Public Health Preparedness
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The Niagara County Department of Health's mission is to protect the community from any potential or actual event that threatens public health. The Health Department aspires to perform any measures to protect the health security of all who live, work, or visit Niagara County.
The Division of Public Health Emergency Preparedness is responsible for preparing Niagara County for emergencies that impact the public's health. Key focus areas of public health emergency preparedness include:
- Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication
- Asset Distribution
- Medical Countermeasure Administration/Dispensing
- Public health threat surveillance, detection, investigation, response, and control
- Mass Care
- Mass Fatality
- Building cross-sector partnerships
- Inter-agency/community collaboration and coordination
- Cross-border and inter-jurisdictional planning
- Education and training
- Volunteer support management
The Division of Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Preparedness manages a group of medical and non-medical volunteers, the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), that would be activated during a public health emergency. Volunteers are an essential part of the Emergency Preparedness plan. The goal is to bring together the knowledge and skills of many different professionals to address and respond to public health crises. Volunteers would be mobilized during any event that would require additional staffing. Examples of emergency events that would require volunteer staff are pandemic
The Niagara County Department of Health is continuously recruiting volunteers. As part of the training process, volunteers participate in yearly drills and alerts.
Niagara County public health and medical partners routinely participate with their regional partners through monthly planning meetings, training opportunities, and an annual full-scale exercise at minimum.
Director of Public Health Planning and Emergency Preparedness
Tracy Fricano Chalmers, MS
5467 Upper Mountain Road, Suite 100
Lockport, NY 14094-1894
Phone: (716) 439-7431
Fax: (716) 439-7440