Community Recovery Following a Major Chemical Incident

Case Studies Based Virtual Symposium

The Chemical Events Working Group (CEWG) with the Global Health Security Initiative held a virtual symposium on 3 consecutive Thursday’s in January (13, 20 & 27) 2022 that focused on Community Recovery Following a Major Chemical Incident. The symposium recorded registration from over 464 participants from 42 different countries.

The objectives of the symposium were:

1. To identify at risk communities following a major chemical incident, including vulnerable sub-populations.

2. To assess public health tools that can be utilised in the aftermath of an incident.

3. To describe public health interventions that can be employed and deployed to promote community recovery following a major incident.

4. To describe methodologies for optimising community communication and empowerment following a major incident.

5. To outline tools and procedures to reduce impact and thereby increase resilience and facilitate recovery.

The symposium used a case study based format of major chemical incidents as the basis for exploring this phase of the emergency management cycle while placing communities at the heart of the discussions. Each day proposed a specific theme and purpose.

Welcome and Scene Setting

Symposium organizer: (GHSI – CEWG)

• Mr. Danny Sokolowski, Manager, Chemical Emergency Management and Toxicovigilance Division, Health Canada, Canada & GHSI-CEWG Secretariat

Symposium virtual host (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Dr. Renee Funk, Associate Director for Emergency Management, Office of Emergency Management, National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA & GHSI-CEWG member

Key Note presentation: What is Recovery?

CMDR Jonathan White, Director, Division of Community Mitigation & Recovery, Office of Emergency Management and Medical Operations, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human Services, USA

Theme: Identifying Communities at Risk

Purpose of focusing on this theme:

• To identify those communities at greatest risk following a major chemical incident, including vulnerable populations.

• To assess which public health interventions should be deployed in order to promote recovery.

• To critically assess the community impact of commonly deployed countermeasures.

Facilitator: Dr. Luke Yip, Medical Officer, Senior Advisor for Medical Toxicology, National Center for Environmental Health/ATSDR, Office of the Director for Emergency Management, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA & GHSI-CEWG member

Presentations (4)

1. Getting Back to Work Following a Major Incident: Implications for the world of work: Dr. Halshka Graczyk, Technical Specialist on Occupational Safety and Health, International Labour Organization, Switzerland

2. Beirut Port Explosion 2020:

a) Dr. Ziad Kazzi, Professor of Emergency Medicine/Medical Toxicology, Emory University, Atlanta, USA – Adjunct Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

b) Ms. Lydia Izon-Cooper, Principal Public Health Scientist, Chemicals & Poisons Team, UK Health Security Agency, UK

c) Mr. Nicholas Brooke, Principal Public Health Scientist, Chemicals & Poisons Team, UK Health Security Agency, UK

Panel discussion & questions

• Facilitator and all presenters

Summary of conclusions for Theme 1

• Professor David Russell, Professor of Environment and Health, Health Security Agency, UK & GHSI-CEWG co-Chair (15 minutes)

Theme: Engaging with Communities

Purpose of focusing on this theme:

• To critically assess means of communication following an incident.

• To explore methods for optimising the public health-community interface.

• To determine how communities can be empowered as a prelude to recovery.

Facilitator: Dr. Renee Funk, Associate Director for Emergency Management, Office of Emergency Management, National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA & GHSI-CEWG member

Presentations

1. Flint water response (2016): Ms. Diane Russell, Community Involvement Coordinator, Environmental Protection Agency – Region 5, USA

2. Deep Water Horizon (2010) – Use of dispersants: Dr. Sharon A. Croisant, Professor, Preventive Medicine and Population Health, Director, Stakeholder Engagement, Gulf Coast Center for Precision Environmental Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA

3. Lac-Mégantic train derailment – Mental health: Dr. Melissa Généreux, Associate Professor, Department of community health sciences, Faculty of medicine and health sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Canada

4. Behavioural and psychosocial aspects of incident recovery: lessons from COVID and beyond: Professor Richard Amlot, Head of Behavioural Science, Behavioural Science and Insights Unit (BSIU), Public Health Advice, Guidance and Expertise (PHAGE) function, National COVID-19 Response Centre (NCRC), UK.

Panel discussion & questions

• Facilitator and all presenters

Summary of conclusions for Theme 2

• Professor David Russell, Professor of Environment and Health, Health Security Agency, UK & GHSI-CEWG co-Chair

Theme: Fortifying Communities – “Building Back Better”

Purpose of focusing on this theme:

• To critically assess how the public health impacts of an incident can be reduced.

• To identify means for promoting community resilience.

• To assess how communities can turn a crisis into an opportunity to build back better

Facilitator: Ms. Virgina Arnecchi, Crisis Management Expert, DG for Health and Food Safety/Health Security, European Commission, Luxembourg & GHSI-CEWG member

Presentations

1. Fukushima 2011: Mr. Masahiro Uemura, Counsellor, Division for Reconstruction and Revitalization from the Nuclear Disaster, Reconstruction Agency, Japan

2. Lessons learnt from previous Hurricanes -2017 season: Ms. Mollie Mahany, Natural Hazards Team Lead, Office of Emergency Management, National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA

3. Hungary – Ajka (2010): Toxic sludge dam burst incident: Dr. Tamas Pandics, Head of department, Public Health Laboratory Department, National Public Health Center, Hungary

4. Construction of a rail line bypass around Lac-Mégantic city centre: Mr. Luc-Alexandre Chayer, Director, Major Transportation Infrastructure Projects, Transport Canada, Canada

Panel discussion & questions

• Facilitator and all presenters

Summary of conclusions for Theme 3

• Professor David Russell, Professor of Environment and Health, Health Security Agency, UK & GHSI-CEWG co-Chair

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