Emergency Preparedness
If the “bad thing” happens, will you be ready? Will your family be okay?
These could be weather related natural disasters, disease outbreaks, large-scale food or water contamination leading to long periods without water or food, or exposure to harmful chemical, radiological or biological agents from an accidental or terrorist event.
Everyone should learn what kind of emergencies can happen in their own community. Knowing about these can help you be ready when disaster strikes. By preparing for a public health emergency, you can lessen the threat of illness to yourself and others. The safety of you and your family during an emergency may depend on decisions made within a few seconds. Creating a plan and talking about it ahead of time may make all the difference!
Background on Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Public Health threats are always present. Whether caused by natural, accidental, or intentional means, these threats can lead to the onset of public health incidents. Being prepared to prevent, respond to, and rapidly recover from public health threats is critical for protecting and securing our nation’s public health. These emergencies include public health hazards such as communicable disease outbreaks, environmental sanitation hazards, emergencies involving toxic and hazardous materials and other chemical, biological and radiological incidents. The Lapeer County Health Department coordinates with Emergency Management to respond. We develop plans, conduct trainings and collaborate with Community, Regional, State, public and private agencies and stakeholders to assure a timely and effective response to prepare for and protect the public in a disaster or emergency situation.
Preparedness is Everyone's Responsibility
If disaster strikes, you might not have access to food, water, or electricity for some time. Make the effort now to make an emergency supply kit. Have emergency kits for your home, office, school, and vehicle.
Police, fire and rescue may not always be able to reach you quickly. Everyone should prepare to be self-reliant for three days without utilities, access to a supermarket or local services or maybe even without response from police, fire or EMS. Take action now to make sure your family, including pets and livestock, neighbors and community are ready for emergencies and disasters of all types.
Preparing Makes Sense, Get Ready Now!
- Put together a Build A Kit and have a Family Emergency Kit Checklist
- Make a Family Emergency Plan and a Disaster Preparedness Plan .
Don’t forget to include your Pets!
- Be prepared to help your neighbors, especially those who are seniors or who have special needs.
Businesses need a plan, too.
A plan will help protect employees and lessen the impact on the business so it may remain open or re-open quickly.
Have a business? Every Business Should Have an Emergency Plan
Our Emergency Preparedness program wants to help you be ready for an emergency. Please take a moment to visit the following sites to get started:
For one-stop planning for many emergency events: visit:
- ready.gov
- Family Emergency Preparedness Plan – do1thing.com
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services- http://www.michigan.gov/michiganprepares
- Families and People with Special Needs: http://www.ready.gov/disability
- How Families Can Prepare for Emergencies | American Red Cross
- Pandemic Information - pandemicflu.gov; www.ready.gov/pandemic
- Kids and interactive: https://www.ready.gov/kids
- Children: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Getting-Your-Family-Prepared-for-a-Disaster.aspx
- Lapeer County Emergency Management: Emergency Resources
- Sign up for phone text alerts for Lapeer County in Nixle: nixle.com
- Want to do more? MI Volunteer Registry: mivolunteerregistry.org
For information regarding communicable diseases:
Bioterrorism:
Bioterrorism | Ready.gov