Agent ~ An entity that causes the injury or disease (can be biological, chemical, or physical)

Cold Zone ~ Area where the command post and support functions that are necessary to control the incident are located and deemed without elevated levels of radioactive materials or hazardous exposures.

Cross Contamination ~ The direct or indirect transfer of a pathogen or chemical from one medium (food or water) to another.

Disaster ~ Events that occur when significant numbers of people are exposed to extreme conditions in which they become vulnerable, with resulting injuries or illness, combined with damage to property and livelihoods.

Epidemiological triangle of disease causation ~ Area where the command post and support functions that are necessary to control the incident are located in the environment. It applies to biological, chemical and physical agents.

Emergency ~ Situations that arise out of disasters in which the affected community's ability to cope has been overwhelmed, where rapid and effective action is required to prevent further loss of life and livelihood.

Environment ~ The complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community or the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community.

Environment Health ~ Environmental health promotes health and quality of life by preventing or controlling those injuries, diseases or deaths that result from interactions between people and their environment.

The environmental health field is composed of professionals whose efforts are directed toward protecting the health, safety and environment of the community.

Evacuation ~ The withdraw from a place in an organized way especially for protection