Public health emergencies such as infectious disease, bioterrorism, or natural disasters require a coordinated response at the local, national, and international levels. RAND research improves the capability of public health systems to anticipate and prepare for such emergencies, by providing a robust set of standardized response measures, tabletop exercises, and toolkits; using GIS technology for planning; and identifying best practices and lessons learned from multiagency exercises.
Report
Louisiana homeowners who sought federally-funded grants through “The Road Home” program for homes damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have had to wait more than eight months on average to receive grants.
Commentary
Tornado deaths and injuries are the predictable result of poorly conceived construction patterns that threaten to reverse the benefits that have resulted from advanced storm warning and forecasting capabilities, writes Charles Meade.
News Release
Public health departments that staff disease-reporting hotlines with live operators at all times are more likely to meet federal guidelines designed to help stop the spread of infectious diseases.
Journal Article
Regionalization improves emergency preparedness by allowing for more efficient use of resources and better coordination and progress in terms of planning and coordination; capacity-building, training, and exercises; and professional networks.
Journal Article
Most public health preparedness planning and response activities in the D.C. area are the result of voluntary self-organization through both governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Including all government agencies in planning is a challenge.
Journal Article
Health departments can achieve optimal performance by consistently connecting a caller with an action officer in 30 minutes or less and may improve performance by using a disease surveillance phone system in which a live person answers at all times.
Journal Article
The International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 present a challenge and opportunity for global surveillance and control of infectious diseases.
Report
New training manuals provide a curricula that can be used to train hospital and clinic staff as well as department of mental health staff on how to prepare for and respond to the psychological consequences of large-scale disasters.
Report
U.S. communities depend on reliable, safe, and secure rail systems, but such systems are vulnerable to terrorist attack. A framework developed for rail security planners and policymakers can help guide cost-effective plans to secure their rail systems from attacks.
Report
Planning a successful Olympics in London in 2012 will require organizers to learn from the successes and problems of past games in the areas of transportation, infrastructure, and security.
Report
New Orleans should craft a comprehensive economic redevelopment plan that combines public- and private-sector funding with a centralized structure. Total operating costs could run between $2 million and $3 million per year.
Report
Since September 11, 2001, organized groups of families and friends have emerged to become a powerful voice in U.S. counterterrorist policy and legislation. These groups have been successful in establishing the 9/11 Commission and implementing its most important recommendations.
Report
The nation may be able to reduce losses from disasters such as wildfires and floods if more research focused on how to protect people, buildings and infrastructure.
Research Brief
Despite strong initial efforts to support the mental health needs of students displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many schools have not been able to fulfill students' mental health needs over the long term.
Report
While construction permits have been issued for approximately 60 percent of the housing damaged by Hurricane Katrina, repair and replacement of multi-unit housing significantly lags behind repair and replacement of single-family homes in three coastal counties in Mississippi heavily damaged by the hurricane.
Research Brief
This research brief summarizes research that has identified the advantages and disadvantages of some approaches used to measure public health preparedness and suggested avenues for developing new preparedness tools.
Commentary
Protecting our [emergency] protectors is more than just the right thing to do; it is critical to maintaining America's capability to respond to future disasters, writes Brian A. Jackson.
Report
The U.S. Army should change the way it plans for domestic emergencies to better support state and local first responders.
News Release
April 5, 2007 news release: RAND Panel Identifies Key Components of Public Health Emergency Preparedness.
Report
This report examines infectious disease within the context of national security and assesses the need for and adequacy of information that will enable U.S. policymakers to prevent and respond to such threats.
RAND® is a registered trademark. Copyright © 1994-2013 RAND Corporation.