Public Health Emergency Preparedness   

Public Health Emergency Preparedness is responsible for building the preparedness, response and recovery capacity of the health department workforce and the community to existing and emerging threats to public health.  This is done through coordinated planning, drills and exercises, training, education, and other protective measures and treatment through collaboration with local, regional, state and federal agencies.

The Emergency Preparedness Program is established annually to county health departments by the Public Health Preparedness Grant administered by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) under guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

One of the deliverables, what the Health Department has to develop, is a volunteer corps to assist during a public health emergency.  We already know the small staff of the Health Department will be limited in the event of an emergency, yet we are still responsible to provide emergency services, medications and information related to the emergency.  This will obviously be a work in progress. 

Now is the time to learn about Emergency Preparedness.  Check out the links below for sites to help you and your family, business, farm and/or school be prepared.

If you are well organized and think this is something you would be interested in working on or you have questions about Public Health Emergency Preparedness please contact Peg Wiley, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at 589-3251 or by e-mail at pwiley@orleansny.com

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Are You Prepared?

In today’s world we need to be prepared for many kinds of emergencies which could impact our health and safety.  Remember the “Surprise Storm” of October 12th, 2006?  Whether an emergency is caused by disease outbreak, wildfire, severe weather, earthquake or terrorist acts, would we know what to do to help protect ourselves and our family?

The Orleans County Health Department reminds you to talk with your family about the need to prepare for any type of emergency whether you are at home or away. 

Then make a plan, write it down, practice, review and update it often. 

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The following suggestions will help keep you and your family safe in the event of an emergency:

• Make sure everyone in your family knows where you keep emergency supplies and a first aid kit.  Check it monthly and re-supply it as needed.
• In an emergency, tune in to media reports for important information.  Know which stations can provide up-to-date local information
• Keep important phone numbers by each phone in your home.
• Know the best escape route from each room in your home and remember to choose a meeting place away from the house.
• Know where family members will meet in case they can’t get home – one near home and one outside the neighborhood.
• Know your community’s public alert system and your child’s school emergency plan.

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Take time now to create a family emergency preparedness plan, and then practice it with your family.  Have periodic rehearsals, including some with lights out and surprise exercises.  In an emergency, the electricity may be off.  You should also prepare a first aid kit and emergency supplies to meet your family’s needs for at least 3 days.  Have at least these emergency supplies on hand:

• Flashlight and extra batteries and/or a wind-up flashlight
• Portable, battery operated radio or television and extra batteries or wind-up models
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Water for drinking and household use (at least 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days)
• Ready-to-eat canned foods to last at least 3 days
• Manual can opener
• Peanut butter, crackers, granola bars and other high-energy foods and/or non-perishable ‘comfort’ foods
• Supply of prescription medication
• Disposable diapers, baby food, formula
• Supplies and special foods for seniors or family members (don’t forget your pets) with special needs
• Bleach (for disinfecting)
• Plastic bags and ties (for sanitation)
• Credit card and cash
• Personal identification
• An extra set of keys for house and car
• Blankets, changes of clothes/underwear in case you have to evacuate
• Important documents, such as your insurance policies – keep originals and/or in safe dry place such as a zipper bag that is easy to grab if you have to evacuate quickly

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Put together a first aid kit containing these supplies:

• First aid manual
• Assortment of sterile adhesive bandages
• Sterile gauze pads
• Over-the-counter drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen, antidiarrheal medication, activated charcoal- used only as prescribed by doctor or poison control center)
• Antiseptic ointment
• Soap
• Latex or polyurethane single-use gloves (be aware many people have latex allergies)
• Thermometer
• Tongue depressors
• Tweezers, needles

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Arrange for a friend or relative to serve as a point of contact in case your family members are separated in an emergency and make sure everyone has the correct phone number and area code.  It may still be possible to call long distance when local phone lines are down, you should select someone out-of-state to be your emergency contact.  Don’t forget to plan what you will do with your pets.  They won’t be permitted in public emergency shelters.

The Orleans County Health Department is also encouraging area churches to take a role in emergency preparedness.  Over the next few months we will be contacting clergy to invite them to develop a county wide church initiative for disaster recovery based on the Project Grace Church Handbook from West Virginia.  If you are interested in learning more, please contact Nola Goodrich-Kresse at 589-3162 or e-mail at ngoodrich@orleansny.com .

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Check out these web sites for adults, kids farmers/growers and businesses...