Bioterrorism, infectious diseases and other public health emergencies
are complex health threats facing the nation’s safety. It is the
responsibility of public health to detect, investigate, respond to, and
implement measures to prevent illnesses.
Unlike an
explosion, bioterrorism and infectious diseases may be invisible,
silent, and difficult to detect at first. Affected persons will begin
to present at doctors offices, clinics, and hospital emergency rooms,
days, and perhaps weeks after the exposure. As cases of unexplained or
unexpected illness increase, the initial responders to such an incident
will be vigilant physicians, emergency room personnel, and public
health practitioners who detect the unusual event, and report it to
their response partners.
Public health officials will be
called upon to investigate the illness, identify it, and implement
control measures to reduce and prevent disease in the community. These
activities are done in collaboration with emergency managers,
hospitals, health care providers, partners in local emergency response,
fire departments, law enforcement, and others.
Our role in
responding to a public health emergency event includes early detection,
investigation and control, rapid communication of essential
information, vaccine and prophylactic medicine distribution and
assurance of environmental safety. Public health must be prepared to
assist other responders with food, water and other public health issues
as a consequence of natural disasters and hazardous material incidents.