Hurricane Response Guide for Environmental Public Health Professionals
Part 1: Pre-Incident To prepare for hurricane season, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with the role of EPH professionals and challenges they typically face during hurricanes. The typical EPH challenges that can arise during hurricanes and take proactive steps to prepare. This section of the Response Guide provides an overview of the role of EPH professionals and pre-incident actions they can take to enhance readiness for the upcoming hurricane season. Reviewing this Response Guide throughout hurricane season will build muscle memory, confidence, and familiarity with the content. Role of Environmental Public Health The EPH hurricane response role is crucial in protecting community health and safety before, during, and after the event. EPH professionals are key players in mitigating the wide-ranging environmental hazards that hurricanes can create or exacerbate, affecting human health. Before a Hurricane EPH professionals assist in preparedness efforts by assessing potential environmental risks, developing response plans, and educating the public on safety measures. This includes identifying vulnerable infrastructure, such as water treatment facilities or hazardous waste sites, that could pose significant risks if compromised. EPH professionals also develop relationships with key partners prior to the storm and identify opportunities for Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with these partners. During a Hurricane EPH professionals play a critical role in hurricane response, but their effectiveness is greatly influenced by the complex relationship between national and state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) response systems in the United States. While most agencies follow the National Response Framework (NRF), there is a significant variation in how STLT systems operate, particularly in terms of activation triggers, authority, and autonomy. This variability directly impacts EPH responses to hurricanes. While active response during the storm is limited, EPH professionals often work from Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) to monitor developing environmental threats and coordinate with other emergency responders, often as a part of Emergency Support Function (ESF) #8. 1 EPH professionals working in hurricane-affected areas should take the following steps: 1. Determine whether the STLT EOC has been activated and identify the appropriate points of contact. 2. Clearly define their roles, reporting requirements, and operating authorities within the national and STLT response structures. 3. Establish communication protocols within the response structure. 4. Understand the decision-making authority for data collection, custody, and release. 5. Familiarize themselves with the STLT procedures for developing and approving public information messages, which is crucial for effective risk communication during hurricane response. 6. Identify the need for establishing or activating MOUs . 7. Be prepared to adapt their approach based on the level of autonomy and the specific incident management structure of the STLT government. 8. Adapt to the challenging and harsh conditions while performing the critical EPH duties to ensure the health and safety of food, water, air, and the environment.
1 Emergency Support Functions vary by jurisdiction. The National ESF #8 is Public Health and Medical Services.
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