Mission Statement
Public health emergency preparedness involves planning and implementing programs to rapidly detect, investigate and control a number of threats that may endanger the health of the public. These threats include emerging infectious diseases, disease outbreaks, pandemics, chemical or radiological exposures, and bioterrorism. Jefferson County Health Department is working with medical and emergency response partners at the local, state, and federal level to ensure the most effective response to public health threats.
Build a Kit - Make a Plan
A Family Disaster Kit should be packed in easy-to-carry containers with enough supplies to last 3 days. To see a list of what these kits should include, click here
Emergency Preparedness Links
Health Alert Network
Developed as a primary method to share information with federal, state, territorial, and local public health practitioners, clinicians, and public health laboratories, CDC’s Health Alert Network (HAN) is the primary method to share information on urgent public health incidents. The State of West Virginia has a similar system (WV-HAN) designed to share information on urgent public health incidents specific to West Virginia.
Jefferson County Health Department distributes this information via the West Virginia Public Health Alert System. If you are a healthcare provider or other local agency in Jefferson County and would like to receive these alerts, you can contact us by email or phone to sign up. To view advisories and alerts as they occur, click here
Preparedness and Response
Jefferson County, like all areas of the country, has had to become more aware of and better prepared for disasters, mass terrorism response, and pandemics. We have to prepare for a possible attack by WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction), including Biological, Chemical, Radiological, and Nuclear weapons, natural disasters (storms, floods, drought and power outages) and large communicable disease outbreaks and pandemics.
To read more, click here
Resources
- Home Disaster Kit
- Pandemic Flu
- Bioterrorism Agents & FAQ
Be Prepared, Be Informed
The Jefferson County Health Department has become more aware of and better prepared for disasters, mass terrorism response and pandemics. The health department has become better prepared for a possible attack by WMD (weapons of mass destruction), including biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear weapons. The health department has also become better prepared for natural disasters, (storms, floods, drought and long term power outages) and large communicable disease outbreaks and pandemics.
On the local level, the Jefferson County Health Department has been directed by the WV State Health Department to plan for and be able to respond to a biological attack (bioterrorism), and to integrate the response with that of the Local Office Of Emergency Services, Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services, and the local Emergency Planning Committee as well as the surrounding states and jurisdictions.
In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, the health department as well as all local emergency services, will need as much volunteer help as possible. If you are interested in helping in any way, log onto wvredi.org and register.
Preparedness for public health emergencies is a priority for the Jefferson County Health Department. To help you better understand and plan for public health emergencies, we have provided the following information on our web site.