At the request of the City of Minot Department of Health, a 16-member unit of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Applied Public Health Team (APHT)–2, was deployed by the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD) to Minot, North Dakota to provide environmental health services for approximately 4,000 to 6,000 residential homes affected by the Souris River flooding.

The team arrived on July 10 and conducted operations for a two week period in partnership with the First District Health Unit and the City of Minot Fire Department, while being supported in the field by the Incident Response Coordination Team (IRCT) under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).



As water levels receded in the nine mandatory evacuation zones, the City of Minot allowed residents to return to their homes. The APHT unit, along with the local partners, systematically followed canvassing the areas and walking door-to-door to meet with the homeowners. Post-flood informational packets were provided to each homeowner along with counseling and technical expertise regarding clean-up of flooded homes; pumping out flooded basements; mold issues; proper waste disposal; disinfection; asbestos; and personal health precautions.

Additionally, the team partnered with structural engineers and building inspectors from North Dakota to perform inspections and assessments of homes in the flood zones noting observations regarding environmental health factors.

During the two week period, the team operated in austere field conditions that included weather with a heat index exceeding 100 and ground conditions of flood debris, mud, and sewage.

The team and fellow partners were able to accomplish a total of 3,821home encounters which included first time consults, re-visits, and home inspections.

A replacement team of 10 PHS officers arrived at the end of the two week period to conduct follow-on operations.