Erie County is one of two counties in New York State currently meeting program requirements
The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) has been recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies. ECDOH and its Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness demonstrated these capabilities by meeting the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
ECDOH joins a cohort of more than 550 local health departments across the country, and just one other New York county health department, that is distinguished for excellence in preparedness through PPHR.
“This recognition highlights the time and energy our team spent to maintain the plans, infrastructure, employee expertise and community training needed for effective emergency preparedness and response,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “We are confident in our abilities to protect health and safety during emergencies, and in the strength of our connections with other county departments, local municipalities and area healthcare systems.”
PPHR recognition confirms that ECDOH has a thorough and coordinated emergency response plan in place and that staff have the training to protect the health of the community during an emergency. PPHR-recognized local health departments undergo a rigorous peer review evaluation to assess their ability to meet a set of national standards for public health preparedness. These standards align with federal government requirements and other national best practices.
PPHR recognition also requires health departments to collaborate with their state, local, and community partners to develop plans that account for all the constituents in their jurisdictions. ECDOH actively participates in Erie County’s COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) group. ECDOH staff train hundreds of people each year in basic first aid, AED use, stop the bleed, hands only CPR and other preparedness and response topics. ECDOH coordinates the County’s Medical Reserve Corps, clinical and non-medical volunteers who train regularly and are ready to participate in an emergency response.
“Public health preparedness planning, response, and recovery begins at the local level. Local health departments play an essential role in creating healthy, resilient communities that can respond to and recover from disasters.” said Lori T. Freeman, NACCHO Chief Executive Officer. “NACCHO commends ECDOH for being a model of public health emergency preparedness.”
NACCHO, the voice of the nearly 3,000 local health departments across the country, provides resources to help local health department leaders develop public health policies and programs to ensure that communities have access to vital programs and services that people need to keep them protected from disease and disaster. Its mission is to be a leader, partner, catalyst, and voice for local health departments in order to ensure the conditions that promote health and equity, combat disease, and improve the quality and length of all lives.
For more information on Project Public Health Ready, including recognized sites, project tools, and resources, visit http://www.naccho.org/PPHR.
