A Healthy Community is a Prepared Community

The possibility of public health emergencies arising in our state, region, and community concerns many people in the wake of recent weather emergencies, threat of pandemic influenza, or failure of infrastructure as a result of natural deterioration or a cataclysmic accident.  How fortunate it was that the truck explosion that caused the closure of Rt. 79 in Fall River occurred at 6:00 AM on a Sunday morning when no other vehicles were nearby.  At another time of day the accident might well have caused far more damage and injury.

Though some people feel it is impossible to be prepared for unexpected events, the truth is that taking preparedness actions helps people deal with disasters of all sorts much more effectively when they do occur.

In the wake of 9/11 public health, public safety, and other professionals began to think and plan about how to be prepared when disaster strikes.  Initial planning in public health preparedness focused on the possibility of bio-terrorism but soon evolved into a broader focus on planning for all hazards.  Public health departments are now actively engaged in planning for continuity of operations, mutual aid, hazard vulnerability analysis, emergency medical dispensing, risk communication for the media and the public, and building collaborative relationships among community sectors based on the shared goal of healthier community is a prepared community.

Many communities, including Greater Fall River, have formed Medial Reserve Corps Units. Now celebrating its tenth anniversary, the mission of the MRC program is to engage volunteers to strengthen public health, emergency response and community resiliency. 

Individual members of the community can also take actions to be better prepared.  The CDC and other organizations actively encourage all health and human service professionals, and beyond them all members of the community, to prepare themselves and their families to prepare for emergencies of all sorts.

From time to time this blog will share relevant information on how Fall River and the members of its community can take action to better prepare itself for emergencies involving all types of hazards.