Bureau of Epidemiology
Hurricane Toolkit
County Health Department Epidemiology Hurricane Response Toolkit: An Instrument for Epidemiology
Surveillance & Response in Disasters
The County Health Department Epidemiology Hurricane Response Toolkit was developed by a 22 member team
consisting of Bureau of Epidemiology, Bureau of Community Environmental Health, and County Health
Department epidemiologists . This group designed and developed, developed a set of guidelines, document
templates, data collection and analysis surveillance tools and other instruments for epidemiology post-disaster
response in Florida. The instruments are compiled into a single document (and web-accessible tools)—The
Epidemiology Hurricane Toolkit—and is intended for use by local county health department epidemiology units
and epidemiology strike teams under the incident command structure. This toolkit is designed to aid county
health departments to conceptualize and implement enhanced disease monitoring activities, outbreak
investigation and management, and other aspects of the epidemiologic response to natural disasters such as
hurricanes.
The epidemiology hurricane toolkit includes detailed information on: functional roles of local and state-level
epidemiology units in pre- and post-disaster context, post-disaster surveillance processes and standards
(syndromic, notifiable diseases and conditions, and medical examiner based surveillance systems), populationbased health status assessment, outbreak investigation and management, infection control in post-disaster
sheltering environments, and the incident command system. The toolkit was developed by state and local
epidemiologists based on the assessment of practicality and utility of past disaster response processes.
The County Health Department Hurricane Toolkit can be found in its entirety with all supporting documents on
the Bureau of Epidemiology intranet site at:
http://dohiws.doh.state.fl.us/Divisions/Disease_Control/epi/Hurricanetoolkit/index.htm
The disaster email address for the Bureau of Epidemiology surveillance section is:
Epi_Event@doh.state.fl.us
For more information or set up a training covering the County Health Department Hurricane Toolkit for a
Regional Epidemiology Strike Team please contact Janet J Hamilton at 850-245-4444 x2403 or
Janet_J_Hamilton@doh.state.fl.us
CONTENTS: County Health Department Epidemiology Hurricane Response Toolkit
I.
II.
III.
Introduction
Roles and Functions of County Health Department
Epidemiology Units in Hurricane Response
A. Pre-Event Roles
B. Post-Event Roles
Surveillance
A.
Notifiable Disease Surveillance/Passive Surveillance
B.
Active Surveillance
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Bureau of Epidemiology
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
VIV.
Hurricane Toolkit
Population-Based Statistical Sample of Health Needs
Outbreak Investigation and Management
A. Types of Outbreaks, Communicable Diseases
& Injuries Expected
B. Outbreak Investigation
C. Rumor Control
Infection Control: Procedures & Guidelines
A. Pre-Event
B. Post-Event
C. Infection Control Forms & Guidelines
Incident Command System: The Epidemiology Unit’s Integration into the Incident Command Structure
and the Role of Epidemiology Strike Teams
A. Incident Command System (ICS)
B. Interfacing with Host County Health Departments:
Epidemiology Strike Teams
Assistance Post-Storm: The Role of the Bureau of Epidemiology and the Division of Environmental
Health
A. General Assistance
B. Assistance for Post-Event Syndromic Surveillance
C. Poison Control Surveillance
D. Other Sources of Surveillance Data
Appendix
A. Event Preparedness and Response Checklist/Worksheet
B. Syndromic Surveillance Forms
1. Individual level data collection form instructions
2. Individual level data collection form
3. Tally-based data collection form instructions
4. Tally-based data collection form
5. Facility tracking form
6. Summary worksheet
7. Template for daily surveillance report
C. Outbreak Investigation Forms
1. Line list form
2. Laboratory specimen tracking log
3. General investigation worksheet
4. Facility outbreak investigation worksheet
5. Laboratory requisition form
6. Basic field gear checklist
D. Infection Control Guidelines
1. Shelter flow sheet
2. For healthcare providers: guidelines for the management of
acute diarrhea
3. Technical fact sheet on norovirus
4. Norovirus management in shelters
5. Foodborne illness survey/complaint form
E. Communication with the Bureau of Epidemiology
1. Epidemiology situation report
2. EpiCom posting example
3. Merlin Outbreak Module Manual
F. Population-Based Statistical Sample of Health Needs
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