This resource was part of AHRQ's Public Health Emergency Preparedness program, which was discontinued on June 30, 2011, in a realignment of Federal efforts.
This information is for reference purposes only. It was current when produced and may now be outdated. Archive material is no longer maintained, and some links may not work. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing this information should contact us at: https://info.ahrq.gov. Let us know the nature of the problem, the Web address of what you want, and your contact information.
Please go to www.ahrq.gov for current information.
| Acronym |
Full Name |
| ABSA |
American Biological Safety Association |
| ACEP |
Advisory Committee on Export Policy |
| ADA |
Americans with Disabilities Act |
| AHA |
American Hospital Association |
| AHRQ |
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality |
| ALS |
advanced life support |
| AMA |
American Medical Association |
| ANA |
American Nurses Association |
| APHL |
Association of Public Health Laboratories |
| APIC |
Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology |
| ASM |
American Society for Microbiology |
| BDS |
biohazard detection system |
| BIDS |
biological integrated detection system |
| BMBL |
biosafety in microbiological and biomedical laboratories |
| BSC |
biological safety cabinets |
| BSC |
biosafety containment |
| BSI |
body substance isolation |
| BSL |
biosafety level (lab) |
| BT |
bioterrorism |
| BW |
biological weapons |
| CAP |
College of American Pathologists |
| CBIRF |
Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (U.S. Marines) |
| CBRNE |
chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear/explosive |
| CDC |
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| CFR |
Code of Federal Regulations |
| CLIA |
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments |
| CSEPP |
Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program |
| CSIS |
Center for Strategic and International Studies |
| CST-WMD |
Civil Support Team—Weapons of Mass Destruction |
| DECON |
decontamination |
| DHS |
U.S. Department of Homeland Security |
| DoD |
U.S. Department of Defense |
| DOJ |
U.S. Department of Justice |
| ECBC |
United States Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center |
| EIPs |
emerging infectious programs |
| EMI |
Emergency Management Institute (FEMA) |
| EMS |
emergency medical service |
| EMT |
emergency medical technicians |
| EMTALA |
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act |
| ENA |
Emergency Nurses Association |
| EPA |
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| FBI |
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations |
| FDA |
U.S. Food and Drug Administration |
| FEMA |
Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| FERN |
Food Emergency Response Network |
| GAO |
General Accounting Office |
| HAN |
Health Alert Network |
| HAZMAT |
hazardous materials |
| HAZWOPER |
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response |
| HCF |
health care facilities |
| HCP |
health care professional |
| HEPA |
high efficiency particle arrestor (mask) |
| HICPAC |
Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee |
| HHS |
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
| HRSA |
Health Resources and Services Administration |
| HSEEP |
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program |
| HVA |
hazards vulnerability assessment |
| IATA |
International Air Transport Association |
| ICS |
Incident Command System |
| JCAHO |
Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations |
| LEPC |
Local Emergency Planning Committee |
| LLNL |
Lawrence Livermore National Lab |
| LRN |
Laboratory Response Network |
| MALS |
mobile analytical laboratory system |
| MMRS |
Metropolitan Medical Response System |
| NACCHO |
National Association for City and County Health Officials |
| NDMS |
National Disaster Medical System |
| NEDSS |
National Electronic Disease Surveillance System |
| NFPA |
National Fire Protection Agency |
| NIIMS |
National Interagency Incident Management System |
| NIOSH |
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health |
| NMRT |
National Medical Response Team |
| ODP |
Office of Domestic Preparedness |
| OSHA |
Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
| PAPR |
powered purifying air respirator |
| PCR |
polymerase chain reaction |
| PDA |
personal digital assistant |
| PHLS |
Public Health Laboratory Service |
| PPE |
personal protective equipment |
| RDD |
radiological dispersal device |
| REAC/TS |
Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site |
| RSDL |
reverse spiral dual layer |
| SARS |
severe acute respiratory syndrome |
| SAIC |
Science Applications International Corporation |
| SBCCOM |
U.S. Army Soldier Biological Chemical Command |
| SHSAS |
State Homeland Security Assessment Strategy |
| SME |
subject matter expert |
| SOP |
standard operator procedure |
| TOO | task order officer |
| USAMRID |
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases |
| USAR |
Urban Search and Rescue |
| USPHS |
U.S. Public Health Service |
| USPS |
U.S. Post Office |
| WMD |
weapons of mass destruction |
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