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The CDC Foundation established the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund to arm CDC with the resources it needs for future emergencies. |
CDC is dedicated to preparing for large-scale public health emergencies - whether terrorist attacks, pandemic flu or natural disasters.
CDC and its partners at the national and local levels are working to develop and improve emergency preparedness plans that can be activated the moment disaster strikes. In addition, CDC experts are often among the first on the frontlines of a disaster, monitoring for potential disease outbreaks, assessing damage to health care infrastructures and providing medical care when needed.
The CDC Foundation has established a special fund to help CDC prepare for future public health emergencies and, when needed, to allow CDC experts in the field to immediately purchase the specialized equipment or services needed to get the job done.
The CDC Foundation Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund was established in response to the lessons learned from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the following anthrax attacks. For example, CDC workers at Ground Zero in New York City were relying on cell phones to communicate important data, but couldn’t get through because of the unusually high call volume following the crisis. CDC workers lacked the means to immediately purchase satellite phones that would have helped them perform their jobs more effectively.
The Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund removes these types of roadblocks for CDC experts responding to future emergencies. The fund provides for four basic areas of need:
- Emergency purchasing power
- Short-term staffing needs
- Consulting services for strategic emergency preparedness planning and crisis management
- Rapid procurement of equipment and technology
CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding activated the Fund for the first time on September 1, 2005, to support the public health response to Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast region. The Fund enabled the CDC Foundation to immediately respond to requests for help, providing prescription medications and health screenings for evacuees as well as communications and office equipment, travel assistance and health education resources for public health teams.
The CDC Foundation Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund gives all Americans a meaningful way to invest in CDC’s readiness - and the nation’s safety. Learn how you can help.
Fore more information, please contact the CDC Foundation at (888) 880-4CDC.