Threat Preparedness

Threat Preparedness

Mission Statement

Planning

To join with what has been typically identified as “first responders” (law enforcement, fire and EMS) along with other newly identified “community responders” to develop, implement, test, evaluate, and modify community based “all hazards” planning so that natural and/or man-made disasters can be more effectively responded to.

A common thread message among all these historically recognized partners as well as those who are just now being recognized is the identified need to educate the general public about the need for everyone to develop plans and resources necessary to support their basic needs for at least 72 hours if a natural and/or man-made disaster was to strike.

Detection

To strengthen, and/or create new methods to identify the presence of disease, whether naturally occurring or intentionally introduced as an act of terrorism. While public health still continues to enhance its ability to detect the presence of chemical and radiological hazards, disease, more commonly referred to as biological threats, still continues to be elusive to detection by technological means. To better counter this inability, public health has been required to renew efforts to improve and/or develop better methods to monitor the health of the general public to more rapidly recognize the potential presence of a disease outbreak, whether naturally occurring or introduced as an act of terrorism.

Communication

To enhance communication with our “community partners” and the general public by the creation of redundant robust methods of communication to achieve the following two goals: