CDC Develops Crisis Response Toolkit for Public Health Response Authorities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effect Health Studies Branch has produced the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) Toolkit to address challenges public health and other emergency response officials confront in identifying, preparing for, responding to, and mitigating disasters, such as large-scale outbreaks. CASPER was specifically designed to help epidemiologists and public health authorities in the collection of important health intelligence during a large-scale, potentially mass casualty disaster. CASPER, also referred to as Rapid Need Assessment (RNA), Rapid Epidemiologic Assessment (REA), and Rapid Health Assessment (RHA), will assist public health practitioners and emergency management officials in determining the health status and basic needs of the affected community, the guidance explained, noting gathering information about health and basic need data by using valid statistical methods allows public health and emergency managers to prioritize their responses and to rationalize the distribution of resources. Personnel from any local, regional, state or federal public health department, emergency management officials, academicians or other disaster responders who need to assess household-level public health needs following a disaster may use this toolkit. The main objective of CASPER is to rapidly assess the present and potential health effects and basic needs for a population affected by a disaster.