What We Do
Uncas Health District (UHD) develops emergency preparedness plans for the municipalities of the Uncas Health District and eight other municipalities included in the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) Mass Dispensing Area 38. Prevention, response and recovery plans are designed for public health emergencies such as epidemics, bioterrorism, natural, and manmade disasters. UHD works closely with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security: Region 4 (DEMHS), and Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments’ Regional Emergency Management Plan Committee and other local partners to assure comprehensive, up-to-date emergency response plans.
UHD regularly monitors for infectious disease outbreaks and food borne illness and provides the appropriate follow-up with individuals, groups, health care providers, and others within the community to halt the progression of disease or illness. Approaches might include risk communication, public health education, quarantine, isolation, and mass dispensing of medications, if necessary. UHD works closely with others entities in the community to assure a comprehensive emergency response.
Responding to a global threat of pandemic influenza, under the direction of the CT DPH and DEMHS, UHD is developing pandemic specific, local response plans in collaboration with local and regional responders. Pandemic plans will be tested during the later part of 2007.
On April 19, 2006, we participated in an exercise designed to test our ability to establish a Point-of-Dispensing (POD) Clinic. POD’s would be established in several locations in our region if there was an emergency that required getting the whole community vaccinated or medicated. Thanks to the work of our staff and to hundreds of volunteers, we were able to identify areas for improvement and enhance our plans for this type of emergency response.
If you would like more information, please contact Deborah Buxton-Morris, M.S., R.N, Public Health Preparedness Coordinator.
Helpful Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Connecticut Emergency Management and Homeland Security
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