Category: Hurricane Maria

Welcome PrepTember: The Readiest Time of the Year

Children boarding a school bus.

September is a busy month, and not just because that’s when all things pumpkin spice start showing up on store shelves and coffeehouse menus. Here are few reasons why September is possibly the busiest time of year for emergency and risk communicators, including those of us here at the Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR). Read More >

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5 Communication Lessons Learned from Hurricane Maria

  When Category 4 Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, CDC assembled a team of experienced communicators who were flexible, bilingual, and culturally sensitive communicators. This group of experts prepared to deploy to Puerto Rico on short notice to support the communication needs of the Puerto Rico Health Department. I was asked to lead Read More >

Posted on by Ashley Andujar, MHSA, Health Communication Specialist, Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases2 CommentsTags , , , , , , ,

Moving the Dial on Preparedness: CDC’s 2018 National Snapshot

Photo of a flooded apartment complex and office building during Hurricane Harvey.

Every year, CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response publishes the Public Health Preparedness and Response National Snapshot, an annual report that highlights the work of CDC and our partners. No matter the type, size, or cause of a public health emergency, we must work together to respond to the best of our ability. Read More >

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Shouting in the Dark: Emergency Communication in USVI After Irma and Maria

Nykole Tyson, Director of Public Relations for the US Virgin Islands Department of Health, speaking into a radio microphone.

Communication experts often say, “When you’re communicating during an emergency, always think about what you’d say to your mom. What information would she need the most? How would you explain it to her? What would you need to know for sure before you told her? And just how far would you go to reach her?” Read More >

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Educating Children After Hurricane Maria

In September 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria roared through the Caribbean just 12 days apart. The schools on St. Croix and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) did not re-open until October 24. Teachers talked about how many of the books and materials in their classrooms were moldy and how teachers and staff Read More >

Posted on by Malaika Washington, Lead Health Education Specialist, Division of Adolescent and School Health3 CommentsTags , , , , , , , , ,