Tornadoes
I am a type of thunderstorm that has a deep,rotating updraft and am usually the maker of tornadoes.
What is a Supercell?
I represent the level of air pollution particulates that concern the scientists and researchers studying the health impacts of decreased air quality due to wildfire smoke.
What is PM2.5?
I am a term used to indicate that a small number (or a known approximate number) of certain disease cases can be expected in an area each year. While COVID-19 quickly became a pandemic, many experts now suggest I am the appropriate name for it.
What is endemic?
I am a living organism that transmits disease-causing pathogens from an infected person or animal to a non-infected person or animal.
What is a vector?
I am the definition of or perhaps the explanation of what is meant by LD50.
What is the dose at which 50% of the exposed population will die (lethal dose - 50)?
I am a violent, rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground. I am responsible for the strongest winds on earth.
What is a tornado?
PM2.5, for example, represents particulate sizes of pollutants in the air, decreasing air quality. I am the primary reason this particulate size is more concerning than others. Hint: I am more of a longer-answer jeopardy question.
What is the fact that PM2.5 is small enough to enter the distal lung and gas exchange regions, leading to uptake in the bloodstream, among others?
And what is: pulmonary oxidative stress/inflammation?
I represent the CDC's classification of the most likely biothreat to be used as a bioweapon today. Collectively, all of the pathogens in my category can be easily dissimnated and/or transmitted person-to-person, result in high mortality rates if untreated; likely cause mass panic and public health actions.
What are Category A Threats?
I represent the ability of a healthcare system to quickly expand its services to meet a sudden increase in demand for medical care.
What is surge capacity?
I represent the 3 main benchmarks required for influenza to be labeled a pandemic.
What are 1) novel strain; 2) infectious and can make you sick; 3) sustained transmission.
I represent a shifting region in the US commonly hit with tornadoes.
What is tornado alley?
The 4th National Climate Assessment posits, through the experts contributing to it, that there will be numerous realities humans will have to face due to climate change and anticipated fires. We discussed SOME of them explicitly. I am ONE of them.
What is: (1) More lightning-initiated fires across the SE US; (2) Increased insect activity resulting in weakened / dead trees, creating additional fuel for fires; or (3) Less snow cover(albedo reduction) and thus uncovering fuel in Alaska, for example?
I can be used to describe the protective action for individuals who have been exposed to a contagious disease but who may or may not become ill.
What is quarantine?
I am defined as the separation of those known to be ill with a contagious disease.
What is isolation?
The CDC has focused for decades (even as recently as Jan 2025) on preparedness capabilities. Public health does not deal with deceased victims in a disaster, so that specific core capability is not within public health workforce responsibilities. Is this true?
What is "no" or what is "false?"
I serve as a forecast and planning tool associated with tornadoes. Knowing the strength of tornadoes is crucial to understanding the threat, much like with hurricanes. As such, I am the "grading scale" for tornadoes.
What is the EF Scale?
Wildfire activity is predicted to increase. We are a public health / environmental health class. We know that hazardous air pollutants are present in wildfire smoke, leading to health effects. Many studies have been conducted to demonstrate this connection. I am one of the major health implications highlighted in the current evidence base.
What is: exacerbations of asthma and COPD; increased risk of respiratory infections; growing evidence of cardiovascular effects; or indicated to be associated with all-cause mortality?
There are 4 distinct pathogens, one toxin, and a category of viral diseases that cause a specific symptomology (but not in all cases) that comprise me - Category A Threats. I am two of them.
What are Anthrax, tularemia, smallpox,plague, botulism, and viral hemorrhagic fevers such as ebola virus disease or marburg virus disease?
I am defined as the unlikely, but increasingly problematic, infection while in the hospital for a separate, unrelated issue.
What is a nosocomial infection or HAI?
I am a team subset of NDMS and HHS that support local mortuary services on location, providing temporary morgue facilities, victim ID, and processing, preparation and disposal of remains.
What is DMORT?
Climate Change itself might not increase tornadic activity. Although climate change is increasing the energy in the atmosphere, it's also expected to reduce "me" since the poles are warming faster than the rest of the world, which is the driving factor behind the jet stream and "me".
What is wind shear?
I represent the phenomena during which wildfire particulates cling to moisture in already foggy environments, leading to extremely large droplets and (near) zero visibility.
What is Superfog?
While 2001 and 9/11 are more often, and rightfully so, remembered for the terrorist attacks on NYC and the Pentagon, I was another major threat (initially thought to be related, but proven not connected to the 9/11terrorists) that led to a real public health crisis, including 5 deaths.
What is the Anthrax mailings (or Anthrax attacks)?
I am considered to be the source of the nursery rhyme: "Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posies, achoo achoo,we all fall down". I am now a Category A Threat.
What is (bubonic) plague?
I serve as a major resource during large-scale disasters, focusing on reuniting family members and loved ones separated at the scene (or when one not from the scene is searching for another who was at the scene). Typically, I am the responsibility of the local (or perhaps state) health department.
What is a Family Assistance Center (FAC)?