For Release: IMMEDIATE
Date: October 30, 2005

NC Public Health Preparedness Aids Florida in Wilma Aftermath

RALEIGH – A team of about 25 North Carolina state and local public health professionals and volunteers are traveling to Florida today to assist in recovery efforts from damage caused by Hurricane Wilma.

At the time this release was written the team’s plan of action called for them to check in with response officials at Lantana, Florida, this evening and initiate the first of two public health needs surveys on Monday. The first field assessment will take place in north Broward County and employ a scientific cluster sampling of about 210 residents to determine the types and extent of the residents’ public health needs.

The second assessment is expected to take place in small communities in Glades and Hendry counties. The scope of this survey will be determined in consultation with local response officials but is expected to involve a survey sampling of about 200 residents.

" Our state’s ability to rapidly determine the public health needs of a community following a disaster is unparalleled,” Dr. Lou Turner, head of the state Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response said. "This is one of the new resources that we have developed with funding providing since 9-11 and we are happy to use it to help out our friends in Florida.”

The capability to conduct such rapid needs assessments is made possible by using scientific survey techniques developed by the CDC and by using handheld computers to record survey responses and guide survey teams through unfamiliar places using GPS/GIS map technology. These techniques and technology have already been employed in response to hurricanes and naturally occurring disease outbreaks in North Carolina.

For general information about public health preparedness efforts in North Carolina, visit http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/phpr/.

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