Emergency Preparedness
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Ensuring the health of the public is the responsibility of public health, and the local health department is the primary responder in the community to protect its citizens from threat of disease in the community; acute care hospitals and emergency medical facilities and providers are more directed toward treating the individual once they become ill and require medical treatment. Working together with health partners and community representatives allows smooth coordination between disease management goals.
The role of public health has expanded since the events of September 11, 2001 to meet the challenges presented by the threat of biological agents as well as emerging infectious diseases. Under guidance provided by Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in compliance with requirements from the Department of Homeland Security, emergency planning efforts have been undertaken to provide a framework for the local response to public health emergencies as well as to respond to other natural or man-made disasters known as an “all-hazards” approach.
The Farmington Valley Health District has developed Local Public Health Preparedness and Response Plans for each of the ten towns in its jurisdiction. These plans address the roles and responsibility of public health in cooperation with local municipal officials, emergency responders, and town agencies as well as regional and state resources. In the event of an emergency, the Farmington Valley Health District would work closely with its partners to respond to the community’s needs in a comprehensive fashion.
As part of this effort, the Farmington Valley Health District has also developed a local Health Alert Network, or “HAN”. Using the HAN during an emergency will allow rapid dissemination of important health information to area physicians, town officials, first responders, other health providers, and organizations through a broadcast fax. In addition, response notification within this rapid reporting system is capable of identifying the onset and impact of an emerging disease, termed “syndromic surveillance”, which will help guide containment efforts (click here for HAN participation forms). The Farmington Valley Health District is also part of the state and national HAN and laboratory networks.
Perhaps most importantly for the effect on the community, clinics called “Mass Dispensing Areas” will be formed with volunteer support to rapidly provide medication to healthy populations in a short period of time to prevent or reduce the effects of smallpox, anthrax, pandemic or “avian” influenza, or other potential threats to life. The clinics would dispense oral medications or administer vaccines.