TY - JOUR
T1 - Emergency response and public health in Hurricane Katrina
T2 - What does it mean to be a public health emergency responder?
AU - Van Devanter, Nancy
AU - Leviss, Perri
AU - Abramson, David
AU - Howard, Joyce Moon
AU - Honoré, Peggy A.
PY - 2010/11
Y1 - 2010/11
N2 - Since 9/11, federal funds directed toward public health departments for training in disaster preparedness have dramatically increased, resulting in changing expectations of public health workers' roles in emergency response. This article explores the public health emergency responder role through data collected as part of an oral history conducted with the 3 health departments that responded to Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and Louisiana. The data reveals a significant change in public health emergency response capacity as a result of federal funding. The role is still evolving, and many challenges remain, in particular, a clear articulation of the public health role in emergency response, the integration of the public health and emergency responder cultures, identification of the scope of training needs and strategies to maintain new public health emergency response skills, and closer collaboration with emergency response agencies.
AB - Since 9/11, federal funds directed toward public health departments for training in disaster preparedness have dramatically increased, resulting in changing expectations of public health workers' roles in emergency response. This article explores the public health emergency responder role through data collected as part of an oral history conducted with the 3 health departments that responded to Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and Louisiana. The data reveals a significant change in public health emergency response capacity as a result of federal funding. The role is still evolving, and many challenges remain, in particular, a clear articulation of the public health role in emergency response, the integration of the public health and emergency responder cultures, identification of the scope of training needs and strategies to maintain new public health emergency response skills, and closer collaboration with emergency response agencies.
KW - Hurricane Katrina
KW - disaster preparedness training
KW - natural disaster
KW - oral history
KW - public health emergency response competencies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78049478601&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78049478601&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/PHH.0b013e3181d8bbb2
DO - 10.1097/PHH.0b013e3181d8bbb2
M3 - Article
C2 - 20885174
AN - SCOPUS:78049478601
SN - 1078-4659
VL - 16
SP - E16-E25
JO - Journal of Public Health Management and Practice
JF - Journal of Public Health Management and Practice
IS - 6
ER -