Category: response

Lessons from Atlanta

photo of television screen showing news coverage of Atlanta snowstorm

What many would call a “dusting,” we Atlantans would call a “snowpocalypse” as evidence by this week’s 2 inches of snow which crippled the city, causing severe gridlock across the metro area, stranding school children and commuters who were forced to abandon cars on the highway. The mayor of Atlanta and Governor Deal have been making Read More >

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Coming (Back) to America? What 2013 Can Teach Us About Dengue in the United States

jumbled picture of words related to dengue fever

By Tyler Sharp 2013 was a banner year for dengue in the United States: an outbreak with 22 associated cases was identified in Florida; another outbreak was detected in south Texas along the U.S./Mexico border;  Aedes aegypti, the most efficient mosquito vector of dengue, was detected in central-California; a locally acquired dengue case was detected Read More >

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Typhoon Haiyan: A look at public health’s role in disaster recovery

Waives battering wooden pier and houses

Seeing images of the devastation in the Philippines reminded me of my own experiences with Hurricane Katrina and the Asian Tsunami. During both of those events, I had the honor to join CDC (and WHO in the case of Indonesia) teams to help re-establish crucial public health services and support the impacted communities. Disaster recovery Read More >

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Hospital Preparedness and the Boston Marathon Bombing

Brigham and Women's Hospital

In the last eight years, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston has conducted 78 large scale emergency drills.  On the afternoon of April 15, immediately following the two bombs set off during the Boston marathon, it was time to put their well-practiced plans into action. Read More >

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Helping Children Cope With a Disaster

David J Schonfeld, MD, FAAP Children often become distressed after a disaster, especially if it has directly impacted them or someone they care about.  They may also feel sad or sorry for others and want very much to help them.  Worries that something similar will happen to them or their family may lead them to Read More >

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On the Scene: Wildfire Communication in Colorado

By Nicole Hawk An estimated 75,000 wildfires occur in the United States each year, and each one has potential public health concerns including evacuating safely, dealing with smoke, or cleaning up spoiled food after a power outage.  In June 2013, Colorado faced multiple devastating wildfires, including the Royal Gorge Fire in Cañon City, which required Read More >

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