Direct from CDC’s Environmental Health Services Branch

CAPT Mark D. Miller, R.S., M.P.H. The Role of Environmental Health Practitioners in a Public Health Emergency

n their daily jobs or in a public health in responding to emergency events. The Editor’s note: NEHA strives to provide up­ emergency, environmental health practi­ assessment of shelters for the 2005 hurri­ to-date and relevant information on en­ I tioners have the task of protecting the cane evacuees is a great example of the use vironmental health and to build partner­ public’s health from harmful elements in the of these skills. Many of the environmental ships in the profession. In pursuit of these environment. The 2005 hurricane season health issues that existed in the shelters goals, we will feature a column from the demonstrated the magnitude of environmen­ were the same as those that practitioners Environmental Health Services Branch tal issues and response needs faced by com­ assess during their regular duties. These is­ (EHSB) of the Centers for Disease Con­ munities in emergencies. Whether a disaster sues include safe food preparation, safe and trol and Prevention (CDC) in every issue event is a hurricane, anthrax, or attacks such adequate supply of water, infection control/ of the Journal. as those on the World Trade Center, environ­ handwashing, solid waste disposal, vector EHSB’s objective is to strengthen the mental health practitioners have an impor­ control, general safety, sewage disposal, and role of state, local, and national environ­ tant role to play in emergency response. Is­ adequate sanitation facilities. Ensuring that mental health programs and profession­ sues related to food, water, air quality, waste, these issues are addressed and that systems als to anticipate, identify, and respond to vector control, and building environments are functioning properly is essential for pro­ adverse environmental exposures and the will always exist. tecting the health and safety of shelter oc­ cupants and visitors. consequences of these exposures for hu­ Get Involved man health. The services being developed Environmental health practitioners must be Take Advantage of Emergency through EHSB include access to topical, actively involved in local and state emergency Response Training relevant, and scientific information; con­ response planning efforts. Emergencies vary Emergencies frequently require environmen­ sultation; and assistance to environmen­ greatly from region to region and from city to tal health practitioners to be flexible and ap­ tal health specialists, sanitarians, and city. For example, communities near chemi­ ply their skills and knowledge across several environmental health professionals and cal plants face unique emergency response areas of environmental health (e.g., food, wa­ practitioners. challenges. The planning process begins at ter, waste, air quality, vector control). Practi­ EHSB appreciates NEHA’s invitation to the local level with determining the events tioners expected to respond to emergencies provide monthly columns for the Journal. that are most likely to occur in a community often need to review the basics of environ­ In the coming months, EHSB staff will be and developing appropriate local response mental health and should be aware of techni­ highlighting a variety of concerns, oppor­ plans, deciding who will respond and how, cal updates. tunities, challenges, and successes that we determining staffing and equipment needs, At the 2006 NEHA Annual Educational all share in environmental public health. and practicing plan implementation. Conference, a two-and-a-half-day course This month’s column discusses the role of titled “Environmental Health in Disaster Re- environmental health practitioners in a Recognize the Value of sponse—Level 1” provided the basic review public health emergency. Your Skills and technical updates needed for environmen­ Environmental health practitioners must tal health practitioners. The course outline is understand how valuable their skills are available at www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/ETP.

Reprinted with permission from NEHA 36 Volume 69 • Number 1 EHSB would like to know whether the con­ Find and Obtain Help groups information by major subject areas in tent of this course is useful and appropriate, The Emergency Management Assistance which practitioners respond. It provides re­ and meets the needs of environmental health Compact (EMAC) can be a useful tool for source tools from national organizations, fed­ practitioners. Please send your suggestions requesting and receiving environmental eral agencies, and state and local programs. about this course and other types of training public health assistance during an emer­ EHSB would like your suggestions for new needs to [email protected]. gency or disaster. The environmental health links and site improvements: Just click on issues that arose during the 2005 hurricane the EHSB e-mail address beside the envelope Meet Recovery Phase season demonstrated the need for environ­ icon near the top of each Web page to gener­ Challenges mental health practitioners and resources ate an e-mail message. The decision about when it is safe to re­ during emergencies. EHSB has taken the enter and reoccupy a community after an lead in establishing a work group with state, Conclusion emergency presents many challenges. Envi­ local, and federal partners to explore how Environmental health practitioners have es­ ronmental health practitioners know how environmental health resources can be ef­ sential roles to play in emergency response. to evaluate a variety of environmental is­ fectively deployed through EMAC. To learn The public depends on practitioners to fulfill sues (e.g., food, water, waste, air quality, more about EMAC, go to www.emacweb. their roles every day as well as during emer­ vector control); they address a variety of org. In addition, the Association of State and gencies. We must be engaged in planning and environmental health issues in their daily Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) has de­ preparedness efforts to ensure that our roles jobs and can translate science into practice. veloped an information sheet, “ EMAC Tips are well defined and understood by other In emergencies they have the ability to col­ for State Health Agencies,” that offers guid­ emergency responders and the public we lect, analyze, and translate environmental ance on the use of EMAC. For a copy of the serve. data. These abilities are a great asset for de­ ASTHO information sheet, go to www.astho. cision makers. Experienced environmental org/pubs/EMACTips10.pdf. Corresponding Author: CAPT Mark D. Miller, health practitioners are needed to lead the U.S. Public Health Service Senior Environ­ environmental health response to emer­ Explore Resources mental Health Officer, Environmental Health gency events. Establishing and maintain­ EHSB has developed an Emergency and Ter­ Services Branch, National Center for Envi­ ing strong environmental health programs rorism Preparedness Web site at www.cdc. ronmental Health, CDC, 4770 Buford High­ at the local and state levels helps to ensure gov/nceh/ehs/ETP that is specifically for en­ way, NE, MS F28, Atlanta, GA 30341. E-mail: that this leadership is in place. vironmental health practitioners. The site [email protected].

Managing Editor’s Desk instances of an entire group that charges out to continued from page 54 its missions eager to show off our profession His words are stirring. Here are his expectations and demonstrate what it can do. If nothing else, V i s i t Ë for the members of his PHS category: this fine assembly of some 376 active-duty men 1. Represent the category and the U.S. PHS and women shows what a group can do and, I ° Job Center with distinction, every day and everywhere. believe, what an entire profession can do. Expanding on this expectation, he urges his Thank you, environmental health profes­ ° Students Section sionals of U.S. PHS, for the invitation to be

colleagues to attain distinction in everything .org ° Research and they do, wear the uniform properly—even with you and for your shining example. I left Development triple-checking it before they go out in pub- your meeting with a huge energy boost. Keep lic—and maintain all appropriate courtesies the light shining from the corner of this diver­ ° Credentialing and customs of the service. sified profession you work in. Your example 2. Be ready to deploy anywhere and anytime. and energy have the power to 1) extinguish ° Continuing Education some of the tiredness that we sometimes feel in 3. Be technically and tactically competent in ° AEC & Exhibition all areas of environmental health and pub­ environmental health and 2) give us all a vision lic health. for what an entire profession can look like. ° Regional Workshops

4. Seize initiative and be resourceful. For anyone interested in learning more neha ° 5. Be ethical in all you do. about the U.S. PHS environmental health Awards and Scholarships Don’t you just love it? What a standard to officer program, I encourage you to contact ° National Radon have, stand by, and be identified with. Joselito Ignacio at [email protected]. Proficiency When I spoke to this group, I admonished them to continue to do what they have been ° Terrorism and All- doing. I also encouraged the officers to be Hazards Preparedness a constant source of encouragement to all of Resources their peers across this great profession of ours. P.S. I should also proudly mention that two of ° Online Training and We have many inspiring stories and people in NEHA’s board members, Rick Collins and John much, much more!! the many corners that make up this diversified Steward, come from the ranks of the environ­ www. profession of ours. We have, however, too few mental health category of the U.S. PHS.

Reprinted with permission from NEHA July/August 2006 • Journal of Environmental Health 37