Forum Week 6 Public Health Outbreak

Forum Week 6

Choose a recent (within the last 3 years) outbreak or other public health emergency situation that has drawn significant media attention.  Describe how specific aspects of the public health infrastructure contributed to either the emergency situation or its solution.  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 

I chose the Tornado outbreak that occurred in 2013 in Oklahoma City. It was a severe weather outbreak that lasted from May 18th to May 20th which resulted in a F5 tornado on May 20thlate in the afternoon. It touched down in the city of Moore, Oklahoma and in Oklahoma City, claimed the lives of over fifty people including several small children, injured many others and caused billions in damage by the time it was over. There were several other tornadoes in other counties across Oklahoma City that day too, not as large as the one that hit Moore but they also caused a lot of damage as well. The emergency management support services and recovery services were quickly set up right after the Tornado hit. A command post was set up in the parking lot of one the local movie theatres. As stated on FEMA’s report, “FEMA’s initial response to the Oklahoma severe storms and tornadoes was effective. FEMA demonstrated its ability to fulfill its mission to serve and assist disaster survivors effectively by aggressively responding to the disaster both before and after the Presidential declaration, meeting recovery challenges, creatively overcoming resource shortfalls, implementing a variety of disaster sourcing methods, and effectively coordinating activities with the State” (Department of Homeland Security, 2014). I tried to locate the MMWR report but could not although I am sure there is on. 

References

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-20130520

Department of Homeland Security. (2014, March 19). FEMA’s Initial Response to the Oklahoma Severe Storms and Tornadoes. Retrieved from https://www.oig.dhs.gov/assets/GrantReports/2014/OIG_14-50-D_Mar14.pdf