About The Office of Readiness and Response

A public health emergency is an event that can cause harm to a person’s health or to the health of a community. These events can happen at any time, anywhere and include:

  • Outbreaks, such as COVID-19, Zika, and flu
  • Accidental releases of industrial chemicals that can harm people’s lungs, skin, and overall health
  • Intentional acts with biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agents
  • Natural disasters, such as tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and hurricanes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Readiness and Response (ORR) is America’s public health defense hub. Our staff work alongside our CDC peers, other federal partners, and state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments to continuously monitor for risks to the health of communities and the nation. When a concern is identified, we put decades of public health emergency expertise to work to get the right experts and resources in place to address the emergency and protect the health of Americans and people around the globe.

While a public health emergency can happen at any moment, building and sustaining a workforce with the right knowledge and skills takes time and commitment. ORR staff work at CDC offices and in health departments to guide communities and the nation through a public health crisis. We also help fund health departments, so they are prepared and able to lead a local response to an emergency. Additionally, we foster research and innovation in how to best prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.

A skilled and well-trained public health workforce is America’s safety net when a public health emergency strikes. Having experienced staff in communities, at CDC, and around the globe leads to faster responses at the first signs of a threat.

Who We Are

Our staff work behind the scenes at CDC and on the front lines in communities. We are:

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EXPERT PLANNERS. ORR conducts internal CDC preparedness and planning activities and helps public health departments and laboratory staff prepare for health threats. One way we do this is by providing readiness reviews that look at state and local preparedness plans, including a community’s ability to give out medicines and medical supplies during a response.

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EDUCATORS. ORR prepares the public health workforce to be ready and able to respond to any situation. We assess every emergency response to determine what worked well and what needs to change going forward. Using the lessons learned, ORR conducts trainings and provides technical assistance to health departments. ORR experts publish peer-reviewed articles to share information with public health workers worldwide. ORR supports research to advance knowledge and best practices in preparedness, response, and recovery.

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CONNECTORS. ORR builds trusted relationships and local, national, and global networks. Our Career Epidemiology Field Officers and Preparedness Field Assignees work in public health departments. These experts keep CDC and states connected, which is a key piece of building and sustaining an effective health workforce. ORR works with internal and external partners to integrate CDC science into preparedness and response planning. Through the U.S. National Authority for Containment of Poliovirus, ORR prepares for future containment of polioviruses and plans to prevent reintroduction in communities.

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REGULATORS. Along with partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ORR oversees the Federal Select Agent Program to ensure thatimportant work in the U.S. with potentially dangerous and deadly pathogens and toxins is conducted as safely and securely as possible. Through the Import Permit Program, ORR also regulates the importation of infectious biological materials that could cause disease in humans in order to prevent their introduction and spread into the U.S.

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RESPONSE SPECIALISTS. ORR runs CDC’s Emergency Operations Center, where highly trained experts coordinate resources, information, and crisis and emergency risk communication. EOC staff respond 365 days a year, 24 hours a day to calls from the public, health departments, medical professionals, hospitals, and other groups.

What We Do

We are the central coordinating body for CDC’s preparedness and response efforts. At CDC, ORR works hand-in-hand with experts in immunization, environmental health, emerging diseases, occupational safety and health, injury prevention and control, and others. We pair our emergency management knowledge with their expertise in specific topics, such as infectious diseases.

EOC
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PREPARE. ORR provides expertise, funding, technical support, and training to public health departments to help them prepare for health emergencies. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness program helps state and local jurisdictions prepare to receive and distribute medicines, vaccines, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE) during emergencies. This requires practicing setting up a point-of-dispensing location (or POD) and dispensing a placebo. Baltimore, Maryland’s “Operation Shortbread” sweetened the effort by distributing boxes of Girl Scout cookies to Scout leaders. In March 2020, Baltimore activated the POD to dispense millions of PPE to hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities. PPE distribution went seamlessly due to the practice exercises.

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RESPOND. When CDC responds to emergencies, ORR can put standardized emergency management structures in place when needed to coordinate community action. ORR experts distribute messages to help the community take action. In the COVID-19 response, ORR provides funding to health departments to monitor case numbers and hospitalization rates, share information about infection control, and coordinate with schools, businesses, healthcare facilities, and other essential community services.

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RECOVER. As an emergency winds down, we help health departments recover and rebuild their communities. After Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria hit several Southern states in 2017, ORR funding helped cover public health response costs associated with the hurricanes. The funding made it possible for states to maintain their budgets for other important public health programs while recovering from the storms.

Before a crisis happens, we help public health prepare. We provide funding and training for a sustainable, strong public health workforce. When disaster strikes, we respond with guidance and assistance. We provide communication messages, resources, and staff with the necessary expertise for the job. When the emergency passes, we help communities recover, evaluate, and adapt to improve for the future.

What We Do

We are the central coordinating body for CDC’s preparedness and response efforts. At CDC, ORR works hand-in-hand with experts in immunization, environmental health, emerging diseases, occupational safety and health, injury prevention and control, and others. We pair our emergency management knowledge with their expertise in specific topics, such as infectious diseases.

Why It Matters

Our country must be prepared for the next public health emergency. The ability to identify a threat before it poses a significant risk depends on a well trained public health workforce. State, local, tribal, and territorial health departments must be ready to handle large-scale emergencies and to identify and respond to smaller emergencies and outbreaks. As COVID-19 showed, what starts locally can very quickly become a global emergency.