When a natural disaster strikes, can public health respond effectively?

New primer shows how disaster surveillance can make all the difference.

During April 25-28, 2011, a massive storm system generated 351 tornadoes that whipped through five southern states, causing 338 deaths, leaving behind historic levels of damage to people’s homes and businesses. The swarm of twisters and storms took down trees and power lines, blew roofs off buildings, flipped over cars, and caused intense flooding. Schools and businesses were at a standstill for days and news reports reflected the emotional toll of terror and loss experienced by so many people.

If severe weather hammered your community, how would public health officials respond? Accurate information would help them answer tough questions like these:

• What actions should we take immediately?
• Which populations are most at risk?
• How many deaths and injuries have occurred?
• To what extent is there risk for communicable diseases, worsening of chronic diseases?
• Is there exposure to carbon monoxide; chemicals and contaminants?
• What is the impact on mental health?

Based on CDC’s experience assisting many states and communities when environmental disasters strike, CDC is releasing a new publication to help health departments plan to address these kinds of challenging questions – either before, during or after an environmental disaster.

“Helping to answer these and other critical questions is where public health officials can make a big difference, ” said Nicole Nakata, an ORISE fellow in CDC’s Health Studies Branch and co-author of a new primer on disaster surveillance.

““We drew on our experience from hurricane, tornado, and other disaster responses around the world,” she said. “We asked ourselves, `what are the tools health departments most need in order to gather information?’”

A Primer for Understanding the Principles and Practices of Disaster Surveillance in the United States provides information on the purpose, importance, and methods for approaching disaster surveillance, including descriptions of different types of surveillance that can be applied and what challenges to anticipate.

Currently, the range of disaster surveillance activities conducted across U.S. states differs significantly, according to a study by the Disaster Epidemiology Subcommittee of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). Survey findings show that states differ in whether they have performed disaster surveillance in the past 10 years, included surveillance in their jurisdiction’s response plan, or used exercises to test their surveillance systems.

States that had conducted disaster surveillance activities reported in the survey that they need flexible disaster surveillance response plans, key partnerships, and staff trained and ready to support surveillance activities. This new primer addresses some of these needs — offering descriptions, methodologies, and examples of various levels and types of surveillance that can be adaptable to unique situations.

“This primer addresses disaster surveillance principles and practices in the domestic setting,” said Amy Wolkin, Chief of the Health Studies Branch. “We hope the information presented in this primer prompts public health departments to consider and begin conducting disaster surveillance to mitigate adverse health effects and reduce future impacts from disasters.”

To learn more, or to explore how HSB can work with your health department or other organizations that focus on environmental disaster prevention and recovery, contact Nicole Nakata here: CDC Health Studies Branch, 4770 Buford Highway, MS F-60, Chamblee, GA. Phone: 770-488-3410.