July/August 2022: Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services
Direct From CDC/Environmental Health Services Column
Journal of Environmental Health (Volume 85, Number 1)
Editor's Note: The National Environmental Health Association strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature a column on environmental health services from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in every issue of the Journal.
In these columns, authors from CDC's Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, as well as guest authors, will share tools, resources, and guidance for environmental health practitioners. The conclusions of these columns are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of CDC.
Resources and Tools for Emergencies
Alyssa Woods, MPH, Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Raquel Sabogal, MSPH, Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Martin Kalis, MA, Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Description
In 2021, 20 weather or climate disasters, each causing over $1 billion in damage, affected the U.S. and its territories. These disasters included droughts, flooding events, severe storms, wildfires, and winter storms. Overall, they impacted human quality of life and had significant economic effects on the affected areas. State, territorial, local, and tribal health departments play an important role in responding to emergencies and disasters. Both during and after these events, it can be challenging for environmental health professionals to conduct the traditional functions of environmental health, such as safeguarding drinking water supplies, controlling disease-causing vectors, conducting food safety inspections, and ensuring safe and healthy building environments.
The Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports environmental health professionals with resources and tools to help build their capacity to respond to emergencies and disasters This month's column highlights some of these resources and tools.