State, local, and tribal public health departments play an extremely important role in emergency preparedness and response. Public Health professionals within these departments should have immediate access to guidance and information that will assist in rapidly establishing priorities and undertaking necessary actions during the response to an emergency or disaster.

The National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services (EEHS), Environmental Public Health Readiness Branch (EPHRB) has developed an all-hazards public health emergency response guide to address this need.

Public Health Responsibilities:

• Determine attack has occurred
  
• Identify the organism
  
• Identify those at risk
  
• Intervene with preventions

There is a short window of opportunity between the first cases identified and when the second wave occurs.