Bethesda, MD – The National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH), a component of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), has selected the University of Hawaii (UH) to create and operate an independent registry of individuals who were exposed to, or at risk of exposure to, the Red Hill fuel release in November 2021.
Jet Petroleum-5 (JP-5) aviation fuel and fuel additives infiltrated the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam water system that served an estimated 90,000 individuals. Recognizing the significance of monitoring the health of those exposed and understanding the health ramifications of exposure, the establishment of the independent Red Hill registry is a crucial step forward.
USU will manage a multi-year award from the Department of Defense to fund the registry. UH is a member of NCDMPH’s Joint Disaster Medicine and Public Health Ecosystem, and was selected to establish and manage the independent Red Hill registry based on the University’s strong ties with the local community and deep expertise in the fields of environmental science and public health. NCDMPH will direct and coordinate efforts with UH to collect this critical information and assess any health effects of exposure to JP-5 and fuel additives.
NCDMPH’s Ecosystem is a collaboration of medical and public health partners across the Nation that allows the center to leverage diverse areas of expertise on behalf of the federal government. This model enables NCDMPH to quickly mobilize needed capabilities from multiple organizations with demonstrated excellence in public health and medicine.
“A well-designed independent registry with as many eligible individuals enrolled as possible is the best means to study the long-term health impacts of the November 2021 Red Hill fuel release,” said Rear Admiral Brandon Taylor, director of Defense Health Agency Public Health. “We are committed to a fully independent registry operated in the best interests of those exposed to the Red Hill fuel release.”
“We are committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of individuals affected by the Red Hill fuel release,” stated Dr. Jeffrey Freeman, director of the NCDMPH. “Through this award to the University of Hawaii to establish an independent Red Hill registry, we strive to provide comprehensive support to those impacted and contribute to a deeper understanding of the health consequences of such environmental disasters.”
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About the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences: The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, founded by an act of Congress in 1972, is the nation’s federal health sciences university and the academic heart of the Military Health System. USU students are primarily active-duty uniformed officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Health Service and Coast Guard who receive specialized education in tropical and infectious diseases, TBI and PTSD, disaster response and humanitarian assistance, global health, and acute trauma care. USU also has graduate programs in oral biology, biomedical sciences and public health committed to excellence in research. The University’s research program covers a wide range of areas important to both the military and public health. For more information about USU and its programs, visit www.usuhs.edu.
About the USU National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health: Established in 2008 under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH) is a federal organization and component of the Uniformed Services University (USU). The National Center is governed by the federal interagency as a collaboration between the Departments of Defense (DoD), State (DOS), Health and Human Services (HHS), Homeland Security (DHS), Transportation (DOT), and Veterans Affairs (VA). The mission of the National Center is to advance the Nation’s medical and public health readiness for disasters. In carrying out this mission, the National Center leads federal efforts to develop and propagate core curricula, research, and training related to medicine and public health in disasters and is charged with maintaining the Nation’s joint disaster medicine and public health science and education program for all executive departments.
