Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Preparedness
The Bureau, Putnam & Marshall County Health Departments are the lead agencies in public health emergencies within our community. In addition, we support other agencies when an emergency is not related to strictly public health responses. Examples of public health emergencies include:
- Disease Outbreaks
- Bio-Terrorist Events
- Pandemic Influenza
Public health emergency preparedness and response is “the capability of the public health and health care systems, communities and individuals to prevent, protect against, quickly respond to and recover from health emergencies, particularly those whose scale, timing and unpredictability threatens to overwhelm routine capabilities.” (The Hastings Center, a bioethics research center)
Public health preparedness activities include:
- Assuring that environmental conditions, food and water are safe
- Planning for emergency medical and public health response
- Detecting disease outbreaks
- Determining the nature of a disease epidemic
- Performing laboratory analyses
- Limiting the spread of disease
- Assuring that those affected receive emergency medical treatment and medications
What is the Strategic National Stockpile?
The Strategic National Stockpile is a national repository of antibiotics, chemical antidotes, antitoxins, life-support medications, IV administration, airway maintenance supplies, and medical/surgical items. Federal, State and local partners throughout the country, including Bureau, Putnam and Marshall Health Departments plan and practice together for scenarios requiring emergency distribution of materials from the SNS in the case of disasters or in order to protect our residents from manmade or natural threats to health through biological or chemical exposure.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for our MRC unit please e-mail lsondgeroth@bpmhd.org.
Additional Information
Departments