causes abdominal discomforts when passing gas or stool. These abnormalities cause pain, diarrhea, and constipation.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome can also be caused by severe infections caused by bacteria or viruses, spreading to the large intestines. People who have experienced a lot of stress, especially during childhood, tend to have Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. Also, the intestines have viruses that lay a crucial role in people’s health. Changes in those gut microbes can cause IBS.
There is no proven treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. However, medications manage and relieve the symptoms (Moayyedi, Andrews, MacQueen, Korownyk, Marsiglio, et al., 2019). Most home remedies for controlling IBS include physical exercise, eating smaller meals, minimizing stress, avoiding spicy and deep-fried foods, and taking probiotics to relieve gas. However, if the problem persists, some medication can help relieve the problem, including Alosetron, which slows the waste movements and relaxes the colon. Eluxadoline, Rifaximin, Lubiprostone, and Linaclotide are used to control muscle spasms, constipation and ease pain.
Summary
Symptoms
Cramping and abdominal pains related to abnormal passing bowel movement
Different bowel movement appearance
Changes in bowel movement occasions
Night diarrhea, weight loss, and bleeding during bowel movements
Unexplained vomiting, difficulties swallowing, and persistent abdominal pain.
Causes
Contractions of muscles in the intestine.
Nervous system abnormalities
Severe bacterial infection
Continuous exposure to stress.
Changes in bacteria’s found in the intestines.
Treatment
Home remedies include participation in regular exercises, consuming smaller meals, avoiding spicy foods, minimizing stress, and taking probiotics.
Hospital medication to relieve the disease includes Eluxadoline, Rifaximin, Lubiprostone, Linaclotide, and Alosetron used to control muscle spasms, constipation, and ease pain.
Obesity is a medical problem caused by excessive body fat, which also increases the risks of getting other complicated diseases such as
