The Necessity of a Health and Safety Officer in a Public Health Emergency Operations Center

The COVID-19 pandemic response made extraordinary demands on the public health workforce. In response to national studies and local observations about trauma in public health personnel, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) broadened the scope of their Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) Safety Officer position to include not only physical, but mental, emotional, and workplace health and safety. The new Health and Safety Officer (HSO) began in August 2022 and served through the end of the COVID-19 activation. The HSO advocated for staff, counseled HEOC leadership, and validated leadership’s prioritization of the health and wellness of HEOC staff. The impact of the HSO was felt within the HEOC and beyond, and this position should be considered a cost-effective, meaningful intervention in all jurisdictions to protect public health personnel. The HSO position is now a permanent part of the ADHS HEOC.