Epi-Ready Team Training

Epi-Ready, a multi-day training course that utilizes a team-based approach, teaches professionals how to respond to a foodborne illness outbreak efficiently and effectively by understanding the roles and responsibilities of the disciplines involved: epidemiology, laboratory, and environmental health. This training helps public health professionals and other involved personnel rapidly identify and investigate a foodborne disease outbreak to allow for swift implementation of control measures to stop and prevent outbreaks.

Epi-Ready focuses on:

Proactive training for teams before an incident occurs
Clear lines of communication and responsibilities within departments
Improved collaboration between organizations and disciplines
Reduced response time
Staff and community confidence in having a well-trained team in place

The course uses the analogy of a 3-legged stool, representing a collaboration between the disciplines involved in a foodborne illness investigation:

Environmental health specialists
Epidemiologists
Laboratory staff

The course also recognizes the important role of critical support players including but not limited to health educators, public health nurses, public information officers, and the food industry.

Workshop content is designed to follow the Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Response (CIFOR) Guidelines.
Information from the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) Procedures to Investigate Foodborne Illness was also used to inform the course contents.
Topics are covered through a combination of lectures, question-and-answer sessions, interactive group exercises, and a final case study.
This training was developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The History of Epi-Ready

This history of the Epi-Ready program was uncovered through a series of interviews, personal conversations, emails, and paper files of key partners involved through the last 20 years. It serves as a comprehensive report on the evolution and value of Epi-Ready since its inception. This is the first report of its kind, showcasing the history of the Epi-Ready training concept, the value it brings to the public health field, and the future of the training program.

Read the Report

Schedule a Training

To set up a training session in your jurisdiction, contact Siobhan Dodds and Katie Garman.