Mass Gatherings: Are You Prepared?
 

Glossary

B

Baseline incidence: The incidence rate of disease in the community before the mass gathering event.

Biological agent: Bacteria, viruses, or other germs spread through air, water, or food. Often modified by terrorists to make them more dangerous when released.

C

Chemical agent: Poisonous gases, liquids, or solids that have toxic effects on people. Can cause serious injury or death.

Contact tracing: The identification and diagnosis of individuals who may have come in contact with an infected person.

Crowd density: The ratio between the number of persons and the area the crowd is in.

Crowd mood: A psychosocial phenomena based on social conditions, spectator personalities, and situational changes in the environment. Affects crowd behavior.

I

Incidence rate: Measures the proportion of new cases of disease within a population during a given period of time.

Incubation period: The time from the moment of exposure to an infectious agent until signs and symptoms of the disease appear.

Intentional acts: The deliberate release of biological, chemical, or radionuclear agents to cause illness or death in people.

Interoperability: The ability for all different devices and systems to function together.

Isolation: The separation of a person or group of persons from other people to prevent the spread of infection.

M

Mass casualty: A large number of people injured or dead in a relatively short period of time, usually as the result of a single incident that exceeds local logistical support capabilities.

Mass dispensing: Large-scale distribution of medications, vaccines, and other medical supplies.

Mass gathering: A preplanned, event held at a specific location for a defined period of time that strains local planning and response resources.

O

Outbreak: An increase in the number of expected cases of a certain disease in a given period of time (also sometimes called an epidemic).

Outbreak investigation: Determines the cause and how many people are affected in an outbreak.

P

Prophylaxis: A measure taken to prevent a disease.

Public health surveillance: The systematic collection and analysis of data about diseases and injuries.

Q

Quarantine: Restricting activities or limiting freedom of movement of those presumed exposed to a communicable disease so as to prevent contact with those unexposed. Measures may include suspending public gatherings, closing public places, and restricting travel.

R

Radionuclear agent: A weapon designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life.

Redundancy: Having multiple communication systems in case one system fails.

S

Surveillance: The systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data on an ongoing basis, to gain knowledge of the pattern of disease occurrence and potential in a community, in order to control and prevent disease in the community.

T

Triage: A system of assigning priorities of medical treatment based on urgency and chance of survival.