One-Stop Shop: Resources for the Field Before & After a WASH-related Emergency

• The Twin Cities Metro Advanced Practice Center. Environmental Health Emergency Response Guide. [PDF - 72 pages]  A guide for responding to environmental health issues associated with disasters. Water, sanitation, and hygiene information can be found in Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 13.
• World Health Organization (WHO). Public Health and Environment.
• WHO. Environmental Health in Emergencies and Disasters: A Practical Guide.
  • Chapter 7 - Water Supply. [PDF - 35 pages]
  • Chapter 8 – Sanitation. [PDF - 21 pages]
• NEHA. Environmental Health Training in Emergency Response. Introductory level training that addresses a range of environmental health topics commonly faced in response to emergency events, including assessing shelter operations, food, water, wastewater, building environments, and vector control.

• CDC. Water Security. Links to information on planning for the protection of water supplies and responding to contamination threats and incidents.
• EPA. Water Security. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Emergency/Incident Planning enables responders from a variety of jurisdictions to work together effectively when responding to an emergency.
  • Vulnerability Assessments. Tools and training to aid water utilities in assessing their vulnerabilities to adversarial actions.
  • Emergency/Incident Planning. Tools and training to help water utilities develop a plan to respond to emergencies.
  • Emergency Response Plan Guidance for Small and Medium Community Water Systems. [PDF - 45 pages]
  • Tools and Technical Assistance.
    • Water Contaminant Information Tool. A secure, online database developed by the U.S. EPA that provides information on contaminants of concern for water security. As a planning tool, WCIT can be used to help create and update emergency response plans and site-specific response guidelines. As a response tool, WCIT can be used to provide real-time data on water contaminants to help utilities make decisions if contamination occurs.
    • Tabletop Exercise Tool for Water Systems: Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Climate Resiliency (TTX Tool) Overview. Exercises to train water and wastewater utility workers and health officials in preparing and carrying out emergency response plans.

• CDC. Water Advisory Planning Resources & Case Studies. Guidance around drinking water advisory communication, emergency water supply planning for health care facilities, planning for an emergency water supply, and pipe breakage.
• CDC. Community Drinking Water Systems. Guidance for how community drinking water systems can prepare for an emergency situation. 
• Gelting RJ, Miller MD. Linking Public Health and Water Utilities to Improve Emergency Response. [PDF - 5 pages] J Contemp Water Res Educ. 2004;(129):22-26.

• CDC. When Every Drop Counts: Protecting Public Health During Drought Conditions. This guide is intended to assist public health officials, practitioners, and other stakeholders in their efforts first to understand and then to prepare for drought in their communities.

• CDC. Community Wastewater Systems. This page includes documents to help public wastewater utility facilities with planning, training, and responding to emergency incidents.

• Water Health Connection. Recognizing Waterborne Disease and the Health Effects of Water Pollution. Resources and educational tools to assist physicians in the recognition of waterborne disease and the health effects of water pollution (for example, evaluation and management of disease resulting from waterborne pathogens, chemical contaminants, etc.) and health risk communication.
• Water Health Connection. Physician Preparedness for Acts of Water Terrorism. A guide for physicians to recognize and treat waterborne disease and respond to the symptoms of exposure to water contamination.

Podcast: Planning for an Emergency
Running Time: 3:09
Release Date: 12/20/14

Summary: An emergency kit can help you survive during a disaster. This podcast discusses supplies to include in your kit.

• EPA. Drinking Water Systems: Emergency/Incident Information. Information to help in emergency/response efforts.
• CDC. Boil Water Advisories. For Cryptosporidium, but applies to other organisms as well.
• CDC. Water Advisory Planning Resources and Case Studies. Drinking water advisory planning and communications for water systems, both before and after an event.

• The Connecticut Department of Public Health. Bulk Water Hauling Guidelines. [PDF - 4 pages]
• The World Health Organization (WHO). Cleaning and Disinfecting Water Storage Tanks and Tankers. [PDF - 4 pages]

• CDC. Hygiene, Handwashing, & Diapering. Information on good hygiene, handwashing, and diapering practices after an emergency.
• CDC. Cleaning and Sanitizing. Information on cleaning and sanitizing containers and surfaces after an emergency.
• CDC. After a Hurricane or Flood: Cleanup of Flood Water. Information on cleaning up flood water inside and outside of the home.

• CDC. Community Wastewater Systems. Information on what to do with community wastewater systems after an emergency.
• CDC. Potential Sanitation Solutions During an Emergency Response. Information on how to handle sanitation issues to minimize the spread of disease in emergency response situations.
• CDC. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems.
• CDC. Potential Sanitation Solutions During an Emergency Response. Information on how to handle sanitation issues to minimize the spread of disease in emergency response situations.
• CDC. Guidance for Reducing Health Risks to Workers Handling Human Waste or Sewage.

• CDC. Floods. Guidance on the risks of infectious disease, chemical hazards, and injuries associated with exposure to flood waters or flooded buildings.

• CDC. Guidance for Reducing Health Risks to Workers Handling Human Waste or Sewage. Information on how first responders and others can protect themselves from human waste after an emergency.

• CDC. Natural Disasters: Response, Cleanup & Safety for Workers. A list of emergency response resources for workers at natural disaster sites.

   

• CDC. Infection Control Guidance for Community Evacuation Centers Following Disasters. Recommendations for basic infection control guidance to prevent exposure to or transmission of infectious diseases in temporary community evacuation centers.
• CDC. Shelters. Shelters provide a safe place for individuals affected by emergency events to reside. These shelters can provide a variety of services such as water, food, sleeping quarters, sanitation facilities, and medical care. Many critical functions occur in shelters; examples include conducting shelter assessments, testing drinking water supplies, conducting food safety inspections, and evaluating general safety and sanitation.
• CDC. Public Health Surveillance After a Disaster: Shelter Assessment Tool. CDC has developed an Environmental Health Shelter Assessment Tool to assist environmental health practitioners in conducting a rapid assessment of shelter conditions during emergencies and disasters. The tool is an assessment form that covers 14 general areas of environmental health, ranging from basic food safety and water quality to pet (companion animal) wellness, and allows for the documentation of immediate needs in shelters. It can be easily modified to meet local needs.

• CDC. Global WASH-Related Diseases and Contaminants.
• CDC. Infectious Disease after a Disaster.
• CDC. A to Z Index. Topical index that includes specific diseases or pathogens, listed alphabetically.

Drinking Water: Fact Sheets

Make Water Safe

• English. [PDF - 1 page]
• Español. [PDF - 1 page]

Drink Safe Water

• English. [PDF - 1 page]
• Español. [PDF - 1 page]

Hygiene and Handwashing: Fact Sheet

• Handwashing Station. [PDF - 1 page]

Diapering: Posters

• Diapering in Emergency Situations
  • Safe and Healthy Diapering to Reduce the Spread of Germs (in Emergency Settings)
  • Planning Checklist for Diapering Stations in Shelters

Wound Care: Podcast

Emergency Wound Care After a Disaster (0:29)

Summary: This podcast discusses how to care for a wound after an emergency or disaster.