Mission: To assist in the protection of the people of our community
from bio-terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and public health
threats and emergencies through:
1. Providing assistance and support to the Office of Epidemiology
and Disease Control (OEDC) of the Miami Dade County Health Department
(MDCHD) in the investigation of outbreaks when its capacity and
resources are overwhelmed
2. Providing assistance and support to the Enhanced Surveillance
Unit (ESU) in the identification and investigation of suspect or
confirmed cases of diseases related with bio-terrorist events
The MDCHD EPI Response Team (EpiRT) is a support branch integrated
by employees of the different divisions of the MDCHD who join and
act in the team on a voluntary basis.
MDCHD EpiRT’s goal is to gain an appropriate level of preparedness
to prevent the occurrence of and assist in the mitigation of the
adversities caused by a disastrous event through planning, exercising
and response actions.
Since its origins in 2002, the EpiRT has participated in various
epidemiology and bio-terrorism trainings organized by the OEDC of
the MDCHD. The team has received training in:
· Outbreak investigation
· Epidemiology and its object of study
· Principles of infectious disease epidemiology
· Category A agents and their diseases
· Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
· Concepts of prophylaxis
· Local bio-terrorism surveillance programs
· Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)
· Potassium iodide (KI) distribution plan.
Some members of the team have been involved in other preparedness
and response activities such as the anthrax response in 2001, Operation
Vaccinate Florida (OVF), the MDCHD SARS/Smallpox Airport Exercise
in 2003, and some are currently involved in the planning of the
MDCHD Plague/Avian Flu Cruise Ship Exercise to take place in Port
Everglades in January of 2005.
Presentations:
EpiRT
Training Session Agenda
Preparing
to Respond to a Flu Pandemic: First Steps
MDCHD
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan
The
Technical Aspects of Interviewing in an Investigation
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