NWS & CDC – Working Together to Communicate Weather-Related Health

Hazards

NWS: Michelle Hawkins, Fiona Horsfall, Duane Carpenter, Cindy WoodsCDC: Vivi Siegel, Lisa Briseño, Niki Grimsley, Joanne Cox

August 4, 2014

Health in NOAA

• NOAA One-Health Working Groupo About 40 members across the agency o Developing NOAA-wide health strategy

• NWS Health Team • NOAA-CDC MOU

Provides a formal cooperative framework to further collaborative efforts

o Strengthen science and services to reduce environmental and public health threats

o Promote the efficient use of shared technologies and infrastructure 

o Enhance the accuracy, timeliness, and integrated application of data and information to address public health issues

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NWS & CDC Joint Messaging

• NOAA and CDC strategy meetings resulted in a focused collaborative effort: Joint messaging on weather, water and climate related health events

• This effort will:• Provide information on weather and climate related

health hazards • Broaden the audience for CDC information• Support current NWS efforts to provide impact-based

decision support services

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CDC Request During Sandy

• NWS contacted by CDC Joint Information Centero JIC is a 24/7 emergency preparedness unit that is activated during

public health emergencieso Develops, clears, and disseminates health messages to the public

and at-risk audiences

• Requested that NWS disseminate life-saving health informationo Provide targeted information to areas impacted by power outages

and flooding

Photo by Rosa Norman: CDC's Joint Information Center (JIC) during response to Japan earthquake, tsunami, and radiation release

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• During Sandy, NWS and CDC collaborated on joint messagingo JIC provided life saving information on the use of generators,

dangerous fumes, downed power lines, and harmful mold o NWS formatted the information for consistency and

incorporation with NWS productso NWS facilitated engagement with field offices to transmit

messages via normal channels and NOAA Weather Radio

NWS & CDC in Action

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Developed Special Statements

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC):

IN THE WAKE OF SUPERSTORM SANDY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR CITIZENS TO REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE AND HEALTH AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY:

* DRINK CLEAN, SAFE WATER AND EAT SAFE, UNCONTAMINATED FOOD. * KEEP GENERATORS OUTSIDE AT LEAST 25 FEET FROM DOORS WINDOWS AND VENTS.* DO NOT GRILL INSIDE YOUR HOME THE FUMES CAN KILL.* NEVER TOUCH A DOWNED POWER LINE OR ANYTHING TOUCHING ONE.* USE 1 CUP OF BLEACH FOR EACH GALLON OF WATER TO REMOVE MOLD.* NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA THE FUMES CAN KILL.* WASHING YOUR HANDS PREVENTS ILLNESS.* SEEK HELP IF HAVING TROUBLE COPING.

FOR MORE LIFE SAVING HEALTH RELATED INFORMATION CALLTHE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AT 1-800-232-4636,TTY 888-232-6348

HTTP://EMERGENCY.CDC.GOV/DISASTERS/

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Message Dissemination

Messages were disseminated by Weather Forecast Offices New York Mt. Holly Binghamton Boston Philadelphia Charleston

Picked up by national and local media

Distributed on NWS social media sites

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Testing a Process

Thank you!Michelle.Hawkins@NOAA.gov

NWS.Health@NOAA.gov

Comments on Experimental Service:http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/notification/pns13sup-wx-info.htm

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