This document provides training materials on Rapid Response Teams (RRTs). It outlines the learning objectives, composition, roles, and operation of RRTs. The objectives are to explain what an RRT is and its characteristics, describe the composition and key activities of RRT members, list key partners during interventions, and describe how RRTs link to emergency response systems. An RRT is a multidisciplinary, adequately trained team that can rapidly mobilize as part of an emergency management structure. Key roles include a team leader, clinicians, epidemiologists, communicators, and logistics/support specialists. The document provides a scenario for trainees to practice composing an appropriate RRT based on local response needs.

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A2.1 Rapid Response Teams
composition and roles
Updated: May 2022
Rapid Response Teams Advanced Training Package

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Learning objectives
At the end of this session you should be able to :
• Explain what is a RRT and its characteristics
• Describe the composition of a RRT and key activities of each RRT member
• List the key partners for the RRT during its intervention
• Describe the link between RRTs and the emergency response system.

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Oultine
1. Characteristics of an RRT
2. Composition of the RRT
3. Practicing with a scenario
4. RRTs as part of the Emergency Response System
5. Examples of tasks of RRT members
6. References and guidelines
7. Additional learning resources

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1. Characteristics of an RRT

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What are the characteristics of a Rapid Response
Team?
An RRT is:
• Multidisciplinary or even multisectoral team
• Adequately and regularly trained
• Rapidly mobilizable as part or in coordination
with the public health emergency management
structure.

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2. Composition of an RRT

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Team Members
Field Team Leader = facilitates interactions among team
members and external partners.
Field Team Leader
General Composition of an RRT
Team Members = various fields of expertise, develop a
working knowledge of each other's area of expertise.
Click the RRT roles below to know more. An RRT is composed of:

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What may be the roles needed on an RRT, in general?

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What may be the roles needed on an RRT in general?
Remember that: experienced team members may be able to fill multiple roles in the team.
In general, the roles needed on a RRT are:
✔ Team leader
✔ Case / clinical management (doctor and/or nurse/paramedics)
✔ Epidemiologist / surveillance officer/ public health officer
✔ Communication / social mobilisation expert (Red cross experts)
✔ Logistician (can be field based or at HQ)
✔ Laboratorian
✔ Data manager /statistician
✔ Infection, prevention and control expert
✔ Environmental health specialist
✔ Veterinarian
✔ Water, sanitation and hygiene specialist

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RRT committee
• Provinces:
Lead- Province Health Directorate
Member Secretary –Focal Officer of Public Health Emergencies, Provincial health Directorate
Members: Medical Superintendent from different Hospitals – Maximum 2
Members: Members from different departments , Water and Sanitation, Animal health, Women
and Child health working in Public Health Emergencies- Maximum 4
• Local Level:
Lead: Chief Executive Officer
Member Secretary – Local Health Coordinator
Member : Head of different health institutions- Maximum 2
Member : Members from different departments , Water and Sanitation, Animal health, Women
and Child health working in Public Health Emergencies- Maximum 4
*Interim Guideline:
http://edcd.gov.np/resources/download/rrt-interim-guideline

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Structure of RRT team
• Municipal / Rural Municipal RRT :
– Medical Officer (MO)* -1 (*Medical officer if available) - Lead
– Health Assistant/S.AHW/AHW-2 Municipal / Rural
Municipal RRT
– Staff Nurse/ANM -2
– Lab Technician/Lab Assistant -1
– Office Assistant -1
• Provincial RRT:
– General Physician/MD/MO- 2 - Lead
– Public Health officer - 1
– HA/SAHW/AHW – 2
– Staff Nurse/ANM-1
– Lab Technician/Assistant – 2
– Office Assistant – 1
– (*Special category members on need basis (e.g. Vector Control investigator, WASH expert,
Pediatrician, Psychiatrist, Medical Recorder/ Statistics Officer, Health Education Officer)
 Provincial RRT: RHD
Centre RRT: EDCD

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Write the
epidemic
preparedness
and response
plan
Before the Public
Health
Emergencies
01
Define Prevention and
Control Strategies
(Versatility,
adaptability)
02
05 03
Write the epidemic
preparedness and
response plan
04
Assign specific
responsibilities for
surveillance,
preparedness and
response
Identify and
mobilise resources
Set Priorities
Role of RRT

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During the Public
Health
Emergency
Implement the
Plan
01
Rapid and
Coordinated
response
02
Implement
prevention and
control strategies
03
Identify and mobilise
resources
04
Role of RRT

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Write the
epidemic
preparedness
and response
plan
After the Public
Health
Emergencies
01
Modify prevention
and
control Strategies
02
05 03
Review and update the
plan
04
Identify and mobilize
resources
Anticipate new
outbreak and
Strengthen
surveillance
Evaluate the
preparedness and the
response
Role of RRT

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Examples of RRT roles and composition in the
context of foodborne disease outbreak
Epidemiolog
y
Social
Mobilization
Laboratory WASH
specialist
Risk
Communicatio
n
RRT
roles:
Infection
Prevention and
Control
Situation: “We need staff for a
mobile lab!”
“There’s a suspected outbreak in
rural area.”
“Rumors in the community
are making case finding difficult.”
Question:
Which RRT roles are suitable for the situations presented below?
Case
Managemen
t

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Examples of RRT roles and composition in
the context of foodborne disease outbreak
Epidemiolog
y
Social
Mobilization
Laboratory
Case
Managemen
t
Risk
Communicatio
n
Roles:
Examples of
RRT
composition:
“We need staff
for a mobile lab!”
Situation:
Infection
Prevention and
Control
“There’s a suspected
outbreak in rural area.”
“Rumors in the community
are
making case finding difficult.”
WASH
specialist

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RRTs are adaptable
Remember that:
Not every expertise needs to be represented on an RRT. The size and composition of a given team depends
on type of emergency, level of risk, resources, and geographic coverage.
Teams in the field can be supplemented through collaboration with specialized/expert teams back at
headquarters such as:
– Psychosocial support experts
– Hazardous material teams
– Vector control experts
– Media expert
– Search and rescue teams
– Nutrition specialists
– Burial teams
– Etc.

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3. Practicing with a scenario

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Scenario 1
On March 20, the national government received notification of a
suspected COVID-19 case in a small town outside of the capital city.
Local officials have mobilized their own staff but identified several
response needs and are requesting assistance from the national RRT.
Resources are very limited and only two national RRT members can
deploy to the field.

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Questions to be addressed
Taking into consideration the situation described in the
scenario and the local response needs listed here, address
the following questions:
1. How will you compose the RRT and who will be mobilized
to the field?
2. What else can be done to support the local response?
Local response needs:
• Additional support conducting case
investigation and contact tracing.
• Support the assessment of IPC in health
care centers and put in place IPC
measures.
• Ensure laboratory protocols and IPC
standards are being implemented and
adhered to in the local laboratory and
conduct a quality control evaluation.
• Train and supervise local staff on data
management.

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Epidemiology Case Management IPC
Current local response
teams and requested
support roles
How will you compose the RRT and who will be
mobilized to the field?
Select 2 RRT members
from your roster and
move them to the
corresponding boxes
on the right side to fill
the gaps.
Social
Mobilization Lab
Risk
Comms
National Rapid Respond Team Roster
Field
Response
Headquarters
HEOC/EDCD
WASH
specialist
Epidemiolog
y
Social
Mobilization
Laborator
y
Case
Managemen
t
Risk
Communicatio
n
Roles: Infection
Prevention and
Control
WASH
specialist

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Epidemiology Case Management IPC
Current local response
teams and requested
support roles
Possible answers
Social
Mobilization Lab
Risk
Comms
National Rapid Respond Team Roster
Field
Response
Headquarters
HEOC
Epidemiolog
y
Social
Mobilization
Laborator
y
Case
Managemen
t
Risk
Communicatio
n
Roles: Infection
Prevention and
Control
? ?
? ?
? ? ?
? ?
Select 2 RRT members
from your roster and
move them to the
corresponding boxes
on the right side to fill
the gaps.
WASH
specialist
WASH
specialist

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Epidemiology Case Management IPC
Current local response
teams and requested
support roles
Possible answers
View two
possible options:
Social
Mobilization Lab
Risk
Comms
National Rapid Respond Team Roster
Field
Response
Headquarters
HEOC/EDCD
WASH
specialist
Epidemiolog
y
Social
Mobilization
Laborator
y
Case
Managemen
t
Risk
Communicatio
n
Roles: Infection
Prevention and
Control
WASH
specialist

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Exercise debriefing
1. How will you compose the RRT and who will be mobilized to the field?
• Option 1 may be to send an epi and IPC specialist to the field, with a lab, IPC and epi support
maintained from the headquarters level.
• Option 2 may be to send an epi and a staff who can cover both the IPC and lab areas to the field,
with epi end IPC support maintained from headquarters level.
It’s important to remember that RRT members should be able to fill multiple roles. This way you can
capitalize on a multi-skilled responder to meet multiple needs in the field.
2. What else can be done to support the local response?
• Train RRT members before mobilization e.g., train the IPC specialist on basic lab IPC and send
them with appropriate training materials.
• Provide remote support to RRT members from headquarters e.g., set up regular phone calls with
data management experts to advise on information management issues.

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What else can be done to support the local response?
RRT members may not have the appropriate expertise for a given emergency. To prepare and/or
support them you may consider the following:
– Train RRT members before mobilization (just-in time training) e.g., train the IPC specialist on
basic lab IPC and send them with appropriate training materials.
Not all support needs to go to the field, support can be provided by staff at headquarters:
– Provide remote support to RRT members e.g., set up regular phone calls with data
management experts to advise on information management issues.

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Furthermore,
Few days later, one of the local RRT responders
develops difficulty breathing, cough and fever. The
rest of the RRT are however with no symptoms.
Taking into consideration on the situation described
in the scenario:
1. What should the affected RRT member do next?
2. What should the RRT team do next?

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Possible answers
1. The RRT member should report symptoms
immediately to the team lead and self-isolate.
1. Team lead should report the event to the RRT
manager back at headquarters. All
exposed RRT responders with close contact
to the sick responder should self-isolate as
well - SETTING AN EXAMPLE.