Emergency Preparedness
Public Health Preparedness
Public Health emergencies can arise anywhere. The threat of infectious diseases, natural disasters, and terrorism can happen anytime, and no community is exempt. In Montana, wild land fires are a summertime hazard; natural disasters like drought, flooding, earthquakes, tornados and avalanche are not unusual. Other public health emergencies come with vector-borne disease, such as West Nile Virus, food borne illness like E. Coli, and vaccine-resisent illness such as Tuberculosis, or an extremely virulent flu strain. There is added risk potential from terrorism, bioterrorism, and agro terrorism. Such acts may seem unlikely in Montana, but what Public Health does in preparation for terrorism also prepares the state to meet any large-scale health threat.Public Health has always been concerned with emergency planning, but it is increasingly apparent that we must be prepared to respond quickly to a variety of threats, on a potentially large scale, and in partnership with other agencies. The DPHHS Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Training works to help local and tribal health jurisdictions respond to health emergencies, coordinating a surveillance and response system that is essential to the security and wellbeing of the state and it's citizens. Federal grant funds strengthen public health and hospital preparedness on a state, regional, and local level throughout Montana, with the majority of funds distributed to local partners.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds help in:
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Planning and Assessment
- Surveillance and Epidemiology
- Laboratory Capacity
- Health Alert network (HAN)
- Emergency Risk Communication
- Education and Training - Montana Public Health Training and Communication Center (TCC)
Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA) of the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, funds the Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program:
- Goals for hospital response to any hazard.
- Planning and regional cooperation.
- Surge capacity (ability to meet the needs of abnormally large numbers of patients).
- Pharmaceutical Availability.
- Education, training exercises.
- Health Care personnel registration and credentialing
- Protective equipment.
Planning Guides:
Emergency Planning for your Family, The 5-Step Guide
Public Health Preparedness in Montana, DPHHS
You are welcome to download this Word document, insert your organization's logo, reprint and distribute to your community.
Disaster Readiness Tips for Owners of Pets or Service Animals
You are welcome to download this Adobe pdf file, reproduce and distribute.
For additional resources on preparing for a public health emergency, visit the following websites:
MT Extension Disaster Education Network: www.montanahelp.org
Federal Administration on Aging: www.aoa.gov
U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security: www.ready.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov
APHA’s National Public Health Week: www.nphw.org
e-inPHoreadyMT (electronic newletters)
We are pleased to announce that e-inPHoreadyMT won a 2006 National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) Award. Congratulations Montana!
June 22, 2007
May 18, 2007
April 20, 2007
March 16, 2007
February 16, 2007
January 19, 2007
December 15, 2006
November 17, 2006
October 20, 2006
September 15, 2006
June 23, 2006
May 19, 2006
April 21, 2006
March 17, 2006
February 17, 2006
January 27, 2006
December 9, 2005
November 18, 2005
October 28, 2005
October 14, 2005
September 30 , 2005
August 16, 2005
July 29, 2005
Other Preparedness Resources
Our State coordinates local efforts through response regions as well, linking local agencies and plans into strong area and state strategies. We work closely with partners from public health, hospitals, law enforcement, emergency response, and the military and others, and with neighboring states and Canada.
MT Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) - www.montanahelp.org
Montana Homeland Security - http://www.state.mt.us/dma/des/homelandsecurity/citizen/default.asp
Practical tools - www.ready.gov and www.fema.gov/areyouready/
Montana PH Workforce Training Needs Assessment on Bioterrorism and Emergency Readiness Competencies
June Exercise - Helena, MT (IMPORTANT: Click on white screens to activate the program)
Operation Last Chance One - June 2005
Thank you from MT DES for Operation Last Chance One participation
Contact Art Bicsak, DPHHS Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at (406) 444-1305 or abicsak@mt.gov
