Responding to Natural and Industrial Disasters: Partnerships and Lessons Learned

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Disaster Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Hurricane Harvey in 2017 presented significant disaster research response (DR2) challenges.
• The Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) fire in 2019 in Deer Park, Texas, required a swift DR2 effort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To leverage insights from Hurricane Harvey DR2 to inform and expedite DR2 activities for the ITC fire.
• To demonstrate the value of academic-community-government partnerships in disaster response.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary team of academic, community, and government partners initiated DR2 activities.
• DR2 efforts included environmental health literacy enhancement, contaminant measurement, and health impact studies after Harvey.
• Post-ITC fire DR2 involved air monitoring, resident surveys, and in-depth interviews.

Main Results:

• Lessons from Hurricane Harvey facilitated rapid DR2 deployment for the ITC fire.
• Environmental monitoring and community engagement were key components of both disaster responses.
• Data collection and research were initiated promptly following the ITC fire.

Conclusions:

• Embedding DR2 capabilities within academic institutions allows for rapid application of lessons learned across different disaster types.
• Collaboration between academic institutions, government agencies, and community partners is crucial for effective and timely disaster response.
• Successful DR2 efforts support health and safety training, consistent communication, critical data collection, and research for improved community resilience.