Local public health emergency operations center (EOC) integration and response to a massive explosion at a manufacturing facility in Milwaukee, WI.”

The extent and degree to which local public health agencies (LPHAs) are integrated within community-wide emergency response is dependent on a number of variables. These include: level of organizational pre-planning; amount of staff training; exercises with other local first responders; and functional familiarity with the incident command system (ICS) and emergency operations center (EOC) models. Public health agencies must be prepared for rapid mobilization of staff for assistance and support outside traditional core public health preparedness competencies but within the framework of the ICS and EOC.

On December 6th 2006 the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) responded to a massive accidental explosion at a local manufacturing facility along with local police, fire and EMS personnel. The event resulted in significant morbidity and mortality. As part of the ICS and EOC, the MHD quickly launched a telephone hotline to meet the deluge of requests for information by the public, family and friends of victims. Following incident stabilization, the MHD responded to over 500 calls within a several hour period, and collected air samples from the site to determine any public and environmental health risks associated with the event.

Local public health agencies need to be versatile, robust and flexible in response and coordination with other agencies during emergency events. In this case, the LPHA was well prepared in advance to rapidly integrate into – and effectively contribute to – the response, leveraging internal assets that further strengthen interagency relationships and preparedness for the future.