First Watch™

What is FirstWatch™?

First Watch™ is an early warning biosurveillance system designed to monitor 9-1-1 and hospital emergency departments for abnormalities that may indicate a biological attack or other significant medical trends.

Is FirstWatch™ only for bioterrorism?

No, FirstWatch™ has several components that make it useful for symptomatic diseases. For instance, FirstWatch™ is instrumental in the early detection of pandemic influenza, gastrointestinal outbreaks, and seasonal respiratory illnesses, just to name a few. It can also identify other public safety events, such as chemical spills or fires.

Does FirstWatch™ only monitor Sedgwick County?

First Watch™ is currently deployed in close to 80 metro areas across the United States and Canada. It is designed to be a collaborative online tool that could allow Sedgwick County to share data with other local, state, and federal agencies as part of a regional, statewide, or national real-time bioterrorism or health surveillance system.

Other users in this region include: Johnson County, Kansas; Columbia/Boone County, Missouri; Independence, Missouri; Oklahoma City/Tulsa, Oklahoma; Des Moines/Davenport, Iowa.

How Does FirstWatch™ know that there is a problem?

First Watch™ scans 9-1-1 and hospital emergency departments for symptoms of bioterrorism (such as nausea, vomiting, fever, skin rash, and coma) and other public health concerns. FirstWatch™ then compares historical data to real-time events to determine if a disease outbreak is occurring and if it warrants an investigation by the Sedgwick County Health Department.

What happens when a FirstWatch™ alert occurs?

In most cases, a FirstWatch™ alert is nothing more than an indication of increased sickness symptoms resulting from diseases like influenza. In the event of a disease outbreak or bioterrorism attack, the public will be notified of the situation through local media.

Who responds to a FirstWatch™ alert?

The epidemiologists at the Sedgwick County Health Department maintain and respond to FirstWatch™ alerts. In the event of an alert, they will investigate the situation and take necessary actions to protect the health of those in our community.

For more information contact the Sedgwick County surveillance epidemiologist at 660-7348