ID
12-508-1133
Name
Epidemiological Response Team
Status
Published
Version
1.9
Updated
1/9/2024 4:08:53 PM
Original Release
03/14/2008
Last Major Release
 
Description
The Epidemiological Response Team identifies, monitors, and investigates disease outbreaks, injuries or other conditions of public health importance following an incident or declared disaster
Resource Category
Medical and Public Health
Primary Core Capability
Public Health, Healthcare, and Emergency Medical Services
Secondary Core Capability
Screening, Search, and Detection
Resource Kind
Team
Overall Function
The Epidemiological Response Team: 1. Supports public health authorities in the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) in incident epidemiological tasks 2. Performs epidemiological tasks, including: a. Designing and conducting data collection related to the target disease or injury agent b. Conducting data analysis c. Developing and presenting qualitative and quantitative data describing the affected and at-risk populations, the methods of agent spread or transmission and other insights that inform decision-making, policy and actions to control the incident impact 3. Manages, implements and monitors ordered control measures, including isolation and quarantine 4. Supports contact tracing 5. Augments in-place epidemiological functions 6. Interfaces and coordinates with public health agencies, jurisdictional Emergency Support Function (ESF) #8 – Public Health and Medical, health care coalitions, public health assessment teams, environmental health teams or other public health disciplines and laboratories
Composition and Ordering Specifications
1. Discuss logistics for deploying this team, such as working conditions, length of deployment, security, lodging, transportation and meals, prior to deployment 2. This team works up to 12 hours per shift, is self-sustainable for 72 hours and is deployable for up to 14 days 3. The requestor provides support to the team, such as security, fuel and power for recharging phones, computers and other rechargeable devices 4. Requestor may order additional Epidemiology Interviewers within the span of control 5. Acquire additional specialized personnel appropriate to the incident, such as microbiologists, medical entomologists, bioinformaticians and Environmental Health Specialists separately 6. Requestor may order a National Incident Management System (NIMS) Type 1 Epidemiologist for specific subject areas, such as injury epidemiology, environmental epidemiology, foodborne disease or infectious disease epidemiology or any NIMS Type Epidemiologist for disaster epidemiology 7. Requestor may order Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialists separately to support the team
Supporting Core Capabilities
None
Components
Component Notes  
Minimum Personnel Per TeamNot Specified
Component Types
Type Attribute
Type 16
Type 25
Management And Oversight Personnel Per TeamNot Specified
Component Types
Type Attribute
Type 11 – NIMS Type 2 Epidemiologist
Type 21 – NIMS Type 3 Epidemiologist
SUPPORT PERSONNEL PER TEAMNot Specified
Component Types
Type Attribute
Type 1Same as Type 2, PLUS: 1 – NIMS Type 3 Epidemiologist
Type 23 – NIMS Public Health Interviewer 1 – NIMS Public Health Data Science Specialist
Epidemiological Information Gathering Capability Per TeamNot Specified
Component Types
Type Attribute
Type 11. Enhanced information gathering and analysis for human disease and injury 2. Capable of taking clinical specimens of patients through qualified medical professionals for laboratory analysis
Type 2Basic epidemiology information gathering and analysis for human disease and injury
Epidemiological Surveillance and Investigation Equipment Per TeamSpecimen collection supplies (such as urine catch cups, culture swabs, sterile applicators, vacutainer tubes and needles) may be necessary to collect clinical specimens
Component Types
Type Attribute
Type 1Same as Type 2, PLUS: 1. Clinical specimen collection supplies
Type 21. Epidemiological surveillance and investigation forms 2. Epidemiologic database and analysis software
Electronics Equipment Per TeamNot Specified
Component Types
Type Attribute
Type 1Same as Type 2
Type 2Computers (one per team member)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Equipment Per Team MemberThe following standard addresses PPE: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910.1030: Bloodborne Pathogens
Component Types
Type Attribute
Type 1Same as Type 2
Type 2PPE is mission-specific and may include: 1. Respirators 2. Eye protection 3. Protective footwear 4. Protective clothing 5. Hearing protection 6. Masks 7. Disposable gloves
Communications Equipment Per TeamNot Specified
Component Types
Type Attribute
Type 1Same as Type 2
Type 21. Cell phones (one per team member) 2. Two-way portable radios (one per team member)
965
Notes
References
Reference
FEMA, NIMS 509: Epidemiologist
FEMA, NIMS 509: Public Health Data Science Specialist
FEMA, NIMS 509: Public Health Interviewer
FEMA, National Incident Management System (NIMS), October 2017
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910.1030: Bloodborne Pathogens, latest edition adopted
Published Versions
Version Publish Date Document Type
1.9 1/9/2024 4:08:53 PM PDF
1.8 11/15/2019 6:00:38 PM PDF
1.7 11/1/2019 12:14:27 PM PDF
1.6 7/17/2019 3:30:29 PM PDF
1.5 9/28/2018 5:08:03 PM PDF
1.4 11/7/2017 3:19:05 PM PDF
1.3 4/8/2016 9:27:57 AM Unavailable
1.2 8/11/2014 8:30:13 PM Unavailable
1.1 4/8/2014 6:25:10 PM Unavailable
1.0 12/12/2013 5:50:47 PM Unavailable