State and local public health departments are on the front lines for detecting, responding and organizing recovery from the consequences of terrorism, natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.  State and local agencies operate detection systems that must identify unusual patterns of disease and injury.  Epidemiologists at these agencies must have expertise and resources for responding to reports of unusual or unexplained illnesses. 

Health Care and Hurricane Katrina

Aug. 29, 2007, marked the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region and its effects are still being felt by residents two years later.  The Kaiser Family Foundation continues to focus and report on the health care needs of the victims.  View various reports and resources about Health Care in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

RAND Report Highlights Critical Emergency Preparedness Actions

A report released by RAND Health's Center for Domestic and International Health Security outlines 16 recommendations to aid U.S. communities in improving public health preparedness.

APHA: Preparedness and Public Health Threats

Find out how to address the unique needs of the nation's most vulnerable populations by preparing for public health threats through resources provided by APHA. Download the 2007 NPHW Tool Kit for fact sheets, media and legislative outreach materials to help make your campaign a success!

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) are growing threats to the health of residents in the United States. MDR TB is resistant to two of the most commonly used drugs to treat the disease. XDR TB is resistant to almost all of the drugs used to treat TB, which means it can be virtually untreatable and fatal.

Cases of XDR TB have been found in every region of the world, including the U.S. Because airplanes make it easier to travel to places where the disease is more prevalent, such as Africa, both forms of tuberculosis pose a potential threat in this country. State legislators may need to evaluate quarantine laws and emergency preparedness measures to see if their state is ready for a potential outbreak of MDR or XDR TB.

Here are some helpful resources from the CDC to help legislators understand more about tuberculosis:

• Basic information about XDR TB and its history
• Fact sheet on MDR TB
• TB Elimination: Now is the Time! 2007 – Information about what TB is, who it affects and what is needed to fight TB in the U.S.
• Guidelines for Preventing the Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Health-Care Settings, 2005

A global outbreak of an infectious disease such as a new influenza virus in the human population is referred to as a pandemic. This federal Web site contains information for the general public about pandemic flu as well as links to resources on federal preparation planning activities. Below are more resources to aid many sectors of society, from federal, state and local government to individuals and families, in planning efforts.

• Federal Planning and Response Activities
• State Pandemic Plans
• Individuals and Families Planning
• Workplace Planning
• School Planning
• Health Care Planning
• Community Planning

Pandemic Flu: Why States Must Plan Ahead

This session at the 2006 CSG West Annual Meeting provided an opportunity to hear how states can help plan for a widespread epidemic.

• How States are Preparing -- The National Perspective, Georges Benjamin, M.D., executive director, American Public Health Association, Washington, D.C.
• Colorado's Preparedness -- Planning and Practice, Ned Calonge, M.D., MPH, chief medical officer, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, Colo.
• State Legislators' Role in Preparedness
  Gene Davis, Utah Senate Minority Whip, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Geographic Information Systems Video Demonstration-Pandemic Flu: Prepare or Panic

Pandemic Flu Preparedness: State Challenges

In June 2006, CSG held a Health Policy Forum on pandemic flu preparedness. See the presentations below to find out what policymakers need to know before a pandemic flu outbreak, what states must do to get ready and what resources are available to help states.

• Pandemic Flu: What do State Policymakers Need to Know Before an Outbreak? Richard Dixon, M.D., distinguished consultant, CDC
• Preparedness: What Must States Do to Get Ready? Jeffrey Levi, executive director, Trust for America's Health
• Planning: What Resources are Available to Help States? Richard Dixon, M.D., distinguished consultant, CDC; Tim O'Hea, principal planner, Division of Public Health, Delaware; Jody Chattin, project manager, Alert Chicago, Office of Emergency Management and Communications
• Challenges: Preparing the Community, Managing Critical Resources and Services, Kristine Paulsen, general education director, Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District; Capt. Ron McCuan, D.M.D., J.D., public health analyst, National Institute of Corrections; Dr. Darlene Sparks Washington, director, Preparedness, Amercian Red Cross