The 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake highlighted the challenges of maintaining effective Early Warning, Alert, and Response Systems (EWARS) during emergencies and disasters. Key issues include damaged reporting capacities of local health facilities, the need to collect data from temporary facilities such as evacuation centers, analyzing data under emergency conditions and implementing on-site infection prevention and control measures.

This report reviews the successful joint operation of Emergency Medical Teams (EMT), Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETP), and Public Health Rapid Response Teams (PHRRT) during the earthquake.

Findings were consolidated by joint after-action review.

National EMTs such as Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) reported data on infectious diseases to the EMT Coordination Cell (EMTCC) using the J-SPEED system, which is compatible with the WHO EMT Minimum Data Set (MDS). The robust logistics capacity of EMTs allowed effective data collection from remote and ad hoc facilities. The J-SPEED Analysis Support Team at the EMTCC shared this data with the FETP. Experts from FETP analyzed the data, identifying cases requiring intervention and successfully triggered targeted infection prevention and control measures implemented by PHRRTs specifically Disaster Infection Control Team (DICT).

The joint operation demonstrated that EMTs can effectively function as ad hoc sentinels within national EWARS. The integration of EMT data with FETP analysis and targeted interventions by PHRRTs proved successful, offering a valuable model for future emergency responses globally.