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Preparedness
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NALBOH Preparedness Pages
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Natural or man-made hazards that affect a community occur in many forms. Natural hazards include tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and inclement weather, while man-made hazards include terrorism. All disasters create dynamic, changing environments. While it is virtually impossible to anticipate every possible disaster, it is extremely important that the agency staff, emergency responders, and board of health prepare responses to as many imagined events as possible. Should an event occur, each participant will have a clearly defined role in the response. For local board of health members, this means that not only are they responsible for ensuring the creation of a response plan, but that they also know their roles and are informed about various public health threats to their communities.
To assist local board of health members in learning about their function in emergency preparedness, NALBOH is here to provide technical support to increase health professionals’ understanding of their roles and responsibilities in community preparedness efforts.
Did You Know...
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) releases report on state surge capacity.
The GAO’s report includes a review of 20 state's surge capacity, and found that all states reported some challenges in planning for surge capacity. Very few states had developed guidelines for altered standards of car during an emergency. The GAO recommends that the federal government can provide guidance and assistance related to surge capacity to ensure consistency across states.
Access the report here.
Rand Corporation Releases Report on Public Health Preparedness and Response to Chemical and Radiological Incidents.
The Rand Corporation has released a report that investigates in depth the public health preparedness in regards to chemical and radiological incidents. The report includes a framework for public health roles alongside emergency preparedness and response activities and identifies areas at local health departments where further development may be necessary. Access the report here.
Inaugural CDC Report on Activities in Public Health Emergency Preparedness
The CDC has released its first report on activities funded through the CDC’s Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response. Public Health Preparedness: Strengthening CDC’s Emergency Response describes the role the CDC plays in preparing the public health infrastructure for hazards, and highlights accomplishments and priorities as the CDC continues to work towards its preparedness objectives. Download highlights or the entire report here.
Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism. Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released the sixth annual "Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism" report, which finds that progress made to better protect the country from disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and bioterrorism is now at risk, due to budget cuts and the economic crisis. In addition, the report concludes that major gaps remain in many critical areas of preparedness, including surge capacity, rapid disease detection, and food safety. Click to view the full report (pdf).
New Preparedness Manual From the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a manual entitled, "Manual for the Health Care of Children in Humanitarian Emergencies." The objective of this publication is to provide comprehensive guidance on child care in emergencies. This manual also includes the initial management of severe conditions. It was also realized that existing manuals do not cover injuries, burns, neonatal illness, psychosocial problems, etc., which are considered of high priority in emergency settings. These are addressed in this manual, as well as issues on mental health, psychosocial support, and common preventive interventions such as immunization. Click for more information.
In the News...
NEW! Local non-profits in the Washington, D.C. area unite to improve emergency preparedness.
Arkansas Senator introduces legislation to improve preparedness
In December 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services will present to Congress the first ever national health security plan. Dr. Nicole Lurie, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, states in the New England Journal of Medicine that this plan is contingent on many aspects of health care reform, including a focus on prevention and wellness and universal access to needed care. Read about the national health security plan.
Wheeling Board of Health Reminded of its Quarantine Powers
APHA Uses Daylight Savings Time to Promote Home Preparedness |
Mark Your Calendars! 
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Feb. 16-19, 2010: Public Health Preparedness Summit, Atlanta, GA
Contact PHPrep.org for more information.
April 8, 2010: Ned E. Baker Lecture in Public Health, co-sponsored by NALBOH and Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH. Attend in person or view the webcast. The panel discussion topic is: "A Growing Hunger: The Nation's Demand for Information About Food and Nutrition". Learn more.
May 12-16, 2010: 2010 Integrated Medical, Public Health, Preparedness, and Response Summit,
Nashville, TN. Visit HHS for more information
August 5-7, 2010: 18th Annual NALBOH Annual Conference in Omaha, NE. "Journey to the Future: Facing Public Health Challenges Today for a Healthier Tomorrow". Visit our Conference Page!
Training Opportunities:
Public Health Foundation & TRAIN offer new free online course
Public Health Emergency Training: Crisis Intervention During Disaster provides an overview of crisis intervention and helps learners identify reactions to trauma and take appropriate and effective action to assist individuals in crisis.
Click here for more information or to register.
North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness- Training Web Site
This innovative site offers free, Internet-based trainings that cover an array of public health preparedness topics, such as bioterrorism, disease surveillance, mental health issues, and management and leadership.
2009 Preparedness Training Series now available!
http://nccphp.sph.unc.edu/training/
CDC Epidemiological Case Studies
These interactive exercises were developed to teach epidemiological principles and practices. Based on real-life outbreaks and public health problems, these exercises require students to apply critical thinking skills to problems confronted by public health practitioners at the local, state, and national level everyday.
http://www2a.cdc.gov/epicasestudies/download_case.htm
Additional Resources:
Pandemic Flu Checklist for Local Board of Health Members (pdf)
For questions or more information about NALBOH's emergency preparedness program, please contact Carrie Hribar.
Page updated 2/01/2010.
© Copyright 2010, NALBOH