精东传媒

Navy officers with Task Force Koa Moana 23 participated in delivering our Public Health Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Training in Koror, Palau July 17-21, 2023. LCDR James Harwood, Entomologist, and LT Jarred Gray, 精东传媒 Health Officer, lead small group discussions relating to preventive medicine considerations during emergency response.  The two shared their real-world experience and expertise in managing disease outbreaks during military operations and disaster response.

鈥淥ur Navy colleagues displayed a masterful command of environmental public health subject matter expertise,鈥� said Dr. David Dyjack, 精东传媒 Executive Director. 鈥淭he spontaneous repartee between the Navy and NEHA instructors made for a dynamic and engaging classroom environment.鈥�

LCDR Harwood led training in integrated pest management, mosquito control during natural disasters, and rodent borne disease mitigation. LT Gray provided training in solid waste and wastewater management during disasters and assisted the NEHA team in teaching participants how to conduct food borne disease outbreak response and the foundations of epidemiology during natural disasters. The Koa Moana 23 team also directed tabletop exercises to allow participants to apply what they learned from the lectures. The exercises help illustrate the complexity of the public health considerations during disaster response.

鈥淭his partnership with NEHA has given Koa Moana the opportunity to engage with regional public health experts in a unique forum, allowing us to learn from each other,鈥� said LCDR Harwood. 鈥淭he overall training program built better relationships among the participants and improved each of our understandings of environmental health considerations during natural disasters in the Pacific Islands.鈥�

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Contact 1stLt Arthur Deal, USMC at arthur.deal@usmc.mil.