Kings Health Department: How to prepare for emergency situations

The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) unit regularly holds exercises to make sure the County is prepared for emergency situations. In the drill last fall, they simulated a mass exposure incident, where County health officials and other local agencies would have to partner together to dispense medication to the entire population of Kings County within 48 hours. “Our department wants to be prepared for anything,” said Annette Burgos, Public Health Emergency Planner. “We collaborate and work with other local healthcare agencies, the Office of Emergency Services, and first responders. There’s really no emergency that wouldn’t affect public health, so we work together to make sure we are prepared.”

Public health emergency preparedness is slightly different than what most people think about when they picture emergency services. As opposed to in-the-moment scene management, public health emergency preparedness is concerned with the capability of public health and health care systems to prevent, quickly respond to, and recover from health emergencies. “People don’t normally think about public health, but it plays a vital role in preparing for a disaster,” said Abraham Valencia, another Public Health Emergency Planner for the County. “For example, if there’s a need for a mass care shelter, Public Health may send public health nurses to help provide medical attention. Environmental health officers may inspect a shelter to make sure any food distributed there is safe, that the shelter is clean, and that it won’t create any further issues in an emergency.”

The Health Department’s PHEP team has eight fully stocked emergency trailers strategically located around the County that are ready to assist with emergency situations large or small. For example, one trailer is stocked with supplies needed for shelters, such as cots, blankets, lights, and generators. Another holds supplies for mass dispensing sites, such as chairs and canopies. One trailer even provides solar energy. The Health Department shares one of their two decontamination shower units with the local hospital that can be used to make sure first responders and healthcare workers have limited exposure to harmful chemicals or substances during a disaster situation, such as a chemical spill or bioterrorism.

PHEP is also concerned with first responder safety. The PHEP team has several cooling vests that can help prevent first responders from getting heat-related illnesses while fighting fires or responding to a situation in the County’s notoriously hot summers.

“We also recently worked with the Hanford Police Officers’ Association to purchase trauma kits for all of the law enforcement agencies in Kings County, including the canine units,” said Burgos. The kits are meant for use in mass casualty incidents and will be deployed with law enforcement officers.  “They’re meant to save a life, in any emergency situation,” said Burgos.

Although PHEP’s preparations and equipment are for emergencies, the organizational and logistical skills used during drills also help with the daily operations of the Health Department. The Health Department is planning on hosting a drive-through flu shot clinic next flu season, which will allow the Health Department to practice administering medication on a large scale and provide the community with a convenient way to get their annual flu vaccination. Other PHEP supplies such as portable heating and air conditioning units can also be used for small emergency situations. For example, when a local medical facility’s heater and air conditioner went down recently, the PHEP team was able to provide their portable system to help the facility until repairs were made.

“We are always looking at improving our processes,” said Burgos. “We practice efficiency so that if something does happen, we’re ready for it.”

This article is published in recognition of National Public Health Week.  For more information about Public Health in Kings County visit our website at: www.countyofkings.com/health.