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You are here: Home Training Hot Topics 2005 Hot Topics Preparedness and Response Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina

Preparedness and Response Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina

Tuesday, November 1, 2005; Noon - 1:30 pm, (PST)

Presenters

Chris Sanford, MD, works for the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and co-director of the Travel Clinic at Hall Health Primary Care Center. His presentation, "Nine Days at the Airport: The Medical Response to Hurricane Katrina", will document the sequence of events leading up to and during the hurricane, as well as his participation in Disaster Medical Assistance Team deployed to the New Orleans airport.

Cynthia M. Smith, RN, has been the Director of the Hill County Health Department in Havre, MT, for six years. She serves as the workforce committee chair for the Montana State Public Health Improvement Task Force, and is active on many service committees and coalitions to improve health systems in Montana. Cindy will present "Hurricane Katrina: A Public Health Official in a Red Cross Volunteer World", which will help participants assess how well prepared they are to work together with local or national volunteer organizations during an emergency by exploring her experience as a certified Red Cross Health Service Volunteer in the Katrina response efforts.

Registration Information

Registration for live events is coordinated by individuals representing our partner organizations in the Northwest. If you are in the Northwest, see our registration information to find your nearest contact.

Description

This online, interactive session will feature two practitioners from the Pacific Northwest who assisted in the Hurricane Katrina response efforts. Both speakers will share their experiences and reflect upon lessons they learned that may have important implications for public health planning and response to major disasters.

Following the presentations, Lisle Hites, a Research Assistant Professor at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, LA, will share his reflections both as a person who was directly impacted by the disaster and as a public health professional surveying the area as part of the recovery effort.

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe the role of Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) in a public health emergency and strategies for improving their effectiveness
  2. Identify strengths and weaknesses of interagency coordination during a volunteer experience
  3. Describe three ways to address the identified areas of concern in their local preparedness plan

Appropriate Audience

  • Public health professionals
  • Volunteer organizations
  • Health care providers
  • State, tribal, and local emergency/disaster response teams

Session Archive

Play the recorded presentation [ 17 MB ]

Can't access the recording? You may need to download the iLinc player from our software and plug-ins page.

Slides and Related Resources

Chris Sanford's Slides

Cynthia Smith's Slides

Document Actions