Public Health Emergency Preparedness

Franklin County Health Department Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)

What is a Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator?

In this era of global health concerns, the importance of Public Health Preparedness Coordinators has never been more apparent. Public health crises are unpredictable and can strike at any moment, amplifying the need for skilled professionals adept at planning, coordinating, and implementing strategies to protect our communities.

But what is really expected of a Public Health Preparedness Coordinator?

Public Health Preparedness Coordinators serve a critical role in safeguarding communities by preparing for, responding to, and recovering from public health emergencies and disasters. Their work involves the integration of public health and emergency management principles to increase public health readiness.

Their duties and responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing plans for public health emergencies
• Coordinating with local, state, and federal agencies to ensure effective response to public health issues and emergencies
• Training personnel and community members in emergency preparedness measures
• Assessing community resources and developing strategies to address potential public health issues
• Monitoring public health trends and issues, and implementing measures to improve preparedness
• Evaluating the effectiveness of emergency preparedness plans and procedures while making necessary adjustments
• Participating in public health emergency drills and exercises to test community readiness
• Documenting and reporting on public health emergency responses, including lessons learned and areas for improvement
• Providing public education on emergency preparedness measures
• Ensuring compliance with public health laws and regulations regarding emergency preparedness

Summary

Education

The Franklin County Health Department does community training throughout the year. This training is often free to the Franklin County community! The only charge is $20.00 for the CPR Certification eCard provided at the end of the course, if needed. If you're interested in any of our offered trainings, please give us a call at 765.647.4322 to schedule.

The current training offerings are:

American Heart Association CPR/AED (BLS)

First Aid

Naloxone Training & Dose Distribution

Stop the Bleed

Resources

Plan Ahead for Disasters | Ready.gov

CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response

FEMA Family Emergency Communication Plan

Fire Safety

Summer Safety

Pets

• Don’t leave your pet in a hot vehicle, even for a few minutes. The inside temperature of the car can quickly reach 120°F, even with the windows cracked open.
• Animals can suffer heat stroke, a common problem for pets in the warmer weather. Dogs with short noses or snouts, like the boxer or bulldog, are especially prone to heat stroke, along with overweight pets, those with extremely thick fur coat, or any pet with upper respiratory problems such as laryngeal paralysis or collapsing trachea.
• Some of the signs of heat stroke in your pet are heavy panting, being unable to calm down, even when lying down, brick red gum color, fast pulse rate, and being unable to get up.
• If you suspect your pet has heat stroke, take their temperature rectally. If the temperature is above 105°F, cool the animal down. The easiest way to do this is by using the water hose. Stop cooling the animal when the temperature reaches 103°F.
• Bring your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible, as heat stroke can lead to severe organ dysfunction and damage. Download the Red Cross Pet First Aid app for instant access on how to treat heat stroke, other emergencies, and general care for cats and dogs and take the Cat and Dog First Aid Online Training course.

Mosquitoes and Ticks

Don’t let mosquitoes and ticks ruin your carefree summer fun. As we spend more time outdoors for activities like camping, hiking, swimming, picnicking, and barbecuing, there is a greater chance of getting bitten by mosquitoes and ticks. According to the American Mosquito Control Association there are 176 known species of mosquito in the U.S.—putting Americans at risk from coast to coast. And while mosquitoes may be the most obvious detractor from summer fun – ticks are silent but dangerous. Most active during warmer months (April to September), it is especially important to be vigilant of blacklegged ticks, more commonly known as deer ticks, especially if you live in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, North-central, or Northwest.

Mosquitoes and ticks are more than just itchy and annoying — if infected, these pests can pose a major health risk to people by possibly transmitting diseases. Follow these tips to prevent mosquito and tick bites this summer:

• Use insect repellents containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) when you are outdoors. Be sure to follow the directions on the package.
• Consider staying indoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants and tuck your pant legs into your socks or boots.
• Use a rubber band or tape to hold pants against socks so that nothing can get under clothing.
• Tuck your shirt into your pants. Wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to see tiny insects or ticks.
• When hiking in woods and fields, stay in the middle of trails. Avoid underbrush and tall grass.
• If you are outdoors for a long time, check yourself several times during the day. Especially check in hairy areas of the body like the back of the neck and the scalp line.
• Inspect yourself carefully for insects or ticks after being outdoors or have someone else do it.
• If you have pets that go outdoors, spray with repellent made for their breed/type. Apply the repellent according to the label and check your pet for ticks often.
• Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying sources of standing water outside of the home, such as from flowerpots, buckets and barrels.

Heat Exhaustion

• Cause:

  Results from excessive water and salt loss, often through sweating, in response to prolonged exposure to high temperatures or strenuous activity.
• Symptoms:

  • Heavy sweating
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Headache
  • Muscle cramps
  • Weakness or fatigue
  • Pale, clammy skin
  • Rapid, weak pulse
• Treatment:

  Move to a cooler place, loosen clothing, apply cool, wet cloths, and sip fluids. Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or don't improve.
• Core body temperature:

  Elevated but remains below 104°F

  Heat Stroke

  • Cause:

    Occurs when the body's temperature regulation system fails, leading to a rapid rise in core body temperature.
  • Symptoms:

    • High body temperature (above 104°F)
    • Hot, flushed skin (may or may not be sweating)
    • Confusion, delirium, or loss of consciousness
    • Seizures
    • Rapid, strong pulse
    • Nausea or vomiting
  • Treatment:

    Seek immediate medical attention (call 911). While waiting for help, cool the person down rapidly with cool water, ice packs, or a cold bath.
  • Core body temperature:

    Above 104°F

Flooding

Major floods can cause serious damage, injuries, and death, so when flooding is possible, the National Weather Service issues watches, warnings, and advisories to alert the public. To respond appropriately, workplaces need to understand what these alerts mean and what to do when they are issued.

By taking the proper actions, employers can help reduce the danger and damage of floods. Below is an explanation of each warning and how work teams can appropriately respond:

* Flood Watch: A flood watch indicates that flooding is possible. When a flood watch is announced, employers might consider alerting workers since the situation could worsen. Workplaces should stay tuned to local radio, television, or news websites for further advisories. Work teams may want to reconsider any travel they have planned.

* Flood Warning: A flood warning means that a flood is expected and will probably happen. When a flood warning is issued, it is time to take action, and employers need to put their flood safety plan into effect. This might include moving workers, vehicles, food, and equipment to a safer place, turning off the facility’s gas and electricity, and positioning flood barriers like sandbags or flood boards.

* River Flood Warning: These warnings are issued when a river at a gauge site is expected to or has exceeded flood stage. Employers with facilities located near or next to rivers should take action immediately in the event of such a warning.

* Flash Flood Watch: When human lives and property are in danger due to sudden and serious flooding, a Flash Flood Watch will be issued. Workers should be prepared to move to higher ground if necessary and stay tuned to NOAA weather radio or local news sources for more information.

* Flash Flood Warning: This type of warning is issued in response to a few hours of seriously heavy local rainfall, a dam or levee break, or when water is rapidly released from an ice jam and causes nearby flooding. When Flash Flood Warnings are issued, workplaces can expect flooding to occur very soon if it hasn’t already. Employees should evacuate immediately if advised to do so and head on foot to higher ground.

* Urban and Small Streams Flood Warning/Advisory: When this type of warning is issued, it means that flooding is occurring in small streams, roads, and low-lying areas such as city storm drains or railroad underpasses. To ensure safety, work teams should avoid such locations. Employers can also remind workers not to drive through flooded roads. The depth of water cannot always be known since the roadbed may be washed out beneath the water. Driving through flooded roads can cause motorists to become stranded or trapped. It is important to remember that many vehicles will float in only one foot of water, and can be carried away by two feet of rushing water

Approximately 125 flood-related deaths happen each year in the United States. Intense storms, heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt, tidal surges, ice jams, and dam failures can all cause major flooding. When these situations occur, workplaces should stay alert to prevent costly flood damages and provide the proper safety supplies to protect worker safety and health.

Recovery and Clean-Up After a Flood

Rain is an essential part of growing crops, trees, and grass, but too much of it isn’t necessarily a good thing. Elevated water levels can be very destructive to land and property, and unfortunately, the effects can be long-lasting.

Floods are caused by hurricanes, rapid snow melt, sudden heavy rain, a levee break, or several days of moderate rain. In the most extreme cases, communities must evacuate, and floodwaters cause fatalities and health risks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide important safety guidelines for post-flood recovery and clean-up.

• If you had to evacuate, do not return home until local authorities have determined it’s safe to do so.
• Never walk or drive through flooded waters. Cars and people can be washed away.
• Your water supply may not be safe. Monitor official local announcements regarding water use. During a boil water advisory, use only bottled, boiled, or treated water for drinking, cooking, brushing your teeth, etc.
• When cleaning, wear protective clothing, including rubber or nitrile gloves and waterproof synthetic boots.
• Use fans, air movers, dehumidifiers, and air conditioning units to dry areas out.
• Dispose of any food that has come in contact with floodwater.
• Remove and discard drywall and insulation that was contaminated with floodwater or sewage.
• Clean hard surfaces with soap and water and sanitize with a solution of one cup bleach to five gallons of water.
• Discard items that can’t be washed and sanitized with a bleach solution.

Tornado

A tornado is one of the most destructive weathers events and requires a comprehensive and efficient system of alerts and shelters to keep people safe. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded 1,341 tornadoes in 2022, causing $700 million in property and crop damage. To warn people about tornadoes, the National Weather Service (NWS), has implemented a three-stage alert system to represent the probability and severity of these catastrophic storms. Understanding this system can help you stay safe in the event of a tornado.

• Tornado Watch: This alert indicates that the right weather conditions exist for tornadoes to form. It covers the largest area, spanning multiple counties or even states. When a Tornado Watch is declared, it’s a good idea to take steps to prepare.

o Be ready to act quickly if a Watch is issued or a tornado is approaching

o Pay attention to monitoring systems so that you’ll know when the alert level changes. Know your local notification systems

o Review emergency plans and discuss them with anyone you live with or may evacuate with

o Take inventory of supplies

o Make sure you know your safe room or other safe location

• Tornado Warning: A tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar. This alert will cover a smaller area, typically covering a city or small county. It will be issued by a local forecast office based on radar indications or the observations of a trained spotter watching the storm. Most actions at this point will likely involve finding shelter or bracing yourself in your existing shelter.

o If outdoors, in a vehicle, or in a mobile home, move to the closest shelter location, whether it’s your own home or the nearest sturdy building

o Avoid windows. If outdoors, be sure to protect yourself from flying debris while finding shelter

o the interior or windowless room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building is usually the safest spot. Storm cellars and basements are also options

• Tornado Emergency: This is the most urgent alert, occurring when a tornado was touched down in the watch area. At this point, the tornado is presently causing damage and is a severe threat to human life and property.

o Many workplaces, schools, and other facilities will have tornado drills in place. Proceed quickly and calmly to your tornado shelter location.

o Vehicles are not safe. If you are in your vehicle and unable to make it to a shelter, abandon your car and seek shelter in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.

Terrorism

Put an Evacuation Plan in Place

Would your employees know what to do if an evacuation was ordered at your workplace? Any emergency requiring an evacuation will be upsetting and anxiety-inducing for people. If a clear plan isn’t in place, leaving the building will be disorganized and may even cause worker injury.

It’s important to prepare your staff for an emergency evacuation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides guidance for employers to develop an effective evacuation plan.

• Determine what kinds of situations warrant an evacuation
• Determine how occupants of the facility will be notified to evacuate
• Establish a clear chain of command
• Specify evacuation procedures and routes, including assistance for those with disabilities and designating areas to avoid when exiting
• Determine if any operations must be shut down prior to leaving the building
• Create a system for accounting for workers as well as any visitors and contractors, following an evacuation

Once you have completed your plan, it’s crucial to communicate it to everyone. To minimize confusion, specify what employees should and shouldn’t do and list “in charge” people. If you’re assigning specific duties to anyone, make sure that they are properly trained to perform them.

• Distribute the plan to all employees
• Post plan in common areas
• Communicate in relevant languages
• Train new employees as they are hired

Earthquake

Earthquakes can happen at any time and have the potential to damage homes, schools, bridges, and buildings. They can disrupt vital gas, electric, and phone service and even trigger landslides and fires. As workers undergo efforts to restore services and bring normal life back to communities, how can they stay safe from hazards like downed wires, unstable structures, extreme weather conditions?

The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) provides these guidelines:

• Only trained personnel should be involved in demolition, confined space, and search & rescue operations
• Monitor local radio and television stations for updated emergency information
• Turn off electricity in flooded buildings
• Be aware of possible structural, electrical, and gas leak hazards and report them to proper authorities and/or utilities
• Do not touch downed overhead lines or objects in contact with down lines
• Use proper personal protective equipment (PPE), including boots, gloves, coveralls, hard hats, and respirators
• Don’t attempt to remove heavy debris on your own
• Watch for wildlife that may have taken refuge inside buildings
• Use caution in extreme heat or cold by taking breaks, dressing appropriately, and staying hydrated

Power Outages

After a power outage, your frozen or refrigerated food may not be safe to eat. If food is not taken care of properly when the power goes out, it must be thrown out to avoid making someone sick. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers these tips to keep your food safe in the event of an emergency:

Before:

• Keep appliance thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator should be at 40°F or below. The freezer should be at 32°F or below.
• The power could go out at any time, so it’s a good idea to freeze containers of water and gel packs to help keep your food at 40°F or below, and have a cooler and frozen gel packs handy in case you have to remove your food from the refrigerator to keep it cold.
• If you think the power will be out for a long time, buy dry ice or block ice to keep your food cold in the refrigerator.

During:

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
• If the doors stay closed, food will stay safe for up to:
  • 4 hours in a refrigerator.
  • 48 hours in a full freezer; 24 hours in a half-full freezer.
• If the power has been out for 4 hours, and a cooler and ice are available, put refrigerated perishable foods in the cooler. To keep them at 40°F or below, add ice or a cold source like frozen gel packs.

After:

• Never taste food to determine if it is safe to eat. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Throw out perishable food in your refrigerator (meat, fish, cut fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, and leftovers) after 4 hours without power or a cold source like dry ice.
• Throw out any food with an unusual odor, color, or texture.
• Check temperatures of food kept in coolers or your refrigerator. Throw out food above 40°F.
• If you have an appliance thermometer in your freezer, check to see if it is still at 40°F or below.
  • You can safely refreeze or cook thawed frozen food that still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F or below.

World Health Topics

A global presence that puts countries at the center of our work

From our longstanding Geneva headquarters to our 6 regional offices, 150 country offices and other offices around the world, WHO plays an essential role improving local health systems and coordinating the global response to health threats. Discover how we work to support the efforts of governments and partners to ensure everyone, everywhere has an equal chance at a safe and healthy life.

Disease Outbreak News

Epidemic vs. Pandemic

^{An epidemic is an outbreak of disease—that is, sudden localized incidence of a disease—those spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time. A pandemic is a type of epidemic, one with greater range and coverage. A pandemic occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population.}

And ‘Endemic’

If a disease lingers for a long time as an epidemic or a pandemic, it may eventually become endemic to an area, which means that it persists at a consistent level within a region.

The Origins and Uses of ‘Epidemic,’ ‘Pandemic,’ and ‘Endemic’

Epidemic, which can be traced to the Greek epidemies (“within the country, among the people, prevalent (of a disease)”), may carry broader meanings, such as “excessively prevalent,” “contagious,” or “characterized by very widespread growth or extent”; it is often used in a non-medical sense. Pandemic is less often encountered in a broad and non-medical sense, but it does have additional meanings, including “affecting the majority of people in a country or a number of countries”, “found in most parts of the world and in varied ecological conditions,” and “of or relating to common or sensual love” (in this last sense the word is usually capitalized). Pandemic comes from the Greek pandemic, “of all the people, public, common, (of diseases) widespread,” which itself is from pan- (“all, every”) and dêmos (“people”). Beyond its public health use, endemic is also used by biologists to characterize plant and animal species that are found only in a given area. The en- of endemic means “in, within.”

Historical Use

Epidemic, pandemic, and endemic all entered English as adjectives in the 17th century.

An  Epidemick plague, is a common and popular sicknesses, happening in some region, or country, at a certain time, caused by a certain indisposition of the Aire, or waters of the same region, producing in all sorts of people, one and the same kind of sicknesse.
— Thomas Lodge, A treatise of the plague, 1603

These Praedicates certainly are not convertible with the fore-mentioned Diseases, and therefore ought not so rashly to be pronounced the Scorvey; which moreover is Endemick, the others Epidemick and Pandemick.
— Gideon Harvey, The disease of London, 1675

Epidemic took on noun use later in the 17th century; pandemic did not undergo this functional shift until the 19th. Endemic has been used as a noun only since the early 20th century; as a noun, it refers to an organism that is restricted or peculiar to a locality or region.

CHAP. X. Of Pestilential and malignant Feavers, together with the small Pox, and such other Epidemics, as are Communicated by infection.
— Anon., Pyretologia, 1674

Those diseases which have some strong resemblance in their general characters, and attack many individuals in a large extent of country at about the same time, are commonly called epidemics. If all, or about all the inhabitants of a country be similarly attacked, at or near the same time, with a particular complaint, it is more properly called a pandemic.
— J. A. Allen, The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, 5 Sept. 1832

Why are the endemics still less numerous in proportion on the islands surrounding New Zealand than on New Zealand itself …?
— John Christopher Willis, Age and Area: A Study in Geographical Distribution and Origin of Species, 1922