With Hurricane season officially underway, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services introduced a new disaster preparedness platform. 

In an effort to provide health and emergency management workers with more up-to-date information with which to prepare for and respond to disasters, the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a national resource center. 

The Technical Resources, Assistance Center and Information Exchange, a.k.a. TRACIE, features a help line, just-in-time suggestions and tools to share information gleaned from real-life experiences in preparing for, responding to and recovering from disasters.

TRACIE also includes a technical assistance center, a comprehensive national knowledge center, and multiple ways to share information among federal, state and local officials.

To develop the program, HHS drew on experts from around the country charged with preparing for public health and healthcare system emergencies.

And while TRACIE debuts during Hurricane season, the resources are pertinent to most kids of disasters.

"Every disaster, large or small, has the potential to impact heath," Nicole Lurie, MD, HHS' assistant secretary for preparedness and response, said in a news release. "TRACIE can help health and emergency management officials across the country learn about, share, and apply best practices and experiences before, during and after disasters to protect health and potentially save lives."