Public Health Preparedness
 
Preparedness and Response Services:  The Preparedness and Response public health surveillance, preparedness and intervention plan is designed to upgrade state and local public jurisdictions’ preparedness for the response to bioterrorism, other infectious diseases, as well as other public health threats and emergencies.  This program was created on June 1, 2002, and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 
Preparedness and Response services have been extended to the counties of Webb, Duval, Jim Hogg, and Zapata.  The members of the Preparedness and Response team includes, but is not limited to, two epidemiologists (senior & junior), two registered nurses, one registered sanitarian, and one health educator.
 
The main mission of the Preparedness and Response program is to detect and predict acts of bioterrorism or threats as early as possible through an active and responsive disease surveillance system.  The Preparedness and Response team cordinates immediate control efforts and further prevents the spread of disease.
 
The Preparedness and Response plan addresses six major areas:

          1.  Preparedness planning and readiness assessment

          2.  Surveillance and epidemiology capacity

          3.  Laboratory capacity

          4.  Health alert network/communication and information technology

          5.  Risk communication and health information dissemination

          6.  Health education and training

For more information please call 956-795-4951