Thursday, July 2, 2015

DOH-Franklin Earns National Public Health Emergency Preparedness Recognition


DOH-Franklin honored as “Public Health Ready”

Apalachicola, FL– The Florida Department of Health in Franklin County (DOH-Franklin) 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. DOH-Franklin 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. DOH-Franklin joins more than 400 local health departments, across the country, including DOH-Gulf here in Florida, that have been distinguished for excellence in preparedness through PPHR, either individually or as part of a region.

“We are proud to have been recognized by Project Public Health Ready for our high level of preparedness,” said Marsha Lindeman, Administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Franklin and Gulf counties. “I believe this honor is exceedingly well-deserved, as it reflects the tremendous effort, dedication, creativity and cooperation of our entire team of experts. We will continue to improve our ability to quickly and effectively respond to any public health crisis in Franklin County.”

PPHR recognition confirms that DOH-Franklin has a thorough and coordinated emergency response plan in place and staff has the training to protect the health of the community during an emergency. Local health departments recognized by PPHR undergo a rigorous evaluation by peer review 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 residents in their jurisdictions.

“When disaster strikes, it affects local communities, and local health departments are a critical part of any first response to disease outbreaks, emergencies and acts of terrorism,” said Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, NACCHO Executive Director. “NACCHO commends DOH-Franklin for being a model of public health emergency preparedness.”

NACCHO, the voice of the 2,800 local health departments across the country, provides resources to help local health department leaders develop public health policies and programs to ensure 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.

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