Emergency Preparedness

About Emergency Preparedness

The Public Health Preparedness program at Public Health-Idaho North Central District (PH-INCD) is charged with planning for, responding to, and recovering from, public health emergencies in Clearwater, Latah, Lewis, Idaho, and Nez Perce counties. This includes helping our communities and families be prepared for such an event.

As an individual, there are many things you can do to help your family and community be prepared:

Protect yourself against everyday health hazards such as excessive summer heat, freezing winter temperatures, influenza and West Nile virus.
Learn more about the threats currently facing your community and our nation.
You can take simple disaster planning steps now that can help prevent disease and injury during an emergency.
Be informed of how your community is preparing and find ways to help.

PH-INCD can be a valuable resource to get you started on making you, your family and all of North Central Idaho more prepared for a public health disaster. Contact any of our staff for more information:

Nez Perce County: 208-799-3100
Latah County: 208-882-7506
Clearwater County: 208-476-7850
Idaho County: 208-983-2842
Lewis County: 208-935-2124

Emergency Preparedness FAQ

What is emergency preparedness?

Emergency preparedness means taking action to be ready for emergencies before they happen. It also involves having a plan, so decision-making is simplified during an emergency. At Public Health-Idaho North Central District, the preparedness team works with community partners to enhance collaboration, coordinate trainings and exercises, and strengthen community emergency plans. The best way to ensure your safety and your communities is to be personally prepared.

Learn more about what you can do to prepare at:

https://www.ready.gov/

What kinds of emergencies could occur in our area?

Many different types of disasters are possible in North Central Idaho. Snow and ice storms, wild land fires, and floods are possible natural occurring disasters. Hazardous materials spills are also a risk in our area, as well as the threat of an infectious disease like pandemic influenza. Public Health – Idaho North Central District works to prepare our area for any potential hazard through planning, training, and exercising to improve our area’s capability to respond.

Learn more at:

https://www.ready.gov/

What can I do to prepare for a disaster?

Some of the things you can do to prepare for disaster include assembling a supply kit, developing a family emergency plan, and be informed on the hazards in our community. It’s important that all members of the family are aware of the plan and know what to do.

Learn more at:
http://www.ready.gov
http://www.fema.gov
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/index.html

How can I get involved or volunteer?

During an emergency many people want to help, often times it is challenging for responders to know how to best utilize volunteers and whether they can be trusted with certain jobs. By becoming affiliated with a volunteer organization you can make sure that when your community needs you, you’ll be able to help. Two local volunteer opportunities are the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT). The MRC is made up of medically trained professionals that would be called upon to assist in an emergency. The CERT program is made up of citizens that get trained to assist in an emergency.

Learn more at:
http://www.volunteeridaho.com/
http://www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams

Should I really have a 30 day supply of medication?

Pharmacies may not be able to receive shipments or restock during an emergency, so having a 30-day supply is a great idea. However, the type of medication and your insurance may make having a 30-day supply difficult. There are still many things you can do to become more prepared; a few examples include getting in the habit of renewing your prescriptions on the first day you are eligible and keeping a current list of all your prescriptions in your emergency kit.

Find more ways to prepare at:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/emergency-preparedness-drugs/natural-disaster-preparedness-and-response-drugs