Designated Officer Program

The Ontario Infectious Diseases Protocol, 2023 – Exposure of Emergency Service Workers to Infectious Diseases requires public health units to work with emergency services to facilitate the notification between emergency services workers and local public health unit of real or possible exposure to infectious diseases.

Local public health units are required to be available 24/7 to receive and respond to reports of infectious diseases of public health significance. Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) does this through our emergency on-call line at 1-807-468-7109 or 1-866-475-6505.

Exposure of Emergency Service Workers to Infectious Diseases Notification

Northwestern Health Unit will notify designated officers (DO) in our catchment area regarding possible exposure of an emergency service worker to an infectious disease of public health significance when made aware by:

• Actively seeking out contacts of cases with infectious diseases of public health significance 
• Informing respective DO that an emergency service worker might have been exposed to an infectious disease of public health significance 
• Informing the DO regarding any actions to be taken based on reports made to NWHU by DO

Provide your designated officer information

Please submit the DO information for your emergency service using the following:

Emergency service/organization name *

Type of emergency servicePlease selectPoliceFireEMSAir ambulance

Designated officer phone number

(24/7 contact number for notification)

Name of key contact person/designated officer *

First

Last

Email address for designated officer *

Privacy Notice:

Personal information is collected under the authority of the Health Protection and Promotion Act and related legislation and in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act and/or the (Municipal) Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. We collect only the personal information needed to provide public health programs and to plan and evaluate our services. Your information may be shared with others as required or permitted by law. For more information contact the health unit at 1-855-407-6453 or see the privacy statement on our website at www.nwhu.on.ca.

Submit

Reporting a possible exposure

To report a possible exposure of an emergency service worker to NWHU call 1-807-468-7109 or 1-866-475-6505. All exposure reports are received, assessed, and responded to as soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours after receiving the notification.

More information on DO program:

• Designated Officer Program Overview
• Infectious Diseases Protocol, 2023