Local Community Strategies to Develop their Public Health Surge Capacity to Handle Emergencies Affecting Many People

The researchers examined local community strategies to develop their public health surge capacity. They noted that following Hurricane Katrina, public health agencies recognized an urgent need to ensure that they can meet increased demand in times of high need. The researchers built on the Community Tracking Study site visits, conducting more focused, in-depth case studies on the surge capacity in six selected communities. The objective of the study was to identify key strategies that selected communities have used to develop surge capacity, pinpointing lessons that can be drawn from each community’s experience.