InfoGram

May 5, 2005

NOTE: This InfoGram will be distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures. For further information, contact the Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) at (301) 447-1325 or by email at emr-isac@fema.dhs.gov.

WTC Health Impact Registry to Accept New Patients

The 11 July 2002 InfoGram featured an article that described the initiation of a registry to track the long-term health of up to 200,000 people who might have been exposed to toxic substances after the World Trade Center (WTC) attack. The intent was to create a database to help officials make decisions in the event of another disaster that involved the collapse of buildings. They hoped to learn whether the exposure led to short- or long-term health problems.

The program was set up at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and other hospitals in 2002 and, when it ended in April 2004, nearly 12,000 workers had been examined. Among the workers screened, the ailments identified include asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis and what doctors refer to as WTC cough. Other workers have suffered psychological problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A director of the WTC Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening program, Dr. Robin Herbert, said that based on the program's initial findings, she expects that more than half of the workers who have been screened will have physical or mental health problems that require treatment, according to an article in The New York Times.

The program, which has been carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (part of the Department of Health and Human Services), is being revived through a Federal grant, which also will provide follow-up exams for the next five years. It is estimated that approximately 40,000 rescue workers inhaled soot, dust, and smoke after September 11, 2001.

Extensive resources for emergency responders on such topics as mental health and traumatic events can be found at http://www.hhs.gov/emergency/index.shtml, and reports of results from the WTC Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening program are available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emres/terrorresp.html#nioshresp.

Surviving Field Stress for First Responders

On April 28, 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aired the web cast, "Surviving Field Stress for First Responders." The two-hour presentation provided an overview of the physical, emotional, and mental stressors first responders face when called to technological or manmade disasters and haz mat incidents.

The web cast materials were divided into four segments, the first of which was devoted to an explanation of stress and its effects. This was followed by causes of first responder stress, and information and tips on how to manage first responder stress. A discussion of how to help the general public cope with their disaster-related stress concluded the program.

A copy of the web cast's script, the accompanying slide presentation, and a manual, Surviving Field Stress for First Responders, are now available for viewing and downloading at the CDC's Public Health Training Network (PHTN) website: http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/phtn/webcast/stress-05. The manual contains information about the topics covered during the web cast as well as resources and references for further reading.

Dispatcher's Guide for WMD Incidents

A Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) terrorist incident, involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive weapons, on a Department of Defense (DOD) installation or in a civilian community, poses a significant threat to military personnel and civilians. A WMD terrorist attack would present major challenges to an installation's or a community's emergency response teams. No matter what type of emergency takes place, the initial information concerning the event will be gathered by individuals in the emergency dispatch center. Asking the right questions and obtaining vital information will play an enormous part in the initial minutes of the incident. The information that is provided to the Incident Commander (IC) and responders will be an important part of the process used to assess the risk and make life-and- death decisions. Sending first responders to a scene with as much accurate information as possible will save lives.

The emergency dispatch center, during the initial stage of a response, has a critical role in the success or failure of an emergency operation. WMD incidents combine the priorities of a mass casualty incident and the danger of a large-scale hazardous materials incident. The Dispatcher's Guide for WMD Incidents was designed to aid the call-taker or dispatcher who collects the initial information for the emergency responders, in order to ensure a coordinated safe response during a WMD incident. It also provides basic guidance that can be given to callers to reduce the hazards to themselves and others at the incident scene.

The Guide provides the emergency response communication center with checklists to be used as tools to be integrated within their current system. It was designed to supplement and enhance current procedures and can be adapted for large and small dispatch centers. Each jurisdiction may adapt this information to fit its needs.

The Dispatcher's Guide for WMD Incidents was written by the DOD and the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), with participation by nearly a dozen fire departments, 911 centers, and law enforcement agencies. It can be viewed and downloaded by visiting http://www.edgewood.army.mil/hld/dl/WMD_DISPATCH.pdf (PDF, Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Help).