Emergency Preparedness and Response

A public health emergency is a situation or event that requires immediate action on the part of the public health system in order to prevent disease or injury, or maintains good public health to residents of Midland County. Incidents that would involve public health include:

• Natural disasters
• Technological disasters
• Bioterrorism incidents
• Other acts of terrorism or accidents, including chemical and radiological
• Pandemic Flu

Taking action to protect the health of the public in any emergency requires that the Midland County Health Department be well prepared to respond to a wide range of threats. Key elements of public health preparedness include:

• Planning and regular exercising of those plans
• Capacity to detect and identify health threats early
• Timely access to information
• Reliable communication systems
• Vital partnerships among responding agencies and organizations
• Clear knowledge of individual and agency roles and responsibilities