**5. Healthcare workforce considerations**

A major consideration with regards to health system functioning in a disaster, is that the healthcare workforce is affected by the disaster as much as the rest of society. The difference is that those in healthcare must still work when others are able to recover, and they share the emotional burden of others, bearing witness to their suffering. This can have a profound effect on wellbeing and efficacy in providing care. Worrying about loved ones while responding to a disaster event may have considerable consequences [8]. It is reasonable also to assume that despite their commitment and sense of duty to society, healthcare workers in a disaster who find themselves in the difficult situation of responding to their work or ensuring the safety and well being of their families are going to chose the latter.
