Preparedness Month 2015: Prepare for Everywhere

Each September, preparedness efforts and activities are highlighted and encouraged through National Preparedness Month. This year, the CDC’s Preparedness Month 2015 theme is “Prepare for Everywhere” with each week of the month focusing on communities of preparedness, building from the micro-level of preparedness actions in the family setting to the macro-level of preparedness activities that help ensure global health security. NACCHO encourages local health departments to take advantage of Preparedness Month to engage families, communities, businesses, and other regional partners in preparedness activities. Some activities that local health departments can do that align with the 2015 CDC theme include:

• Family: Provide information on family communications plans and family disaster plans, offer first aid and CPR trainings, distribute information on emergency preparedness kits
• Neighborhood: Promote subscription to emergency alert systems, provide train-the-trainer emergency preparedness trainings to community leaders, include community groups and organizations in preparedness exercises
• Workplace: Provide incident command system (ICS) and emergency management system training to staff, test workplace evacuation plans and/or shelter-in-place plans, distribute resources on how to assemble go-kits for the workplace
• Global: Provide training to healthcare and community partners on emerging infectious diseases, organize community events to raise funds and awareness for disaster-impacted areas
• Online Communities: Promote preparedness activities via social media and health department webpages, participate in trainings that describe how social media and smart device apps can be used during disasters

Visit the CDC website for additional Preparedness Month resources.

Take the NACCHO Preparedness Pledge

NACCHO is joining Preparedness Month efforts, by creating a Preparedness Pledge campaign where local health departments are able to commit to conducting activities that promote preparedness. Local health department staff can take the NACCHO Preparedness Pledge by filling out a short survey to document the activities their health department will do as part of Preparedness Month. At the end of the month, NACCHO will follow-up with those that took the pledge. Health departments that upheld their pledge will receive a Preparedness Pledge certificate. NACCHO will also feature health departments that demonstrated outstanding Preparedness Month practices on the NACCHO Preparedness Brief Blog.

NACCHO is also taking its own Preparedness Pledge by conducting weekly activities in the month of September based on the CDC theme:

• Family: NACCHO will provide training on developing a family and pet preparedness plan
• Neighborhood: NACCHO will partner with a local Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Unit to provide ICS 100 training to all employees
• Workplace: NACCHO will partner with the American Red Cross to conduct a blood drive
• Global: NACCHO will train staff on its internal concept of operations plan and Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications (CERC) plan

Stay Connected Throughout Preparedness Month

NACCHO staff will be sharing our Preparedness Month activities and we encourage local health departments to share their Preparedness Month activities throughout September via social media. Send tweets to the @NACCHOalerts Twitter handle and share your stories all month using #PrepPledge.