ID
12-508-1133
Name
Epidemiological Response Team
Status
Published
Version
1.8
Updated
11/15/2019 6:00:38 PM
Original Release
03/14/2008
Last Major Release
11/15/2019
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 parameters 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. Performs 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, 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. The requestor provides support to the team, such as security, fuel, and power for recharging phones, computers, and other rechargeable devices. 3. Requestor may order additional Epidemiology Interviewers within span of control 4. Acquire additional specialized personnel appropriate to the incident, such as microbiologists, medical entomologists, bioinformaticians, and Environmental Health Specialists separately 5. 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 6. 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 111
Type 26
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 3 – NIMS Type 1 Epidemiology Interviewer 1 – NIMS Type 1 Public Health Data Entry Specialist
Type 23 – NIMS Type 1 Epidemiology Interviewer 1 – NIMS Type 1 Public Health Data Entry Specialist 1 – NIMS Type 1 Epidemiological Information Technology 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 from patients 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: Clinical specimen collection supplies
Type 21. Epidemiological surveillance and investigation forms 2. Epidemiologic database and analysis software
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT PER TEAMConsider alternate forms of communication, such as satellite phones, based on the mission assignment and team needs.
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)
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 TeamThe 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
838
Notes
References
Reference
FEMA, NIMS 509: Epidemiologist
FEMA, NIMS 509: Epidemiology Interviewer
FEMA, NIMS 509: Public Health Data Entry Specialist
FEMA, NIMS 509: Epidemiological Information Technology Specialist
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