Responding to Natural and Industrial Disasters: Partnerships and Lessons Learned

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to provide insights learned from disaster research response (DR2) efforts following Hurricane Harvey in 2017 to launch DR2 activities following the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) fire in Deer Park, Texas, in 2019. Methods: A multidisciplinary group of academic, community, and government partners launched a myriad of DR2 activities. Results: The DR2 response to Hurricane Harvey focused on enhancing environmental health literacy around clean-up efforts, measuring environmental contaminants in soil and water in impacted neighborhoods, and launching studies to evaluate the health impact of the disaster. The lessons learned after Harvey enabled rapid DR2 activities following the ITC fire, including air monitoring and administering surveys and in-depth interviews with affected residents. Conclusions: Embedding DR2 activities at academic institutions can enable rapid deployment of lessons learned from one disaster to enhance the response to subsequent disasters, even when those disasters are different. Our experience demonstrates the importance of academic institutions working with governmental and community partners to support timely disaster response efforts. Efforts enabled by such experience include providing health and safety training and consistent and reliable messaging, collecting time-sensitive and critical data in the wake of the event, and launching research to understand health impacts and improve resiliency.

Developing a Short Assessment of Environmental Health Literacy (SA-EHL)

“…In the same way, the SA-EHL may be used as an EHL screener to inform more appropriate messaging. This is a priority especially given environmental hazards following disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes and chemical releases [ 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”

Designing Equitable, Transparent, Community-engaged Disaster Research

“…This program also conducts trainings with first responders, regional and federal agencies, and researchers in environmental health (Miller et al 2016). Efforts to increase coordination amongst researchers and their community partners have resulted in substantial changes to the ways in which disaster research is conducted, such as the implementation of a single IRB and standardized participant registries (Packenham et al 2017;Collogan et al 2004;Symanski et al 2021).…”

Developing a Concept of Operations Template to Guide Collaborative Disaster Research Response Between Academic Public Health and Public Health Agencies

“…2 Prior disasters have demonstrated the value of collaboration between academic researchers, particularly those based within colleges, schools or programs of public health (ie, academic public health), and public health agencies (PHAs) to successfully execute time-sensitive disaster research. 4 Forming relationships early on, during the preparedness phase, helps investigators be better prepared to act rapidly and decisively once a disaster occurs. 2 Moreover, pre-developed study protocols as well as IRBs with experience conducting rapid reviews can facilitate the ability to conduct research across disasters resulting from both natural and technological hazards.…”

“…2 Moreover, pre-developed study protocols as well as IRBs with experience conducting rapid reviews can facilitate the ability to conduct research across disasters resulting from both natural and technological hazards. 4 Recognizing the importance of conducting collaborative, timely, and community-responsive public health research in the context of a disaster response, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and National Library of Medicine established the DR2 program in 2013. 3 The DR2 program serves as an important resource for furthering the nation's capacity to develop and implement timely research in response to disasters and public health emergencies through global access to data collection tools, ready-to-go IRB-reviewed protocols, guidance for ethical reviews of research proposals, and support for a growing network of researchers ready to respond to the diverse scientific challenges posed by these situations.…”

“…5 Moreover, the DR2 relationships and infrastructure developed during Hurricane Harvey were used to springboard DR2 activities following an unrelated technological hazard 18 months later. 4 The next NIEHS DR2 workshop, co-hosted by the University of Washington, focuses on the process of conducting research in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. While prior workshops have largely focused on enhancing DR2 capacity among participating stakeholders, the University of Washington's planning team is committed to developing legacy products to support DR2 capacity development in other communities and contexts.…”