The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on Wednesday, September 12 to coordinate 24/7 all CDC activities for public health needs before, during, and after Hurricane Florence, including the deployment of resources and personnel, as requested.
CDC staff expects to offer specific assistance that includes recommendations for:
- General and medical shelter surveillance for infectious disease outbreaks
- Public health messages and risk communication
- Water, sanitation, safety evaluations for food and water
- Mold prevention and treatment
- Industrial contamination (HAZMAT) mitigation and abatement
- Vector control and management from standing water
CDC is also sharing information to help the public protect themselves from threats before, during, and after the hurricane’s landfall: drowning and floodwater safety, carbon monoxide poisoning, downed power lines, unsafe food and water, mold, and other health risks.
CDC’s EOC is the agency’s command center for monitoring and coordinating CDC activities for rapid, efficient response in collaboration with other U.S. federal, state, and local agencies. The EOC coordinates with the Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Operations Center in Washington, D.C. to ensure situational awareness and a coordinated public health and medical response.
