The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week introduced TRACIE – the Technical Resources, Assistance Center and Information Exchange – to give emergency preparedness professionals access to an array of resources to help communities better prepare for and manage the health impacts of disasters.

Sponsored by the HHS’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, TRACIE features resource materials, a help line and tools to share information gleaned from real-life experiences in preparing for, responding to and recovering from disasters.

“Experience has shown that every disaster, large or small, has the potential to impact heath,” said Dr. Nicole Lurie, HHS’ assistant secretary for preparedness and response. “TRACIE can help health and emergency management officials across the country learn about, share and apply best practices and experiences before, during and after disasters to protect health and potentially save lives.”

The site includes a library of ready-made technical resources, an assistance center for one-on-one support and an information exchange to promote peer-to-peer discussion.