Final Report for the APHIS 

Veterinary Services Response 

to the 2016–2017 Outbreak of 

New World Screwworm (NWS) 

in Florida

May 30, 2017

Public Version 

Veterinary Services 

Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
 

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Handling Instructions 

1. The title of this document is Final Report for APHIS Veterinary Services (VS) Response 

to the 2016–2017 Outbreak of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Florida, also referred to 

as “this document.”

2. Reproduction of this document, in whole or in part, without prior approval from Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) VS National Preparedness and Incident 

Coordination is prohibited. 

For more information, please consult the following point of contact: 

National Preparedness and Incident Coordination Center 

Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services 

APHIS VS 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

4700 River Road, Unit 41 

Riverdale, MD 20737 

Jonathan.T.Zack@aphis.usda.gov

Acknowledgments 

USDA APHIS VS would like to thank APHIS International Services (IS), APHIS Wildlife 

Services, APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS Legislative and Public Affairs, the 

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer 

Services, Monroe County (Florida), Miami-Dade County (Florida), other Florida State and Local 

responders and cooperators, USDA VS National Incident Management Team members, 

Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Personnel District 2, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and local 

volunteers who responded and supported the incident to protect U.S. agriculture and the 

endangered Key deer. In particular, a special acknowledgement goes to APHIS IS, for their 

subject matter expertise in NWS—including their leadership and partnership with Panama in the 

Screwworm Barrier Maintenance Program (the Commission for Eradication and Prevention of 

NWS [COPEG])—and John Welch, the recognized U.S. technical and field expert on NWS. 
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Executive Summary 

Incident Overview 

In July of 2016, severe flystrike wounds were observed in a Key deer (an endangered sub-species 

of deer) that was killed by a motor vehicle. As the summer progressed, several more Key deer 

were euthanized after being found with myiasis. A handful of domestic animals in the Florida 

Keys had also been seen with myiasis from July to September 2016. On September 29, 2016, the 

National Key Deer Refuge in Big Pine Key, Florida, contacted the Florida Department of 

Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) regarding these cases of myiasis. FDACS in turn 

submitted larvae from an infested deer as a foreign animal disease (FAD) investigation. The 

National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, IA confirmed New World 

screwworm (NWS) on September 30, 2016. The number of Key deer mortalities associated with 

NWS rose from 30 in September to nearly 100 in October, peaking around October 9, 2016, with 

30 mortalities that week. There were confirmed animal infestations on 6 different islands in the 

Keys; NWS flies were detected on additional islands. As the situation in the Florida Keys 

appeared to be stabilizing, on January 6, 2017, NVSL confirmed that a stray domestic dog found 

in Homestead, Florida, on the Florida mainland, had NWS. This dog was the only confirmed 

case of NWS outside the Florida Keys. In total, there were 145 cases: 128 presumptive cases and 

17 confirmed cases of NWS in the Florida Keys, with the majority, or 135, of those positive 

cases observed in Key deer. No production livestock was ever affected in either location. 

Summary of Response Activities 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS) International Services, in partnership with USDA APHIS Veterinary Services, 

organized a unified Incident Command with FDACS and Monroe County, Florida. An Incident 

Command Post was set up in Marathon, Florida to respond to the outbreak and eradicate NWS. 

The unified Incident Command worked closely with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) personnel, particularly those from the National Key 

Deer Refuge, and the Screwworm Barrier Maintenance Program (Commission for Eradication 

and Prevention of NWS [COPEG]) in Panama, which operates the facility that produces sterile 

NWS pupae. The sterile insect technique (SIT) was implemented in the Keys on October 11, 

2016, as quickly as NWS pupae could be flown in from the Panama facility, which ramped up its 

production of flies to support this response effort. 

Many response activities began and occurred simultaneously throughout the duration of the 

outbreak. An interdiction station was established, so that people exiting the Florida Keys with 

animals could have those animals inspected for evidence of NWS infestation. Personnel and 

volunteers also began treating Key deer with Doramectin where possible. Epidemiologists and 

subject matter experts were engaged from APHIS and ARS to assess potential modes of 

introduction; APHIS IS immediately partnered with other personnel in the unified Incident 

Command to successfully conduct site assessments that evaluated the extent of the NWS 

infestation. The response also included significant communication activities through a unified 

Joint Information Center (JIC). The JIC organized and conducted intensive outreach throughout 

the Keys to identify any other affected animals and to educate the public and animal businesses 

about NWS. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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In response to the detection in Homestead, the unified Incident Command also set up an outpost 

to repeat response and eradication activities in southern Miami-Dade County and in Everglades 

National Park, focusing on the area around where the stray dog had been picked up. SIT was 

initiated, thorough outreach was conducted, and site assessments were conducted to determine if 

there were additional NWS flies in the area. 

Over the course of the response from October 2016 to April 2017, there were more than 530

rotations: 184 APHIS deployments, 104 other Federal deployments (from USFWS and ARS),

224 State and county deployments, and 27 COPEG deployments from Panama. Additionally, 

approximately 30 APHIS personnel supported the response virtually or from an APHIS hub 

location over the course of the outbreak. 

Conclusion of Incident 

On March 23, 2017, USDA APHIS officially announced the eradication of NWS from Florida. 

By that time, operations were complete on the mainland, dramatically scaled down in the Keys, 

and the Interdiction Station had closed a few days prior. The last sterile fly release occurred in 

the Homestead area on March 21, 2017; in the Keys, the last sterile fly release occurred on April 

25, 2017—approximately 7 months after NVSL confirmed the NWS infestation in Key deer. 

Passive surveillance continues to be conducted in Florida by APHIS District personnel and 

FDACS, who follow up on the reporting of suspicious cases by local veterinarians, USFWS 

Refuge staff, and the public. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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Contents 

Handling Instructions ................................................................................................................ iii

Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................... iii

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................v

Section 1. Background ................................................................................................................1

Purpose....................................................................................................................................1

Nature of Disease ....................................................................................................................1

Prior Outbreaks in the United States ........................................................................................1

Section 2. Characteristics of the 2016–2017 Florida Outbreak .....................................................1

Scope of the Outbreak .............................................................................................................1

Disease Incidence and Epidemiology .......................................................................................3

Section 3. Management of the Incident ........................................................................................4

Regulatory Intervention ...........................................................................................................4

Incident Management Structure ...............................................................................................4

Personnel Deployments ...........................................................................................................5

Zoning .....................................................................................................................................7

Financial Resources .................................................................................................................8

International Commerce & Interstate Trade .............................................................................8

Section 4. Response Activities ....................................................................................................9

Surveillance and Diagnostics ...................................................................................................9

Quarantine and Movement Control ........................................................................................ 10

Disease Control ..................................................................................................................... 11

Epidemiology ........................................................................................................................ 11

Euthanasia and Treatment ...................................................................................................... 11

Information Management....................................................................................................... 12

Communications .................................................................................................................... 12

Section 5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 13

Appendices 

Appendix 1. New World Screwworm Investigations 

Appendix 2. Fly Site Assessment Maps 

Appendix 3. Final National Incident Coordination Group Weekly Situation Report 

Appendix 4. Final Deployment Report 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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Appendix 5. Abbreviations 

Figures 

Figure 1. Timeline of Presumptive and Confirmed Autochthonous Detections* ..........................2

Figure 2. Presumptive and Confirmed Autochthonous Cases by Species .....................................3

Figure 3. Total Deployments by Organization (Virtual & On-Site) ..............................................6

Figure 4. On-Site & Virtual Deployments by Month ...................................................................6

Figure 5a. Infested, Barrier, and Surveillance Zones 10/24/16 to 1/4/17 ......................................7

Figure 5b. Infested, Barrier, and Surveillance Zones 1/5/17 to 3/23/17 ........................................8

Figure 6. Interdiction Station, Key Largo, FL ............................................................................ 10

Figure 7. Animals Inspected at the Interdiction Station: October 2016 to March 2017 ............... 11

Figure 8. Timeline of Key Milestones in NWS Infestation & Eradication in Florida .................. 14
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Section 1. Background 

Purpose 

This document provides an overview of the 2016–2017 outbreak of New World screwworm 

(NWS) in the State of Florida. It focuses on the development of the outbreak and the structure 

and activities of the response by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS). It is not an After Action 

Report, nor does it identify corrective actions. In terms of strategy, the response to this 

infestation of NWS was largely based on the New World Screwworm Myiasis Disease Response 

Strategy1 and the previous eradication efforts that took place on a large scale in the southern 

United States in the 1950s and 1960s. 

Nature of Disease 

New World screwworms are larvae of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax that infest the living 

tissue of warm-blooded animals; female flies lay their eggs in wounds or on mucous membranes, 

and, once hatched, the larvae burrow into the animal’s tissue to feed. The resulting condition in 

the hosts is called myiasis. As the larvae grow, they deepen and damage the wound to the extent 

that severe infestations are almost always fatal to the host if left untreated. 

Prior Outbreaks in the United States 

Screwworm was present in the Southwest since the mid-1800s, but it first became a significant 

problem in the southeastern United States in the 1930s. Persistent infestations continued into the 

1950s, when the sterile insect technique (SIT) was demonstrated to be successful in Florida and 

then across the Southeast.2

 By the early 1960s, the SIT was also being employed in the 

Southwest. The eradication program was declared a success in 1966, but the presence of the fly 

in Mexico meant that outbreaks continued into the 1970s. The United States then joined with 

Mexico to push the pest to Mexico’s southern borders by 1986. To prevent the spread of NWS 

north from infested countries in South America, USDA and the Commission for Eradication and 

Prevention of NWS (COPEG) (also known as the Screwworm Barrier Maintenance Program) 

now maintain a permanent barrier utilizing the SIT in Panama’s Darien Gap region between 

Panama and Colombia. 

Section 2. Characteristics of the 2016–2017 Florida Outbreak 

Scope of the Outbreak 

For the duration of 2016, and for the majority of the outbreak, NWS was confined to the Florida 

Keys (Monroe County). In early 2017, an additional case was detected on the mainland, outside 

Miami near the city of Homestead. In total, animal infestations (wild or domestic) were detected 

on six islands in the Keys, in addition to the one finding that occurred on the mainland (Miami-

 

1

 The NWS Disease Strategy can be located at www.aphis.usda.gov/fadprep. 

2

 SIT is the process by which male NWS pupae are irradiated. Sterile pupae are released, though this is commonly 

called “sterile fly release” rather than “sterile pupae release.” These sterile flies mate with wild female flies which 

then lay unfertilized eggs. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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Dade County).3 In total, though infested animals were not identified on each island, 13 individual 

islands in the Keys were infested, as fertile NWS flies were detected on these islands. 

NWS affected mostly the endangered, wild Key deer4, with 10 confirmed and 125 presumptive 

positive cases; additionally, there was 1 confirmed positive case in wildlife in a raccoon. In 

domestic animals, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 1 pet pig were confirmed positive, and 2 dogs and 1 pet pig 

were presumptive positive for NWS; of these domestic cases, all occurred in the Keys except for 

one confirmed positive dog near Homestead. No production livestock were known to be infested. 

Figure 1 illustrates presumptive and confirmed positive autochthonous detections, by wild or 

domestic animal, and by location detected, throughout the outbreak. The breakdown of 

detections by animal infested is illustrated in Figure 2. 

Figure 1. Timeline of Presumptive and Confirmed Autochthonous Detections* 

*Timeline does not reflect the total number of animals affected (cases), only distinct presumptive and confirmed 

autochthonous detections in distinct locations. An “animal group” indicates a specific number of deer that were 

identified to meet the presumptive positive case definition. The total number of presumptive and confirmed cases is 

pictured in Figure 2. 

 

3

 Location detected may not necessarily be the location the animal was initially infested. 

4

 A distinct subspecies of the white-tailed deer that is located only in the Florida Keys. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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Figure 2. Presumptive and Confirmed Autochthonous Cases by Species 

Disease Incidence and Epidemiology 

Florida Keys 

The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, IA made the first 

confirmation of NWS in a Key deer on September 30, 2016; however, infestations of Key deer in 

Big Pine Key, Florida, were anecdotally observed as early as July 4, 2016. By August 2016, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) staff at the National Key Deer Refuge were seeing an unusual 

increase in buck mortality, which reached a rate approximately twice what would normally be 

seen from road strikes and natural causes in September. Interviews with local veterinarians in 

September further revealed that highly unusual myiasis had also been observed a few pets in the 

Florida Keys in July and August 2016, near the National Key Deer Refuge. 

After confirmation of NWS, high mortality rates continued in October, rising to nearly 100 in 

that month alone. NVSL continued to confirm cases of NWS submitted by unified Incident 

Command (IC) personnel; because of the high number of Key deer infested, on-site NWS subject 

matter experts also made the determination of presumptive positive autochthonous cases in some 

situations without further confirmation from NVSL. After November 20, all presumptive cases 

were submitted to NVSL for confirmation. As seen in Figure 1, cases continued to be detected 

until January 2017: the last confirmed positive autochthonous case was confirmed on January 10, 

2017, after being identified as a presumptive positive autochthonous case in the field on January 

6, 2017. 

Key Deer, 135

Dog, 5

Pet Pig, 2

Cat, 2

Racoon, 1

Key Deer

Dog

Pet Pig

Cat

Racoon
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A domestic dog from the mainland was confirmed by NVSL to have an NWS infestation on 

January 6, 2017. This dog had been taken to a local rescue group by Miami-Dade animal services 

on December 19, 2016 and had severe wounds and myiasis. The rescue subsequently took the 

dog to a veterinarian who reported the case to Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer 

Services (FDACS) the next day. The dog, who was treated and recovered, had previously been 

picked up from a rural residence in Homestead, Florida. Fly assessments were conducted in the 

area around where the dog was found and in Everglades National Park, with one wild 

screwworm fly identified on January 11 about 2 miles from the index site. After the detection, 

SIT was rapidly implemented in the area at 4 fly release sites beginning on January 13, 2017. No 

additional animal infestations were ever identified. 

Introduction into the United States 

The epidemiological investigation into the introduction and spread of NWS suggests that the 

wild flies were absent from the United States until 2016 and were likely to have been introduced 

into Florida sometime in the spring. No specific pathway for the 2016 introduction of NWS has 

yet been identified. Identifying the initial pathway for introduction can be a difficult 

epidemiological endeavor, and the delay in detecting NWS in this incident adds to the 

complexity of this task. Genotyping work was completed by USDA’s Agricultural Research 

Service (ARS) in an attempt to identify the origin of the NWS flies in the Florida Keys; this 

work was inconclusive, due in part to lack of publicly available data on mitochondrial DNA. For 

more information on the epidemiological investigation, please see Investigation into Introduction 

of New World Screwworm into Florida Keys, available here: 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/stakeholders/downloads/2017/nws-epi-report.pdf. 

Section 3. Management of the Incident 

Regulatory Intervention 

The State of Florida issued a Declaration of Agricultural Emergency in Monroe County, Florida 

as a result of the NWS detections in the Florida Keys on October 3, 2016.5 Included in this 

declaration was the establishment of an Interdiction Station, also known as the “Animal Health 

Check Zone,” to prevent the movement of infested animals outside of the known infested zones. 

Incident Management Structure 

Incident Command 

The FDACS, Monroe County, FL, and USDA APHIS established a unified IC and Incident 

Command Post in Marathon, Florida. After the initial establishment of the unified IC, USDA 

APHIS VS rotated partial National Incident Management Teams (NIMT) to support the unified 

IC throughout the duration of the incident. The unified IC was primarily staffed with 

Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services District 2 personnel. This organizational 

structure included co-incident commanders from USDA APHIS VS, FDACS, and Monroe 

 

5

 This emergency declaration was extended in December; the announcement can be found here: 

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/News-Events/Press-Releases/2016-Press-Releases/USDA-Confirms-New-WorldScrewworm-Cases-in-Big-Pine-Key. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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County. The unified IC was directed by subject matter experts from APHIS International 

Services (IS), and included other personnel from APHIS Wildlife Services (WS), APHIS Plant 

Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and USFWS 

staff, including those from the National Key Deer Refuge. When the additional NWS detection 

occurred on the Florida mainland, a forward Operational Base was established in Homestead, 

under the command and control of the existing unified IC, to handle outreach, investigations, fly 

site assessments, and sterile fly releases in the area. Miami-Dade County officials participated in 

these activities. 

Incident Coordination & Multiagency Coordination 

An APHIS National Incident Coordination Group (ICG) and a Multiagency Coordination (MAC) 

Group provided further support for resource allocation and policy guidance. The ICG was led by 

a National Incident Coordinator and a Deputy, and included—at the height of the response—

approximately 35 individuals in finance, logistics, plans, and operations. The ICG supported the 

unified IC as indicated through the response effort. 

Because of the multiagency nature of the incident, a small MAC Group was also established, 

comprised of individuals from across APHIS. This mini-MAC Group met as needed to address 

any emerging issues, particularly regarding resource requirements (including personnel) and 

intra- and interagency decisions. Jointly, the mini-MAC Group, ICG, and unified IC worked to 

develop short- and long-term operational plans. 

Joint Information Center 

Immediately upon the NWS detection in Monroe County, a unified Joint Information Center 

(JIC) was virtually established. FDACS personnel led this unified JIC throughout the incident. It 

was guided by a communication plan developed by the Public Information Officers (PIO) from 

FDACS, USDA Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA), Monroe County, and USFWS. The JIC 

guided all information releases, public messaging, and outreach in multiple languages through 

the incident response. 

Personnel Deployments 

Overall, there were 539 deployments by 350 individual personnel; 95 percent of these 

deployments were on-site in Florida (the remainder were virtual). Personnel in the field were 

either deployed to the Marathon Incident Command Post (ICP), the Interdiction Station, or the 

forward Operational Base near Homestead. 

Out of the total deployments, FDACS rotations accounted for 40 percent; APHIS rotations 

accounted for 34 percent. Figure 3 illustrates the total deployments by organization for the 

duration of the response effort. A few members from the COPEG facility staff in Panama were 

present as long as SIT fly releases were happening, for a total of 27 deployments. Monroe 

County also contributed personnel to 8 deployments during the response effort. 
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Figure 3. Total Deployments by Organization (Virtual & On-Site) 

At the height of the response, in the month of October, there were 158 total personnel deployed 

(virtually and on-site). Deployment numbers continued to decrease after October, as response 

operations were streamlined and, ultimately, as NWS infestations declined. In mid-December, 

the number of responders was significantly scaled back, but due to the detection on the Florida 

mainland, additional responders were deployed in January to commence operations there. 

The forward Operational Base near Homestead was open from approximately January 10 to 

February 25, 2017; the ICP in Marathon was operational until March 25, 2017, after which the 

NIMT rotations were discontinued though a small number of personnel remained in the area to 

work with local and COPEG personnel to conclude SIT activities. The last response personnel 

demobilized on April 29, 2017, immediately after the final fly release in the Florida Keys. Figure 

4 illustrates both virtual and on-site deployments from October 2016 (first deployment) to April 

2017 (last deployment). For a complete overview, see Appendix 4 which provides the final 

deployment report. 

Figure 4. On-Site & Virtual Deployments by Month 
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Zoning 

In the Florida Keys, the unified IC established Infested, Barrier, and North and South 

Surveillance Zones in late October 2016, as soon as initial fly site assessments had been 

conducted (Figure 5a). These response zones assisted in conducting response activities and 

communicating these activities internally and externally. 

Figure 5a. Infested, Barrier, and Surveillance Zones 10/24/16 to 1/4/17 

The Infested Zone designation covered the entire area where all infested animals had been 

identified and where wild screwworm flies had been detected during fly site assessments. The 

Barrier Zone indicated the area intended to be a “barrier” between the Infested Zone and the 

NWS-free Northern Surveillance Zone. In the southern Keys, there was an additional NWS-free 

Southern Surveillance Zone where fly assessments were conducted. In the Florida Keys, sterile 

fly releases occurred in the Infested and Barrier Zones only. 

No wild NWS flies or infested animals were ever detected in the Barrier Zone; the last sterile fly 

release was conducted in the Barrier Zone on December 26, 2016. Thus, in early January 2017, 

the Barrier Zone was eliminated; the zone previously known as the Barrier Zone became the new 

Northern Surveillance Zone (Figure 5b), as no wild flies had been found in the area initially 

designated as the Northern Surveillance Zone (Figure 5a) after nearly 100 assessments there. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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Figure 5b. Infested Zone, Surveillance Zones, and Treatment Area (1/5/17 to 3/23/17) 

After the single detection of NWS in a dog and a positive fly assessment for a wild NWS fly on 

the mainland, a treatment area was demarcated around this site in Homestead, Florida (also seen 

in Figure 5b). There were no zone designations on the mainland, as there were never further 

detections of infested animals or wild NWS flies in 278 additional fly assessments in and around 

the Homestead Treatment Area. 

All zones were released on March 23, 2017, when USDA declared the eradication of NWS from 

the State of Florida. 

Financial Resources 

Commodity Credit Corporation money was not requested for the NWS response. APHIS 

spending on this incident was approximately $3.2 million. 

International Commerce & Interstate Trade 

There was minimal impact to commerce and trade, as no countries banned exports from the 

United States as a result of the NWS detections. Additionally it is important to note that no NWS 

infestations were ever identified in production livestock. However, there were temporary 

restrictions placed on movements of certain animals to selected countries.6

 

Many of these countries removed restrictions after the United States provided evidence that 

NWS was limited to southern Florida. In addition to these international commerce implications, 

there were minor impacts on interstate trade. The State of Georgia required a Certificate of 

 

6

 One country put restrictions on sheep and goats; 8 countries put restrictions on cattle (dairy and breeding); 1 

country put restrictions on cats and dogs, and 4 countries implemented restrictions on horses. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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Veterinary Inspection that all animals coming from Florida, later reduced to only those from the 

Keys, be free of NWS. Utah also first required a permit to move livestock and pets out of Florida 

and then reduced it to only out of Monroe County. 

These trade restrictions had been lifted as of April 26, 2017. 

Section 4. Response Activities 

For an overview of the incident and associated response efforts, please see the timeline (Figure 

8) at the end of this document. 

Surveillance and Diagnostics 

Fly Site Assessments 

Fly site assessments to determine the extent of the NWS infestation—in the form of passive 

trapping (wind-oriented sticky trap) and observational surveillance by technical experts—began 

as early as October 4, 2016. Approximately a week from the first detection, strategically planned 

and mapped site assessments were being conducted using primarily active trapping (rotten liver 

tissue as bait). In total, fly site assessments were conducted on approximately 45 separate islands 

in the Florida Keys, and later on the mainland around Homestead, Florida, and in Everglades 

National Park to observe, capture, and identify flies. Over 730 fly site assessments were 

conducted in total. Thirteen Keys were known to be infested with wild NWS flies: Big Pine Key, 

Big Torch Key, Cudjoe Key, Howe Key, Little Knock-em-Down Key, Little Pine Key, Little 

Torch Key, Middle Torch Key, Munson Island, No Name Key, Ramrod Key, Sugarloaf Key, and 

Summerland Key. The last wild screwworm flies were found in the Keys on November 7, 2016 

and on the mainland on January 11, 2017. Active trapping took place from the beginning of the 

response, October 9, 2016 until March 15, 2017. For maps of fly site assessment locations, 

please see Appendix 2. 

Active & Passive Animal Surveillance 

Suspect cases (e.g., sick animal calls) were investigated by State and Federal personnel. In the 

Keys, all premises with animals, including veterinary practices, shelters, and livestock/animal 

businesses were visited to identify additional animal infestations; on the mainland, premises with 

animals or animal businesses within a 10 mile radius of where the infested dog was found were 

also contacted in person by unified IC personnel. Response personnel also completed door-todoor canvassing in a 3 mile radius around the index premises in Homestead. As there were a 

greater number of premises with livestock in rural Miami-Dade County, any premises with sheep 

or goats that had or were expecting newborn lambs or kids were kept under active surveillance to 

ensure that fresh navels did not get infested with NWS. In mid-January, 2017, 30 Key deer does 

were fitted with radio collars by USFWS to enable closer monitoring in preparation for the 

fawning season. No NWS myiasis has been observed in any Key deer fawns in 2017. 

Foreign animal disease (FAD) investigations for NWS occurred, in addition to an increase in fly 

or larvae submissions to NVSL specifically to rule-out suspected NWS. From January 1, 2016, 

to the last investigation (which was associated with the response) on April 18, 2017, there were a 

total of 168 investigations for NWS in the United States. Twenty-two different States and 
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Territories submitted samples to NVSL during the screwworm outbreak, but only Florida had 

confirmed positive results. For more information on NWS investigations, please see Appendix 1. 

Presumptive and Confirmed Cases 

Around the height of the infestation in Key deer in October through mid-November of 2016, 

presumptive NWS cases in Key deer were not sent on to NVSL for confirmation7

; however, after 

November 20, 2016, all presumptive positive cases from Key deer were forwarded to NVSL to 

be confirmed. The number of confirmed positive cases at NVSL—17 in total—is not indicative 

of NWS prevalence or total number of NWS infestations in the Keys since so many presumptive 

positive Key deer cases were not submitted to NVSL. In total, there were infested animals 

(domestic or wild, see Figure 1 and Figure 2) detected on 6 Keys: Big Pine Key, Middle Torch 

Key, Munson Island, No Name Key, Ramrod Key and Sugarloaf Key; in addition, there was the 

one infested animal detected in Homestead. 

Quarantine and Movement Control 

An Interdiction Station was set up in Key Largo, Florida, in the originally established Northern 

Surveillance Zone (Figure 5a). This Interdiction Station served as a location to inspect animals 

entering and leaving the Florida Keys (Figure 6) as well as providing visitors with animals 

valuable information on NWS. The Interdiction Station was staffed by FDACS Agricultural Law 

Enforcement personnel and veterinary support staff, along with APHIS Veterinary Medical 

Officers as needed. The station was operational 24 hours a day until March 19, 2017—a few 

days prior to the announcement that NWS had been eradicated from Florida. In total there were 

over 17,000 inspections, as illustrated in Figure 7. No animals were ever detected as NWSinfested at the Interdiction Station. 

From late October until January 1, 2017, pets traveling on the ferry between Key West, Marco 

Island, and Fort Myers were also inspected, and the ferry operator placed a temporary ban on 

carrying pets out of Key West (with the exception of service animals). Figure 7 includes these 

inspections in addition to those at the Interdiction Station. 

Figure 6. Interdiction Station, Key Largo, FL 

\ 

 

7

 Presumptive positives were cases that met the NWS case definition based on subject matter expert identification in 

the field. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

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Figure 7. Animals Inspected at the Interdiction Station: October 2016 to March 2017 

Disease Control 

Control and eradication of NWS was accomplished by use of the SIT. At the start of the 

outbreak, the Panama facility immediately increased its production of sterile screwworm pupae. 

Shipments of sterile pupae and release chambers arrived in the Keys on October 6, 2016, along 

with personnel from Panama and experts to assist with ground release of the flies. In total, there 

were approximately 35 different release sites used in the response effort, selected by subject 

matter experts and aerial surveillance: 31 in the Keys and 4 on the mainland around Homestead; 

it is estimated that over 188 million sterile flies were released in Florida during the response. On 

the mainland, sterile fly releases were concluded on March 21, 2017. SIT activities went on until 

April 25, 2017 in the infested zone of the Florida Keys. Fly site assessments and trapping were 

used to determine the effectiveness of the SIT and distribution of the sterile flies throughout the 

Florida Keys. 

Epidemiology 

An epidemiological investigation was conducted by VS personnel from the Center for 

Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH). In addition, ARS genotyped screwworm samples in 

an attempt to gain insight into the origin and timeline of NWS re-entering the United States. In 

January, a team from Texas A&M University carried out a study of the Key deer population.8

Euthanasia and Treatment 

Key deer found with severe infestations were euthanized by the captive bolt method. Infested 

tissue from euthanized deer was frozen and retained to both retain genetic information and to 

serve as tissue for fly traps if necessary. An incinerator was brought in and set up on Cudjoe 

Key, by the landfill, to incinerate the deer carcasses. Cooling trucks and freezers were mobilized 

 

8

 The VS CEAH epidemiological report is here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/stakeholders/downloads/2017/nws-epireport.pdf; more information on the population study is available here: https://wfsc.tamu.edu/texas-am-institutehelping-find-key-to-preserving-endangered-florida-deer/. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

12

by the National Veterinary Stockpile to store deer carcasses, until the carcasses could be 

incinerated. 

By October 21, 2016, deer were being treated with Doramectin where possible; many deer in the 

Florida Keys are accustomed to taking food from residents and visitors and would take the 

medication when given by hand. For deer who would not approach closely enough to take 

medication, treatment stations with feeders were set up to apply the Doramectin by October 28, 

2016. Approximately 20 medication stations were used on 6 different islands over the course of 

the response, and over 15,000 treatments were applied to Key deer. In a few unique cases, Key 

deer identified with NWS infestations were successfully captured, treated, and released. 

Information Management 

The unified Incident Command included individuals specializing in Emergency Management 

Response System 2.0 (EMRS2) data entry—the system of record for all FAD incidents, 

including this NWS incident and response. All data was tracked in EMRS2, from the fly site 

assessments and fly releases to animals inspected at the interdiction station and all positive 

(presumptive and confirmed) cases in domestic and wild animals. 

In terms of reporting, the unified Incident Command released situation reports daily at first, with 

frequency decreasing over the course of the outbreak as the response settled into a rhythm. 

Weekly national ICG reports were also issued from October 7, 2016 through the end of March 

2107, with one additional report released on May 1, 2017 at the conclusion of SIT releases when 

all personnel were demobilized. This final report is included as Appendix 3 to this document. 

The ICG also released deployment reports at routine intervals, using the rotation data in EMRS2 

for all responders (State, APHIS, other Federal agencies, COPEG, and county). A final 

deployment report was released May 2, 2017 and is included in Appendix 4. 

Communications 

The virtual JIC was established very early in the response, and USDA APHIS worked closely 

with public information officers from FDACS, Monroe County, and USFWS on consistent 

messaging. Stakeholder announcements were issued publicly on the USDA website shortly after 

NWS was confirmed and again later once screwworm was eradicated. FDACS also issued a 

public statement along with a call-in number for information; they hosted a 24-7 hotline 

throughout the incident. 

Outreach materials, such as a poster and flyers in multiple languages, were developed to inform 

the local public about NWS and garner their help in reporting any suspicious fly strike wounds 

on deer, pets, and other animals. Public meetings were also held in the Keys to answer questions 

about NWS, address community concern, and to provide updates on the treatment and status of 

the endangered Key deer population. Additional outreach included radio and newspaper 

interviews, posting information and checking pets at local grocery stores, and proactively 

reaching out to nearby national parks and reserves. FDACS also implemented the ability for 

concerned citizens to submit pictures and information about suspected NWS cases directly on 

their NWS website for immediate review. 
USDA APHIS VS NWS Response Final Report, Response to 2016–2017 NWS Outbreak 

13

Section 5. Conclusion 

The NWS response wrapped up over the month of April 2017, as personnel and equipment were 

demobilized. The surveillance cameras, located at the former sites of medication stations, 

continue to be monitored for signs of myiasis in Key deer. The fawning season is well underway, 

and no fawns have been observed with evidence of NWS. 

The Florida NWS incident was limited in both area and its impact on animal health. Only 6 

islands in the Florida Keys had confirmed or presumptive cases of NWS in wild or domestic 

animals, along with the 1 case found on the Florida mainland south of Miami. No production 

livestock were affected during the outbreak. After diligent and expansive use of the SIT along 

with intensive surveillance, including in remote locations, APHIS declared NWS eradicated from 

the United States on March 23, 2017. 

The success of this response is due in large part to effective collaboration of USDA APHIS VS, 

IS, WS, PPQ, LPA, multiple Federal partners, in addition to State and local personnel as well as 

tremendous subject matter expertise in NWS and SIT. It also relied heavily on the ability of the 

COPEG Panama facility to quickly ramp up production of sterile pupae and deliver them 

regularly to the site of the outbreak. Figure 8 shows the key milestones in this coordinated 

response effort. 

USDA APHIS has identified strengths and areas for improvement during the response, which 

will be used as USDA APHIS continues to defend against NWS and other FADs. For more 

information on NWS, the epidemiology of this outbreak, and the response, please go to USDA 

APHIS’ NWS page. 
14

Figure 8. Timeline of Key Milestones in NWS Infestation & Eradication in Florida 
APPENDIX 1 1

Appendix 1 

New World Screwworm Investigations 

There were 168 total investigations into New World Screwworm (NWS) from January 1, 2016 

counting up to late April 2017 (the last investigation entered as of this report date). These 

investigations were captured in the Emergency Management Response System 2.0 (EMRS2), the 

official system of record for foreign animal disease and pest incidents and investigations. 

This total includes investigations from three sources: 1) foreign animal disease (FAD) 

investigations of potential cases of NWS across the United States that were investigated as 

potential FADs, 2) all investigations of NWS related to the discovery of the pest in Big Pine 

Key, Florida, and subsequent surveillance efforts to detect more infestations, and 3) samples 

submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) for pest identification. The 

number of investigations does not reflect NWS flies found by observational surveillance or fly 

trapping during the incident; these detections are reflected in site assessment maps found in 

Appendix 2. 

Investigations of potential NWS were submitted at a normal level until late September, when 

NWS was first confirmed. Investigations peaked in the second half of October 2016 during the 

NWS Incident, tapering off into 2017 but remaining elevated through late April (Figure 1-1). 

Given the location of the NWS outbreak, the majority of investigations came from Florida with 

114 investigations, followed by Texas with 16. However, 21 States and Puerto Rico submitted 

NWS investigations during this time period. Again, no infestations were ever found outside 

Florida. 
APPENDIX 1 2

Figure 1-1. NWS Investigations by Week and State
APPENDIX 1 3

In terms of species investigated, the greatest number of NWS investigations were in cats and 

dogs at 61, with cervid samples (including all Key deer samples) totaling 53 (Figures 1-2). Other 

species that were the subject of NWS investigations include cows, rabbits, pigs, horses, goats, 

and other.

Figure 1-2. NWS Investigations by Species

Although a few investigations relating to the NWS incident in the Florida Keys were submitted 

to NVSL from Miami-Dade County, Figure 1-3 depicts Monroe County, as it was the area of 

focus for determining the extent to which NWS had spread. In Florida, 66 of the investigations 

were in Monroe County (58 percent).

Due to the outbreak mostly affecting wild Key deer, and the unique nature of the Keys 

ecosystem, most of the investigations in Monroe County were in wildlife. This was specific to 

Monroe County, as most investigations from other counties in Florida were from domestic 

animals and livestock (Figure 1-3). This was also true for investigations from around the rest of 

the United States: most investigations were conducted in domestic animals and livestock (Figure 

1-4).

These investigations show the importance of active and passive surveillance—at all times—for 

NWS in the United States, as well as the awareness and vigilance of veterinarians and others in 

identifying potential cases of NWS to protect U.S. animal health.
APPENDIX 1 4

Figure 1-3. Wildlife and Domestic Animal NWS Investigations in Monroe County, FL*

 *Location of pie chart does not reflect geographic location of investigations. 
APPENDIX 1 5

Figure 1-4. NWS Investigations Map with Species
APPENDIX 2 1

Appendix 2

Fly Site Assessment Maps

Fly assessments were conducted throughout the Florida Keys and on the mainland around 

Homestead, Florida, to determine the extent of the New World Screwworm (NWS) infestation 

and to evaluate the effectiveness of the sterile insect technique (SIT). These assessments were 

conducted using fly traps with tissue to attract the NWS flies. Additional observational 

surveillance also occurred through the duration of the response. Over 730 site assessments using 

tissue were conducted on approximately 45 different islands and around Homestead (on the 

mainland), beginning on October 9, 2016 and continuing until March 15, 2017.

Figure 2-1 shows the location of all site assessments done as part of the NWS Incident; please 

note that sites were visited repeatedly over the course of the response. It also indicates where 

wild flies, sterile flies (those released during the response), and no flies were detected during 

those site assessments.

Figure 2-1. Locations of NWS Fly Site Assessments

The original Northern Surveillance Zone is not depicted in the map above, but the markers extending up 

towards Key Largo in the Northern tip of the Keys show where assessments and sterile fly releases were 

conducted there when it was still in place. For a map of original zones, please see Figure 5a in the text.

 SIT release site

 Wild flies

 Sterile flies only

 Both wild and sterile flies

 No flies
APPENDIX 2 2

Figures 2-2 and 2-3 are insets of the full map, zoomed in to better see the distribution of site 

assessments and SIT release locations. These figures clearly show the tremendous amount of 

work that was completed during the NWS response to successfully eradicate NWS from Florida.

Figure 2-2. Locations of NWS Fly Site Assessments in the Florida Keys

Figure 2-3. Locations of NWS Fly Site Assessments on the Florida Mainland

 SIT release site

 Wild flies

 Sterile flies only

 Both wild and sterile flies

 No flies

 SIT release site

 Wild flies

 Sterile flies only

 Both wild and sterile flies

 No flies
APPENDIX 3 1

Appendix 3 

Final Incident Coordination Group Weekly 

Situation Report 

This appendix contains the Incident Coordination Group New World Screwworm (NWS) 

Outbreak Weekly Situation Report. The particular report included is the final report that was 

produced on May 1, 2017. It serves as an example of the type of weekly situation report that was 

created during the NWS outbreak in Florida. 

This report was For Official Use Only, and intended for government officials. It is not included 

in the publicly available version of this report. 
Appendix 4 

Final EMRS2 Summary Deployment Report

During the Florida New World Screwworm (NWS) outbreak, the Emergency Management 

Response System 2.0 (EMRS2) was used to track deployments. This includes those agencies 

responding outside of APHIS. The data was extracted from EMRS2 to create a Summary 

Deployment Report. This appendix contains the final NWS Summary Deployment Report that 

was produced May 2, 2017. It serves as an example of reports that were created during the NWS 

outbreak in the Florida. 

APPENDIX 4 1
DATE TRANSMITTED: Tuesday May 2, 2017 (data reported as of May 1, 2017 3:00pm ET) 

PREPARED BY: Veterinary Services (VS) Screwworm Incident Coordination Group

Please note: This report is based on data/mobilization information for all responders in the Emergency Management 

Response System 2.0 (EMRS2) for personnel deployed to field location(s) or virtually deployed to an Incident Management 

Team for screwworm response. This data may change as source data is updated and corrections are made.

This is the final ICG deployment report for this incident. The response to NWS infestation in the United States has ended.

A. Current Deployments

• 0 Current Deployments

B. Total Number of Deployments

• 539 total deployments

• 350 total individuals deployed

 Number of individuals deployed 1 time: 229

 Number of individuals deployed 2 times: 73

 Number of individuals deployed 3 times: 37

 Number of individuals deployed 4 times: 5

 Number of individuals deployed 5 times: 4

 Number of individuals deployed 6 times: 1

 Number of individuals deployed 7 times: 1

Figure 1. Total Deployments by Incident State

APPENDIX 4 2
Figure 2. Total Deployments by Rotation Type

APPENDIX 4 3
Figure 3. Total Deployments by Position Assigned

91

60

55

38

33

23

19

17

15

10

7

10

5

11

10

9

9

9

6

7

6

4

6

4

3

3

2

2

4

4

4

3

3

3

2

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

4

1

6

2

1

2

1

2

2

2

2

1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Law Enforcement Officer

Wildlife Biologist

Sterile Fly Release Teams

Team Member

Interdiction Team Member

Public Information Officer

Incident Commander

Interdiction Veterinary Support Team Member

Logistics Section Chief

Sterile Insect Technique Program Team Member

Finance/Administration Section Chief

Operations Section Chief

EMRS Specialist

Disease Surveillance Branch Director

Surveillance Group Member

Planning Section Chief

Safety Officer

Deputy Logistics Chief

Epidemiologist

Outreach and Communications Group Member

Deputy Operations Chief

Information Technology Specialist

Team Leader

EMRS Data Entry

Travel Logistics Unit Leader

Liaison Officer

Resource Unit Leader

Situation Unit Leader

VMO

Documentation Unit Leader

Geographic Information Specialist

Deputy Planning Chief

Contracting Officer

Deputy Adm/Finance Chief

Agency Representative

Disease Management Branch Director

Administrative Assistant

Division Supervisor

Training Coordinator

AHT

Group Supervisor

Sterile Insect Lab Technician

Unit Leader

Support Branch Director

Euthanasia Group Supervisor

Deputy Incident Commander

Administrative Officer

On-Site Virtual

APPENDIX 4 4
Figure 4. Total APHIS Deployments by Position Assigned

28

5

9

10

9

8

5

9

6

7

4

6

6

6

3

4

2

2

3

3

3

3

1

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

5

6

1

1

4

2

2

2

1

2

1

2

1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Sterile Fly Release Teams

EMRS Specialist

Operations Section Chief

Logistics Section Chief

Safety Officer

Incident Commander

Finance/Administration Section Chief

Planning Section Chief

Epidemiologist

Surveillance Group Member

Information Technology Specialist

Interdiction Veterinary Support Team Member

Wildlife Biologist

Public Information Officer

Travel Logistics Unit Leader

EMRS Data Entry

Resource Unit Leader

Situation Unit Leader

Contracting Officer

VMO

Documentation Unit Leader

Team Member

Liaison Officer

Administrative Assistant

Outreach and Communications Group Member

Disease Management Branch Director

Administrative Officer

Group Supervisor

Disease Surveillance Branch Director

Unit Leader

Sterile Insect Lab Technician

Deputy Logistics Chief

Division Supervisor

Team Leader

On-Site On-Site VERRC Virtual

APPENDIX 4 5
C. Length of Deployment

• Range: 1–177 days

• Average: 17.68 days

• Median: 14.00 days

Figure 5. Average Deployment by Position Assigned in Days (Not Including Currently Deployed)

83.50

80.00

57.00

49.13

39.17

30.75

26.67

24.65

23.67

21.80

21.00

20.00

20.00

19.67

19.50

18.30

18.27

17.73

17.25

16.64

16.53

15.36

15.33

15.18

15.00

14.67

14.33

14.00

14.00

13.00

13.00

12.90

12.25

12.00

12.00

11.87

11.58

11.33

11.00

10.00

9.91

7.60

6.00

5.00

5.00

4.00

4.00

0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00 90.00

Disease Management Branch Director

Liaison Officer

Situation Unit Leader

Outreach and Communications Group Member

Sterile Insect Technique Program Team Member

Epidemiologist

Information Technology Specialist

Incident Commander

Wildlife Biologist

EMRS Data Entry

Planning Section Chief

Division Supervisor

Group Supervisor

Safety Officer

Documentation Unit Leader

Public Information Officer

EMRS Specialist

Sterile Fly Release Teams

Resource Unit Leader

Finance/Administration Section Chief

Logistics Section Chief

Operations Section Chief

Deputy Operations Chief

Interdiction Veterinary Support Team Member

AHT

Deputy Logistics Chief

Deputy Planning Chief

Deputy Incident Commander

Euthanasia Group Supervisor

Agency Representative

Travel Logistics Unit Leader

Surveillance Group Member

VMO

Geographic Information Specialist

Contracting Officer

Team Member

Interdiction Team Member

Team Leader

Support Branch Director

Deputy Adm/Finance Chief

Disease Surveillance Branch Director

Law Enforcement Officer

Unit Leader

Administrative Officer

Administrative Assistant

Sterile Insect Lab Technician

Training Coordinator

APPENDIX 4 6
D. Number of Deployments by Month 

• Earliest Deployment: October 2, 2016

• Last Deployment: April 27, 2017

Figure 6. Total Deployments by Month by Rotation Type

E. Total Organizational Deployments

Figure 7. Total Deployments by Organization

Note: COPEG= Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of NWS

216

184

104

27

8

0

50

100

150

200

250

State Agriculture

Departments

USDA:APHIS Other Federal

Agencies

COPEG Monroe County

APPENDIX 4 7
Figure 8. Total Federal Agency Deployments by Rotation Type

Note: ARS= Agricultural Research Service

Figure 9. Total APHIS Deployments by Appointment Type

Note: WS= Wildlife Services, IS= International Services, PPQ= Plant Protection and Quarantine, MRPBS= Marketing 

and Regulatory Programs Business Services, LPA= Legislative and Public Affairs

154

99

3

25

2

5

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

USDA:APHIS U.S. Fish and Wildlife USDA:ARS

On-Site VERRC

Virtual

On-Site

133

8 6 5 3

1

27

1

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

VS WS IS PPQ LPA MRPBS

Term

Perm

APPENDIX 4 8
Figure 10. Total APHIS Deployments by Rotation Type 

Figure 11. Total VS Deployments by Rotation Type

Note: SPRS= Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services, PSS= Program Support Services, NIES= National 

Import and Export Services, STAS= Science, Technology, and Analysis Services

135

8

5 1 3 2

24

1

1

4

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

VS WS IS PPQ LPA MRPBS

On-Site VERRC

Virtual

On-Site

117

6 8 4

17

5 1 1

1

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

SPRS PSS NIES STAS

On-Site VERRC

Virtual

On-Site

APPENDIX 4 9
Figure 12. Total SPRS District/Unit Deployments by Rotation Type

Figure 13. Total State and County Deployments by Rotation Type

Note: FDACS= Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, TAHC= Texas Animal Health Commission

97

6

6 4 3 1

16

1

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

District 2 Other SPRS District 4 District 1 District 3 District 5

Virtual

On-Site

213

8

1

2

0

50

100

150

200

250

FDACS Monroe County TAHC

Virtual

On-Site

APPENDIX 4 10
APPENDIX 5 1

Appendix 5

Abbreviations

APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

ARS Agricultural Research Service

CEAH Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health

COPEG Commission for Eradication and Prevention of NWS 

EMRS2 Emergency Management Response System 2.0

FAD foreign animal disease

FDACS Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

IC Incident Command

ICG Incident Coordination Group

ICP Incident Command Post

IS International Services

JIC Joint Information Center

MAC Multiagency Coordination

NIMT National Incident Management Team

NVSL National Veterinary Services Laboratories

NWS New World screwworm

PPQ Plant Protection and Quarantine

SIT sterile insect technique

USDA United States Department of Agriculture

USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

VS Veterinary Services

WS Wildlife Services