Preparedness Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Agent
A chemical, force, or organism that can injure humans or other animals.

Agroterrorism
The deliberate introduction of a chemical or a disease agent, either against livestock/crops or into the food chain, for the purpose of undermining stability and/or generating fear.

Airborne Transmission
Occurs by dissemination of small airborne droplet nuclei that remain suspended in the air for long periods of time or via dust particles containing the infectious agent. Microorganisms carried in this manner can be dispersed widely by air currents. Airborne transmission does not include droplets and other large particles that settle out within a range of 6 feet or less. Tuberculosis and varicella can be transmitted via aerosols. Use of aerosol transmission is a particular concern in a bioterrorist event.

All Hazards Planning
Emergency response plans that identify, prioritize, and address all hazards across all functions. Plans are coordinated at all levels of government and address the mitigation of secondary and cascading emergencies.

Antibiotic
A substance produced by bacteria or fungi that destroys or prevents the growth of other bacteria and fungi.

Antiviral
A drug that is used to treat a disease caused by a virus, by interfering with the ability of the virus to multiply in number or spread from cell to cell.

Anthrax
A serious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. There are three types of anthrax: skin (cutaneous), lung (inhalation) and digestive (gastrointestinal).

Auto-Inoculation (vaccinia)
The accidental transfer of vaccinia from vaccination site to another part of body. The transfer may occur on the hands and formites. The resulting lesions often form on the face, eyes, nose, mouth, genitalia and rectum. Most lesions heal without treatment.

Avian Influenza
An infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These influenza viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them. The risk from avian influenza is generally low to most people, because the viruses do not usually infect humans. However, confirmed cases of human infection from several subtypes of avian influenza infection have been reported since 1997.

B

Bacteria
A single-celled microorganism, some of which can cause disease.

Bioterrorism
The intentional release of disease-causing bacteria, viruses, toxins, and/or sports on civilian populations in order to induce fear and panic by causing illness and/or death.

BSL -- Bio-safety Level
A method for rating laboratory safety. Laboratories are designated BSL 1, 2, 3, or 4 based on the practices, safety equipment, and standards they employ to protect their workers from infection by the agents they handle. BSL-1 laboratories are suitable for handling low-risk agents; BSL-2 laboratories are suitable for processing moderate risk agents; and BSL-3 laboratories can safely handle high-risk agents. BSL-3 is suitable for work with infectious agents that may cause serious or potentially lethal diseases because of exposure by the inhalation route. BSL-4 is required for work with dangerous and exotic agents that pose a high individual risk of aerosol-transmitted laboratory infections and life-threatening disease. Agents with a close or identical antigenic relationship to Biosafety Level 4 agents are handled at this level until sufficient data are obtained either to confirm continued work at this level, or to work with them at a lower level.

Buboes
A manifestation of plague characterized by grossly enlarged, extremely tender lymph nodes draining at the respective site of Y. pestis inoculation.

C

Cache
A stockpile of antibiotics, other medications, supplies, or vaccines.

Category "A" Agents
Biological agents classified as high-risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because of their relative ease in dissemination and transmission, their high infectivity and virulence, impact on public order, and requirement of unique and extraordinary public health preparedness and response. The Category "A" agents are:
• Smallpox
• Anthrax
• Plague
• Botulism
• Tularemia
• Viral hemorrhagic fevers (e.g. Ebola and Lassa viruses)

CDC -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. government agency at the forefront of public health efforts to prevent and control infectious and chronic diseases, injuries, workplace hazards, disabilities, and environmental health threats. CDC is one of 13 major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC's role is to ……. (CDC does not have any regulatory authority.)

CERT -- Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
These are teams of volunteers from the community who are trained in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations so that they can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace when professional response personnel are not immediately available.

Chain of Command
In the Incident Command System, there is an orderly line of authority within the ranks of the organization, with lower levels subordinate to, and connected to, higher levels.

Chempak
A stockpile of pharmaceutical used to give immediate treatment for victims of a nerve gas attack. It is part of the national SNS program, but because the anti-nerve agents are needed immediately, they are “forward positioned” in the states, usually at hospitals.

Command and Control (C&C)
The way a state, region, or community manages its response to a public health emergency, through a hierarchical chain of authority, and shared understanding of roles and responsibilities operated through a predetermined pattern and infrastructure of communications. C&C is how political leadership, emergency management, public health, law enforcement, and other groups coordinate their response to an emergency.

Common terminology
A feature of the Incident Command System dictating that communication should be in plain English or clear text without agency-specific codes and jargon.

Communicable Diseases
Diseases that can be transmitted from one infected person to another, directly or indirectly.

Contact Tracing
A process used to locate primary case contacts and their household members for prophylaxis (e.g. smallpox vaccination), enhanced surveillance, and possible quarantine.

COTPER - Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response
Located within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) it provides strategic direction to support CDC's terrorism preparedness and emergency response efforts; manages CDC-wide preparedness and emergency response programs and maintains concerted emergency response operations, including the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and the Director's Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Countermeasure
An action taken to prevent disease or further illness, either through vaccination, anti-viral treatment, or antibiotics.

Critical agents
The biological and chemical agents likely to be used in weapons of mass destruction and other bioterrorist attacks. Lists of agents can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website

D

Decontamination
The removal or neutralization of poisonous gas or other injurious agents such as infectious agents from the environment including equipment or clothing.

DHS -- Department of Homeland Security
In 2002, 22 federal agencies were consolidated into the new Department of Homeland Security to help protect the nation from terrorist threats, assist in natural disaster relief, and provide citizenship services.

Disaster
Any event, typically occurring suddenly, that causes damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life, deterioration of health and health services, and which exceeds the adjustment capacity of the affected community on a scale sufficient to require outside assistance. These events can be caused by nature, equipment failure, human error; or biological hazards and diseases (e.g., earthquakes, floods, fires, hurricanes, cyclones, major storms, volcanic eruptions, spills, aircraft crashes, droughts, epidemics, food shortages, and civil strife).

Disaster Epidemiology
The study of disaster-related deaths, illnesses, or injuries in humans. Disaster epidemiology includes the study of factors that contribute to death, illness, and injury following a disaster. Epidemiologic investigations provide public health professionals with information on the public health consequences of disasters.

Dispensing
The process of providing medical prophylaxis to targeted populations in the community. The third step in the drug delivery chain from stockpile to distribution to dispensing.

Distribution
The process of delivering bulk medical materials (e.g. SNS supplies) from stockpile and staging areas to the dispensing centers. Second step in drug delivery chain from stockpile to distribution to dispensing.

DMAT -- Disaster Medical Assistance Team
A DMAT is a group of professional (physicians, nurses, physician assistants) and paraprofessional medical personnel (supported by a cadre of logistical and administrative staff) who provide medical care during a disaster or other event. Each team has a sponsoring organization, such as a major medical center, public health or safety agency, non-profit, public or private organization that signs a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DHS. The DMAT sponsor organizes the team and recruits members, arranges training, and coordinates the dispatch of the team.

DMORT -- Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team
DMORTs are composed of private citizens, each with a particular field of expertise, who are activated in the event of a disaster. During an emergency response, DMORTs work under the guidance of local authorities by providing technical assistance and personnel to recover, identify, and prepare for the disposition of remains of deceased victims.

Drill
A method of emergency plan evacuation. It tests a particular protocol and therefore is narrower in scope than an exercise. The classic drill is a fire evacuation drill.

Droplet Spread
An organism is spread to a susceptible person in respiratory secretions that form when an infected person breaths, coughs, or sneezes.

E

Emergency Management
A systematic program of activities that governments, organizations and institutions undertake before, during and after a disaster to save lives, prevent injury, and to protect property and the natural environment. Emergency management activities include mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery (see definitions below).

EOC - Emergency Operations Center
The facility from which a jurisdiction, agency or organization coordinates it response to major emergencies/disasters.

Emergency Support Function (ESF)
A functional area of disaster response activity established to coordinate the delivery of federal assistance during the response phase of an emergency. Each ESF represents the type of federal assistance most needed by states overwhelmed by the impact of a catastrophic event on local and state resources.

Epidemic
The occurrence in a community or region of cases of an illness (or an outbreak) with a frequency in excess of what would be expected normally.

Epidemiology - (abbr. Epi)
The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to control of health problems.

Epidemiologist
A person who practices epidemiology. Epidemiologists design and conduct
epidemiological studies, analyze data to detect patterns and trends in disease and identify risk factors for disease, establish and maintain surveillance systems, monitor health status and evaluate the performance and cost effectiveness of public health programs.

ESF 8 Health and Medical
Emergency Support Function #8 provides coordinated assistance to supplement local
resources in response to public health and medical care needs following a major disaster
or emergency, or during a developing potential medical situation.

Evaluation
A detailed review of a program or intervention, designed to determine whether program objectives were met, to assess its impact , and to identify the need for modifications in the design of future projects; conducted during, and at the completion of important milestones, or at the end of a specific period.

F

Family/Household
Persons who either reside in the same domicile as an individual or who are related by kinship (biological or adoptive parent, child, uncle, aunt, cousin); or legal family relationships, including guardianship, foster parentage, marriage, and civil unions.

FDA - U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The government agency responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. FDA is one of 13 major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Fetal vaccinia
Vaccinia infection of a fetus. Usually results in stillbirth or early fetal demise.

First responders
Local and nongovernmental police, fire, and emergency personnel who in the early stages of an incident are responsible for the protection and preservation of life, property, evidence, and the environment, as well as emergency management, public health, clinical care, public works, and other skilled support personnel (such as equipment operators) who provide immediate support services during prevention, response, and recovery operations.

FRP -- Federal Response Plan
The overarching emergency management plan of the US government.

Full scale exercise
A public health emergency response evaluation activity that involves acting out the response to a hypothetical scenario that is designed to test the effectiveness of response preparations: plans and infrastructure.

Functional exercise
A public health emergency response evaluation activity. It tests how well the command and communications structures of a public health emergency response (such as Emergency Operations Centers and their staffs) will function in response to a hypothetical scenario. Field response activities are simulated or described, and time advances artificially to stay within the time allotted for the exercise.

Fungus
Part of the Kingdom Fungi; a saprophytic and parasitic spore-producing eukaryotic typically filamentous organism (includes molds, rusts, mildews, smuts, mushrooms, and yeasts).

H

H5N1
A variant of avian influenza, which is a type of influenza virulent in birds. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide.

HAN -- Health Alert Network
A communications infrastructure that supports the dissemination of vital health information at the state and local levels. The HAN Messaging System directly and indirectly transmits Health Alerts, Advisories, and Updates to over one million recipients. The current system is being phased into the overall PHIN (Public Health Information Network) messaging component.

Hand hygiene
Hand washing with non-antimicrobial soap and water, alcohol-based hand rub, or antiseptic hand wash to reduce the transmission of infection.

Health alerts
Urgent messages from the CDC to health officials requiring immediate action or attention. The CDC also issues health advisories containing less urgent information about a specific health incident or response that may or may not require immediate action, and health updates, which do not require action. These messages are disseminated on state and local levels using the HAN (Health Alert Network).

Hepatitis A
A liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is spread in the stool of infected people.

HRSA -- Health Resources and Services Administration
An agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.

HSEEP -- The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
HSEEP is a threat- and performance-based exercise program that includes a cycle, mix and range of exercise activities of varying degrees of complexity and interaction.

I

ICS -- Incident Command System
A management model for command, control, and coordination of an organization's emergency response activities. ICS is the combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure, designed to aid in the management of resources during incidents

Immune system
The cells, tissues and organs that help the body to resist infection and disease by producing antibodies and/or altered cells that inhibit the multiplication of an infectious agent.

Immunity
Protection against disease achieved through the presence of disease-specific antibodies in a person's system.

IMS -- Incident management system
Another name for Incident Command System

Incident Action Plan
An oral or written plan containing objectives reflecting the overall strategy for managing an incident.

Incident Commander
The person responsible for all activities and functions during the response to an incident that is managed using the Incident Command System

Incubation period
The period of time from infection to first symptoms

Infectious agent
Any organism, such as a pathogenic virus, parasite, or bacterium, that is capable of invading body tissues, multiplying, and causing disease.

Influenza (flu)
An acute contagious viral infection characterized by inflammation of the respiratory tract and by fever, chills, muscular pain, and malaise.

Influenza Pandemic
A worldwide epidemic caused by a new strain of influenza that is easily spread from person-to-person and causes severe illness because people have little or no immunity to it.

Isolation
The separation of people known to have a contagious disease from those who are healthy, in order to stop the spread of that disease. Isolation usually occurs at a hospital, the person's home, or other health care facility.

J

JIC -- Joint Information Center
A central point of contact for all news media near the scene of a large-scale disaster. The center is staffed by public information officials who represent all participating federal, state, and local agencies to provide information to the media in a coordinated and consistent manner.

Job Action Sheet (JAS)
A document created for each role within a command structure that specifies the role title, mission, supervisor and duties.

JOC -- Joint Operations Center
The JOC acts as the focal point for the management and direction of onsite response activities, coordination, and establishment of state requirements and priorities, as well as the coordination of the federal response.

Just-in-time training
A compressed training and orientation program that permits PODs to use new volunteer staff immediately. It is anticipated that more than half of the POD staff will newly volunteer for the team at the time of the incident. Therefore, immediate training of these “spontaneous” volunteers is crucial for the team to operate. POD staff will learn the purpose of the POD, how the POD is managed using NIMS and how it will operate, logistical and procedural (“housekeeping”) details, background on the situation and the agent, and receive a primer on safety and infection control. JiTT also integrates the Job Action Sheets into the training, and is often followed by a practice session. During real events the team will prophylax or vaccinate itself as this final step in JiTT.

L

Laboratory levels (A,B,C,D)
A system for classifying laboratories by their capabilities. Classifications are:
A: Routine clinical testing. Includes independent clinical labs and those at universities and community hospitals
B: More specialized capabilities. Includes many state and local public health laboratories
C: More sophisticated public health labs and reference labs such as those run by CDC.
D: Possessing sophisticated containment equipment and expertise to deal with the most dangerous, virulent pathogens and include only CDC and Department of Defense labs, the FBI, and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).

Logistics
Refers to resource procurement and management to achieve objective goals; the section of ICS responsible for providing facilities, services, and materials for the incident (not personnel).

LRN --Laboratory Response Network
A national partnership of public health laboratories designed to coordinate and share resources for an effective response during a health emergency.

M

Manageable Span of Control
An aspect of the Incident Command System which dictates that supervisors must have a manageable number of individuals or resources under their control. Ideally the number of subordinates a manager has should not exceed 5.

Management by objectives
A feature of the Incident Command System that dictates that an incident is managed by developing and working toward objectives.

Mass Dispensing Area (MDA) also called Mass Vaccination Area (MVA)
A planning and response entity developed by the public health system in Connecticut to ensure mass dispensing of antibiotics or mass vaccination to large numbers of persons or to the entire public. Connecticut is divided into 41 areas, each lead by a full time health department, often collaborating through mutual aid agreements and as directed through public health preparedness contract with DPH. The health departments in each area develop common plans, protocols, response teams, and companion mutual aid for essential functions (such as security).

Mass Prophylaxis
The process by which an entire community is to receive prophylactic drugs/vaccines over a defined period of time in response to possible exposure to a biological agent.

Mitigation
Eliminating hazards or reducing their potential impact.

MMRS -- Metropolitan Medical Response System
A program of the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Emergency Preparedness intended to increase cities' ability to respond to a terrorist attack by coordinating the efforts of local law enforcement, fire, hazmat, EMS, hospital, public health and other personnel.

Mode of Transmission
The way that an organism is spread from an infected person to a susceptible person.

Modular Organization
A form of organization used by the Incident Command System that allows the system to expand or contract the number of modules according to the size and complexity of the incident.

MRC - Medical Reserve Corps
A US Department of Health and Human Services program that strengthens communities by helping medical, public health and other volunteers offer their expertise. MRC volunteers work in coordination with existing local emergency response programs and also supplement existing community public health initiatives, such as outreach and prevention, immunization programs, blood drives, case management, care planning, and other efforts.

N95 Respirator
A respirator (mask) that is 95% efficient at filtering out particles that are 3 micrometers; must be fit tested to assure a proper seal.

NCID -- National Center for Infectious Diseases
A unit within the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) that works to prevent illness, disability, and death caused by infectious diseases in the United States and around the world.

NDMS -- National Disaster Medical System
A federal program that dispatches out-of-state medical teams to an area that has suffered a disaster and tracks availability of hospital resources in participating institutions.

NIAID -- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
The NIAID (at the National Institutes of Health) conducts and supports basic and applied research to better understand, treat, and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases. NIAID research has led to new therapies, vaccines, diagnostic tests, and other technologies that have improved the health of millions.

NIH -- National Institutes of Health.
A branch of the federal Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH encourages and oversees medical and behavioral research.

NIMS - National Incident Management System
A comprehensive, national approach to incident management that is applicable at all jurisdictional levels and across functional disciplines. The intent of NIMS is to:
• Be applicable across a full spectrum of potential incidents and
hazard scenarios, regardless of size or complexity.
• Improve coordination and cooperation between public and private
entities in a variety of domestic incident management activities.

Notifiable conditions
A communicable disease, injury, cancer or other health condition that health care providers are required to report to a central agency within the state.

NPS -- National Planning Scenarios
Fifteen scenarios created for use as planning tools in national, state and homeland security preparedness activities.

NRP -- National Response Plan
The plan establishes a comprehensive all-hazards approach to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents. It incorporates best practices and procedures from incident management disciplines and integrates them into a unified structure. It forms the basis for the coordination of state, local and tribal governments and the private sector with the federal government during emergency events.

O

Operations
Refers to implementation of planned processes using resources provided by Logistics; the section of ICS responsible for all tactical processes at the incident.

Organism
A bacteria, virus, or fungus.

Pandemic
An epidemic (an outbreak of an infectious disease) that spreads worldwide, or at least across a large region.

Pandemic flu
Occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily from person to person, causes serious illness and can sweep across the country and around the world in a very short time.

Pathogen
Any agent or organism that can cause disease.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for protection against infectious material.

PHIN -- Public Health Information Network
Standards that provide the basis for developing and implementing information technology projects for CDC-funded programs including NEDSS, HAN (Health Alert Network), and others. PHIN is a national initiative to implement a multi-organizational business and technical architecture for public health information systems. The PHIN is CDC's vision for advancing fully capable and interoperable information systems in the many organizations that participate in public health.

PHTN -- Public Health Training Network
The CDC's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) distance learning system that uses instructional media ranging from print-based to videotape and multimedia to meet the training needs of the public health workforce nationwide.

Plague
An infectious disease of animals and humans caused by a bacteria named Yersinia pestis.

Pneumonic Plague
Due to infection of the lungs with Yersinia pestis, the plague bacterium. It is transmitted by coughing or sneezing or, in a terrorist or military attach, by spraying the organism into the air where victims can breathe it in. Pneumonic plague is a very serious, often fatal infection.

POD -- Point of Dispensing
Operations of teams that rapidly and safely distribute countermeasures against any one of several possible serious diseases to many exposed persons. Such countermeasures could include antibiotics for bacteria such as anthrax, vaccines for viruses such as smallpox or influenza, or other pharmaceuticals for influenza or radiation exposure. PODs are used in public health emergencies, are designed for high volumes of patients, and do not deliver medical care. They are one element of the Strategic National Stockpile and of the possible responses to natural or intentional public health emergencies.

Post Exposure Prophylaxis
The treatment of persons exposed to a disease before signs and symptoms develop to prevent development of illness.

Preparedness
Planning, training, and exercising for disastrous events

Prophylactic
A medical procedure or practice that prevents or protects against a disease or condition (eg, vaccines, antibiotics, drugs).

Protocol
A detailed script, decision tree, or patient flow diagram intended to guide decisions and attention at specific DVC stations (e.g., triage).

Public Health Emergency
A serious and urgent situation that increases the level or risk of disease in the population. As opposed to a “disaster” local and state jurisdictions can adequately respond with its resources.

Push package
A delivery of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals sent from the Strategic National Stockpile to a state undergoing an emergency within 12 hours of federal approval of a request by the state's Governor.

Q

Quarantine
Period of time when a person who has been exposed to an infection that is spread form person-to-person is separated and observed for symptoms of disease. Quarantine ends when the person has passed through the incubation period without symptoms of the disease or had developed symptoms. If the patient develops symptoms he/she is likely to be isolated until he/she is not longer infectious.

R

Recovery
Restoring normalcy after the disaster. These activities are not the sole responsibility of the designated emergency management agency. Virtually all agencies have a role, but most particularly law enforcement, fire services, public works, and public health.

Respiratory Hygiene
Measures taken to contain respiratory secretions including covering the nose/mouth when coughing or sneezing, using tissues to contain respiratory secretions and dispose of them in the nearest waste receptacle after use and performing hand hygiene after having contact with respiratory secretions and contaminated objects/materials.

Response
Taking action when a disaster occurs to save lives, prevent injuries, and prevent or limit property damage.

Scenario
A fictional account of a situation that is used to assist planning, training, or exercising of preparedness and emergency response activities.

Smallpox
An acute, contagious, and sometimes fatal disease caused by the Variola virus and marked by fever and a distinctive progressive skin rash.

SNS -- Strategic National Stockpile (formerly National Pharmaceutical Stockpile)
The Federal cache of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical supplies, equipment, and other items to augment local supplies of critical medical care targeted to high-priority diseases and conditions (based on the CDC Category A agents). It is supplied to state and local jurisdictions at their request if authorized by the CDC director. It delivers mass amounts of needed supplies to respond to public health emergencies and disasters. The term also refers to the program and support staff of the CDC managing and operating this cache. Formerly known as the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (NPS).

Social Distancing
To help prevent the spread of an infectious disease, social distancing includes measures to increase distance between individuals, such as staying home when ill unless seeking medical care, avoiding large gatherings, telecommuting, and school closures. These measures are sometimes called "focused measures to increase social distance." Depending on the situation, examples of cancellations and building closures might include: cancellation of public events (concerts, sports events, movies, plays) and closure of recreational facilities (community swimming pools, youth clubs, gymnasiums).

Surge capacity
Ability of institutions such as clinics, hospitals, or public health laboratories to respond to sharply increased demand for their services during a public health emergency.

Surveillance
The systematic ongoing collection, collation, and analysis of data that are used to monitor health status and the occurrence of disease and the timely dissemination of information obtained so that action can be taken. Surveillance is the essential feature of epidemiological practice.

Tabletop exercise
A public health emergency response evaluation activity in the DHS regimen of evaluation through drills and exercises. Response leadership discuss a hypothetical scenario and respond to facilitated questions to evaluate plans, protocols, and communications. It often is a precursor to a functional or full-scale exercise.

TOPOFF -- Top Officials
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Top Officials Exercise is a congressionally mandated exercise designed to strengthen the nation's capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from large-scale terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

TRAINConnecticut
Connecticut's public health learning management system. It is a web-based database that can be used to access and account for learning in public health.

Training Activities
Training can take many forms:

Orientation and Education Sessions - These are regularly scheduled discussion sessions to provide information, answer questions and identify needs and concerns.
Tabletop Exercise - Members of the emergency management group meet in a conference room setting to discuss their responsibilities and how they would react to emergency scenarios. This is a cost-effective and efficientway to identify areas of overlap and confusion before conducting more demanding training activities.
Walk-through Drill - The emergency management group and response teams actually perform their emergency response functions. This activity generally involves more people and is more thorough than a tabletop exercise.
Functional Drills - These drills test specific functions such as medical response, emergency notifications, warning and communications procedures and equipment, though not necessarily at the same time. Personnel are asked to evaluate the systems and identify problem areas.
Evacuation Drill - Personnel walk the evacuation route to a designated area where procedures for accounting for all personnel are tested. Participants are asked to make notes as they go along of what might become a hazard during an emergency, e.g., stairways cluttered with debris, smoke in the hallways. Plans are modified accordingly.
Full-scale Exercise - A real-life emergency situation is simulated as closely as possible. This exercise involves company emergency response personnel, employees, management and community response organizations.

Triage
The systematic and protocol-driven evaluation of patient-based information to determine the type of treatment or assistance needed.

Tularemia
A potentially serious illness that occurs naturally in the United States and is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis found in animals (especially rodents, rabbits, and hares.

U

Unified Command
An aspect of the incident command system that enables agencies with different legal, geographic and functional responsibilities to coordinate, plan and interact effectively.

USDA -- U.S. Department of Agriculture
The government agency responsible for regulating the safety and development of food, agriculture, and natural resources.

UTL -- Universal Task List
Defines the tasks that need to be performed to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from the range of major incidents defined by the national Planning Scenarios. Developed by US Department of Homeland Security with broad stakeholder involvement.

V

Vaccine
A preparation consisting of antigens of a disease-causing organism which, when introduced into the body, stimulates the production of specific antibodies or altered cells. This produces immunity to the disease-causing organism. The antigen in the preparation can be whole disease-causing organisms (killed or weakened) or parts of these organisms.

Vaccination
The injection or inoculation of a vaccine.

Vaccinia Virus
The live virus used in the smallpox vaccine to produce immunity usually without causing illness.

Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)
Large caches of specific pharmaceutical agents stored by manufacturers under preexisting contractual arrangement with CDC SNS and available for mass shipment to affected areas “just in time” in response to an emergency and when needed for continuing prophylaxis and response activities after use of one or more Push Packages. Most SNS material, with the exception of the Push Pack, is supplied through this mechanism.

Virulent
A disease that is highly lethal; causing severe illness or death.

Virus
Any of various simple submicroscopic parasites of plants, animals, and bacteria that often cause disease and that consist essentially of a core of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein coat. Unable to replicate without a host cell, viruses are typically not considered living organisms.

Vulnerable Population
People who cannot comfortably or safely access and use the standard resources offered in disaster preparedness, relief and recovery. They may include people with sensory impairments (blind, deaf, hard-of-hearing); cognitive disorders; mobility limitations; limited English comprehension or non-English speaking; as well as people who are geographically or culturally isolated, medically or chemically dependent, or homeless.

W

Wide Area Notification System (WANS)
A software and telecommunications network that uses a variety of means to notify emergency response personnel. DPH uses the WANS to notify public health officials and other emergency and medical responders about public health emergencies.

Z

Zoonoses
Diseases that are transferable from animals to humans.

List of Acronyms

AAR -- After action report

AHA -- American Hospital Association

AMA -- American Medical Association

APHL -- Association of Public Health Laboratories

ARC -- American Red Cross

ART -- Assessment and Response Team

ASHTO -- Association of State and Territorial Health Officers

BSL-- Bio-safety Level

BT -- Bioterrorism

CBRN -- Chemical, biological, radiological/nuclear

CCC -- Citizen Corps Council

CD -- Communicable Disease

CDC -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CERC -- Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication

CERT -- Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)

CFR -- Code of Federal Regulations

COTPER -- Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response

CPHP - Center for Public Health Preparedness

CSTE -- Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

DFO -- Disaster Field Office (Former name of JFO- Joint Field Office)

DHS -- Department of Homeland Security

DHHS -- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS or HHS)

DIRC -- Disaster Information Resource Center

DMAT -- Disaster Medical Assistance Team

DMORT -- Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team

DOC -- Dispensing Operations Commander

DOD -- U.S. Department of Defense

DOE -- U.S. Department of Energy

DVA -- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

DVC -- Dispensing/Vaccination Center (also known as POD)

DVC IO -- Dispensing/Vaccination Center Information Officer

DVC SC -- Dispensing/Vaccination Center Site Commander

EMS -- Emergency Medical Services

EOC -- Emergency Operations Center

EOD -- Explosive Ordinance Division (“Bomb Squad”)

ED -- Emergency Department

ERT-A -- FEMA Emergency Response Team- Advance Element

ERT-N -- FEMA National Emergency Response Team

FAA -- Federal Aviation Administration

FBI -- Federal Bureau of Investigation

FDA - U.S. Food and Drug Administration

FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency

FRP -- Federal Response Plan

HAN -- Health Alert Network

HAZMAT -- Hazardous material

HHS -- US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or DHHS)

HMRT -- Hazardous Materials Response Team

HMRU -- Hazardous Materials Response Unit

HRSA -- Health Resources and Services Administration

HSAS -- Homeland Security Advisory System (Alert Level)

HSEEP -- The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program

HSOC -- Homeland Security Operations Center

IAP -- Incident Action Plan

IC -- Incident Commander of campaign

ICS -- Incident Command System

IIMG -- Interagency Incident Management Group

IMS -- Incident Management System

JAS -- Job Action Sheet(s)

JFO -- Joint Field Office

JIC -- Joint Information Center

JOC -- Joint Operations Center

JTTF -- Joint Terrorism Task Force

LRN --Laboratory Response Network

MOU -- Memorandum of Understanding

MMRS -- Metropolitan Medical Response System

MRC - Medical Reserve Corps

NACCHO -- National Association of City and County Health Officials

NCID -- National Center for Infectious Diseases

NDMS -- National Disaster Medical System

NEMA -- National Emergency Management Association

NIAID -- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

NIH -- National Institutes of Health

NIMS - National Incident Management System

NMRT -- National Medical Response Teams (Part of NDMS)

NNRT -- National Nursing Response Teams (Part of NDMS)

NPRT -- National Pharmacy Response Teams (Part of NDMS)

NPS -- National Planning Scenarios

NRCC -- National Response Coordination Center (Formerly known as FEMA NEOC- National Emergency Operations Center or EST- Emergency Support Team)

NRP -- National Response Plan

PH -- Public Health

PHIN -- Public Health Information Network

PHPPO -- CDC's Public Health Practice Program Office

PHS -- U.S. Public Health Service (also see USPHS)

PHTN -- Public Health Training Network

PIO -- Public Information Officer

POC -- Point of Contact

POD -- Point of Dispensing

PPE -- Personal Protective Equipment

R&R -- Response & Recovery

RRCC -- Regional Response Coordination Center (Formerly known as FEMA ROC - Regional Operations Center or RST- Regional Support Team)

SAP -- Site Action Plan for DVC

SitRep -- Situation Reports

SNS -- Strategic National Stockpile

SOC -- HHS Secretary's Operations Center

TCL -- Target Capabilities List

TEW -- Terrorism Early Warning Group

TOPOFF -- Top Officials (exercise series)

TSA -- Transportation Security Agency

UCS -- Unified Command System

USDA -- U.S. Department of Agriculture

USMS -- U.S. Marshals Service

USPHS -- U.S. Public Health Service (also see PHS)

USSS -- U.S. Secret Service

UTL -- Universal Task List

VA -- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (also see DVA)

VMAT -- Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (Part of NDMS)

WMD -- Weapons of Mass Destruction

WMDOU -- Weapons of Mass Destruction Operations Unit