Public Health Preparedness

 

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department is actively involved in Public Health Preparedness Planning for our entire county. Planning encompasses a wide variety of issues. This planning prepares us for responding to a wide range of disasters such as: natural disasters, severe weather conditions, environmental emergencies, chemical disasters, disease outbreaks, mass casualties, etc. In order to successfully plan for the wide variety of emergencies that may be encountered, we must collaborate with numerous other agencies. As mentioned above, the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department coordinates our plans with the other health departments, hospitals, Red Cross, mental health, emergency management agency, law enforcement, fire departments, schools, and other related agencies. Collaboration and communication is essential for successful planning and response. We follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and protocols throughout our planning process. These guidelines can be viewed at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/.

 

Current Threats

Many of the things we do everyday help to prevent public health crises. Without restaurant inspections, immunizations or sewage and plumbing rules, many nearly “extinct” diseases would be much more prevalent in our community.

Other public health strategies such as good hygiene, eating well and exercising help protect the overall health of our community and may serve as essential tools in battling large scale disease outbreaks such as pandemic influenza.

 

Pandemic Influenza

However, we live in an unpredictable world, and as we learned from the terrorist attacks in 2001 and the hurricanes in 2005, public health emergencies can arise at any time. When they do, Zanesville Muskingum County Health Department is ready to respond.

General Threats

Natural Disasters & Severe Weather

 

Bioterrorism

 

Chemical Emergencies

 

Recent National Outbreaks and Incidents

 

Mass Casualties

 

Radiation Emergencies

 

Volunteer

Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and more recently hurricanes Katrina and Rita, communities across the nation have been pulling together to improve their level of disaster preparedness.  Public safety and emergency management agencies, as well as the health care community, have forged relationships with their communities to become better prepared.

You Can Help
As a member of our community; your assistance is greatly needed.  One of the ways you can help your community and your neighbors is by volunteering your time and skills in the event of a disaster or other public health emergency.  A nationwide initiative of the federal government known as the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is recruiting medical professionals, including physicians, nurses, paramedics and mental health professionals, as well as citizens with non-medical backgrounds, to volunteer in their community during emergency situations that require a widespread medical or public health response.

By volunteering here in the Zanesville & Muskingum County area, you would participate in and become a member of our local Medical Reserve Corps.  As a volunteer, your skills and service would aid in responding to community members who may be victims of large scale disasters or infectious disease outbreaks.

MRC members provide assistance and depth to our local emergency response teams, public health, and health care infrastructure.  This assistance may prove to be vital to our community's operational stability during the first hours and days following an incident. MRC members may also have the opportunity to assist outside of our local area, as many MRC members across our Nation chose to do following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

All Experience Levels, Backgrounds Needed
Regardless of your professional background, local volunteers are needed to roll up their sleeves and help their community during an emergency.  While we recognize your first duty is to your family and your job, we urge you to register as a MRC volunteer.

 

Ohio Medical Reserve Corps