At a glance
CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to support the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster.
About the Response
On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated when it re-entered Earth's atmosphere. Debris from the shuttle was found in a wide area underneath its path, mainly in eastern Texas and Louisiana.
CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) provided technical support for the federal response to the disaster.
They provided information about the possible health effects of shuttle debris to state health departments on or near the shuttle flight path.
Content Source:
Office of Readiness and Response