THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SENDS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO ASSIST IN IOWA EMERGENCY RESPONSE

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Health (DOH) deployed 26 public health professionals today to assist in emergency response efforts in Iowa. Iowa was one of many states that responded to Florida’s need for assistance during the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes. Florida is grateful for this opportunity to serve Iowa during their time of need.

DOH will send two Environmental Health Strike Teams, each consisting of eight environmental health professionals from local county health departments and an additional 10 public health professionals who can assist with community health assessments.

The teams will join the overall Iowa public health department’s response to the flooding disaster, and their work will be based on Iowa’s critical needs. Environmental health professionals will likely conduct general assessments of drinking water, sanitation and clean-up activities. General public health professionals will likely help assess the health needs of communities, particularly where residents are returning to impacted areas.

Teams will arrive in Des Moines, Iowa and will begin work on Thursday morning. The teams will go to the eastern part of the state to work in the hardest hit areas, particularly where residents have been allowed to return after an evacuation. They are expected to return June 27.

Interstate emergency assistance as part of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) allows disaster-impacted states to request and receive assistance from other member states quickly and efficiently. The Compact was developed after Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida in 1992 as a way for states to help each other during a major disaster. In response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Florida committed more than 7,000 responders to assist impacted areas in Mississippi and Louisiana. The request for assistance was coordinated through the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

DOH promotes, protects and improves the health of all people in Florida. For more information about DOH programs, visit www.doh.state.fl.us.