Why This Matters

From the earliest days of the Cold War to the front lines of COVID-19, Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers have been there—investigating outbreaks, protecting communities and saving lives.

They are often called “disease detectives.” But their work goes far beyond any single outbreak. EIS officers have traced the source of Legionnaires’ disease, responded to HIV/AIDS, helped contain Ebola and tackled challenges like anthrax, lead poisoning and maternal health. They follow the data wherever it leads—because public health is more than one issue, one disease or one moment.

Phase two of the EIS Oral History Project will capture more of these stories in documentary films and archival interviews—preserving firsthand accounts from the officers who shaped modern public health.

This work matters now more than ever.

EIS is not only a training program. It is a living network of leaders, mentors and responders who serve in health departments, universities and organizations across the country and around the world. For decades, when the phone rang, someone from this network answered.

What happens if no one is there next time to answer the phone?

Your support will help:
• Preserve firsthand stories from EIS officers across generations
• Produce another installment of this documentary to educate and engage public audiences
• Build a permanent archive of interviews for future research and training
• Ensure the legacy—and future—of this critical public health program

By documenting these stories, we make the case for why EIS must endure—so the next generation is ready to respond when it matters most.