Emergency Preparedness

Public health plays a vital role in emergency preparedness. After major disasters, public health workers are often called upon to participate in a coordinated response and to protect residents from disease outbreaks and other hazards due to contaminated food and water, chemical releases, insect-borne diseases, and unmet medical needs.

The QHD is focused on health emergencies that could potentially harm many people, such as pandemic flu, infectious diseases, hazardous releases, natural disasters, and terrorism. To date, Board of Health staff has completed the following plans:

• Emergency Dispensing Site Plan and Development
• Continuity of Operations Plan
• Risk Communication Plan

QHD is also part of the Hampshire Public Health Preparedness Coalition.

HPHPC works collaboratively to enhance communities collective capacity to share resources and respond to public health threats and emergencies, including terrorism and outbreaks of infectious diseases. We strive to improve local and regional public health emergency preparedness, and meet deliverables set forth by the Department of Public Health.