Post on 18-Dec-2015
NWS & CDC – Working Together to Communicate Weather-Related Health
Hazards
NWS: Michelle Hawkins, Fiona Horsfall, Duane Carpenter, Cindy WoodsCDC: Vivi Siegel, Lisa Briseño, Niki Grimsley, Joanne Cox
August 4, 2014
Health in NOAA
• NOAA One-Health Working Groupo About 40 members across the agency o Developing NOAA-wide health strategy
• NWS Health Team • NOAA-CDC MOU
Provides a formal cooperative framework to further collaborative efforts
o Strengthen science and services to reduce environmental and public health threats
o Promote the efficient use of shared technologies and infrastructure
o Enhance the accuracy, timeliness, and integrated application of data and information to address public health issues
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NWS & CDC Joint Messaging
• NOAA and CDC strategy meetings resulted in a focused collaborative effort: Joint messaging on weather, water and climate related health events
• This effort will:• Provide information on weather and climate related
health hazards • Broaden the audience for CDC information• Support current NWS efforts to provide impact-based
decision support services
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CDC Request During Sandy
• NWS contacted by CDC Joint Information Centero JIC is a 24/7 emergency preparedness unit that is activated during
public health emergencieso Develops, clears, and disseminates health messages to the public
and at-risk audiences
• Requested that NWS disseminate life-saving health informationo Provide targeted information to areas impacted by power outages
and flooding
Photo by Rosa Norman: CDC's Joint Information Center (JIC) during response to Japan earthquake, tsunami, and radiation release
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• During Sandy, NWS and CDC collaborated on joint messagingo JIC provided life saving information on the use of generators,
dangerous fumes, downed power lines, and harmful mold o NWS formatted the information for consistency and
incorporation with NWS productso NWS facilitated engagement with field offices to transmit
messages via normal channels and NOAA Weather Radio
NWS & CDC in Action
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Developed Special Statements
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC):
IN THE WAKE OF SUPERSTORM SANDY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR CITIZENS TO REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE AND HEALTH AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY:
* DRINK CLEAN, SAFE WATER AND EAT SAFE, UNCONTAMINATED FOOD. * KEEP GENERATORS OUTSIDE AT LEAST 25 FEET FROM DOORS WINDOWS AND VENTS.* DO NOT GRILL INSIDE YOUR HOME THE FUMES CAN KILL.* NEVER TOUCH A DOWNED POWER LINE OR ANYTHING TOUCHING ONE.* USE 1 CUP OF BLEACH FOR EACH GALLON OF WATER TO REMOVE MOLD.* NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA THE FUMES CAN KILL.* WASHING YOUR HANDS PREVENTS ILLNESS.* SEEK HELP IF HAVING TROUBLE COPING.
FOR MORE LIFE SAVING HEALTH RELATED INFORMATION CALLTHE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AT 1-800-232-4636,TTY 888-232-6348
HTTP://EMERGENCY.CDC.GOV/DISASTERS/
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Message Dissemination
Messages were disseminated by Weather Forecast Offices New York Mt. Holly Binghamton Boston Philadelphia Charleston
Picked up by national and local media
Distributed on NWS social media sites
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Testing a Process
Thank you!Michelle.Hawkins@NOAA.gov
NWS.Health@NOAA.gov
Comments on Experimental Service:http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/notification/pns13sup-wx-info.htm
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