"Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest storms to impact the coast of the United States during the last 100 years, causing widespread devastation along the central Gulf Coast states of the U.S. Cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana, Mobile, Alabama, and Gulfport, Mississippi bore the brunt of Katrina's force. To review the successes and areas for improvement, CDC [Centers for Disease and Control] convened a multi-disciplinary, multi-CC/O After Action Report [AAR] Workgroup. The AAR team was asked to identify strengths and opportunities for the improvement of CDC's all-hazards preparedness and response investments relative to our Hurricane Katrina response so immediate steps could be taken to improve performance. Interviews were conducted with members of CDC staff, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Emergency Management Association, Public Health agencies, private sector organizations, international observers (World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization), and other interested parties. Processes and procedures were identified, reviewed and mapped as a baseline for CDC's emergency response activities. Emergency response documentation, previous AARs, and other relevant information were also obtained and reviewed. Data from each of these inputs were analyzed accordingly; common themes were identified; conclusions and recommendations were then determined.