1. CDC’s new Global Rapid Response Team: What We Do, Where We’ve Been
CDR Elizabeth Garza, MPH, CPH
November 29th, 2017

2. Disclosures The presenter has no financial relationships to disclose.
This continuing education activity is managed and accredited by
Professional Education Services Group in cooperation with AMSUS.
Neither PESG, AMSUS, nor any accrediting organization support
or endorse any product or service mentioned in this activity.
PESG and AMSUS staff has no financial interest to disclose.
Commercial support was not received for this activity.

3. Learning Objectives
Share insight on the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Global Rapid Response Team (GRRT) and how it serves as a rapidly deployable asset
to more effectively respond to global public health emergencies
Describe the unique public health skillsets and expertise within the GRRT
and how they have been used
Discuss how GRRT works with and supports CDC country offices,
the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN),
Ministries of Health, and international public health organizations 

4. Global Rapid Response Team An Agency-Wide Asset which Supports CDC’s Response to Global Outbreaks and Humanitarian Emergencies

5. What is GRRT? Requested by the CDC Director
Lack of surge capacity for large emergency responses identified during 2014 EVD response
Need to responders to be ‘”ready” and trained for global emergency settings
Established in 2015
Fully operational May 2016
Agency-wide asset housed in CGH
Three-tiered structure designed to provide 50+ CDC staff on-call at any given time
“People are the most important part of effective response to a public health threat.  Recent experiences have shown us the value of having teams that can quickly deploy, who know how to operate together, with technical and diplomatic skills to work closely with our partners and host governments. 
Global rapid response teams will help CDC fill that function even more successfully.”
CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH

6. What is GRRT?

7. What is GRRT? A trained and ready multidisciplinary workforce
Dedicated to building in-country capacity for emergency response to align with IHR and GHSA goals
Works with and provides support to CDC country offices, the Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN), ministries of health, and international public health organizations

8. Global RRT Expertise
The Global RRT can provide support and expertise in…
Capacity building
Long-term staffing
Epidemiology
Partnership coordination
Field logistics
Rapid assessment
Health promotion
Risk communication
Lab support
Surveillance

9. Tier 3 Skills

10. Requesting GRRT Can originate from within CDC Or from outside partners
bilateral requests, other USG agencies, ministries of health, UN organizations, GOARN, NGOs
staff, supplies and equipment, or financial resources.  
work in international settings or in the EOC

11. Global Rapid Response Team
Three Tiered Structure
CORE TEAM
Dedicated staff
Fully ready / trained
Atlanta-based
Deployed overseas
Dakar Regional Office
SURGE
Agency-wide roster of full-time staff
50+ on call at any time
Variety of skills/expertise
EIS officers
CGH/DGHP
Staff who routinely work in international emergencies
SMEs in public health emergency response
Global Rapid Response Team

12. Being on GRRT Meet CDC readiness requirements
Experts in the international response architecture
Translate expertise into the field
Deploy to the field and the EOC

13. Tier 3 - Requirements Factors considered
CDC Employee (FTE or FTE equivalent fellow)
Supervisory approval to join
Factors considered
emergency experience
international experience
language skills
job series
other relevant experiences
Divided into: response leader & primary responder  

14. Tier 3 - Expectations Able to be on-call for two months/year
Able to obtain necessary medical clearances
Ready to deploy within 72 hours to support response efforts in the field or at CDC’s EOC
Can remain in the field for up to six months
Ready to complete US Government readiness requirements

16. Trainings for Tier 3 Members
Tier 3 members are given access to many trainings to prepare for deployments such as:
Foreign Travel Safety Brief
High Threat Security Overseas Seminar
Preparing for Work Overseas
Foreign Affairs Counter Threat
Introduction to Incident Command Systems
National Response Framework, An Introduction Sphere Project
EOC 101
OFDA 101
Rosetta Stone Language Training
Specialized Language Courses

17. ORANGE Sessions Monthly Seminars Previous Sessions
JIC 101
GIS in Emergencies
Nutritional Emergencies
Cholera Outbreak Response
Laboratory in Emergencies
(for non-laboratorians)
Next Session Dec 7th
Cross-Border and Population Mobility
Issues During Global Health Emergencies

18. Tier 3 Domestic Staff Overview

19. Tier 3 Overseas Experience

20. In 2017…

21. Response activities by place

24. Global RRT Updates
Updated information about CDC’s Global Rapid Response Team will be shared as it becomes available.
Please visit our website if you have any additional questions. Thank you.

25. Obtaining CME/CE Credit
If you would like to receive continuing education credit for this activity, please visit:
Please visit our website if you have any additional questions. Thank you.