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Public Health Preparedness

Preparedness for public health emergencies is a priority for the Henderson County Department of Public Health. We are continuously planning, training, and exercising activities in our community to prepare us to handle threats such as biological agent attacks or massive disease outbreaks.

Public Health Response

Prepare Your Family

Pandemic Flu and Seasonal Flu

Bioterrorism

Disaster Preparedness

Henderson County Emergency Management

Phone Numbers & Resources

Public Health Response

The Department of Public Health staff continuously train, plan, and prepare to respond quickly during a crisis. Call our Public Health Hotline (828) 694-4040 for the latest updates about a crisis or event.

Our Epidemiology Team (EPI Team) consists of specially trained staff who are available 24 hours every day to respond to communicable disease outbreaks and public health threats.

The Preparedness Coordinator maintains and updates an Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Plan for our county. SNS refers to the CDC's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) large supply of medications and medical supplies that can be used following a public health emergency—such as a terrorist attack, flu outbreak, or hurricane—when local supplies are expected to run out.

 

Henderson County Emergency Management is your other source for information about major emergencies or disaster events, traffic and road conditions, and shelter locations.

The Public Health Preparedness and Response Branch (PHP&R) coordinates North Carolina's public health response to public health crises and support Local Health Departments in incidents such as West Nile virus, the H1N1 influenza pandemic, SARS, bacterial contamination of food by E. coli, C. botulinum and salmonella, numerous hurricanes, and even the potential threat from radiation released by the tsunami-damaged nuclear complex in Japan.

When Disaster Strikes—North Carolina Residents and the Strategic National Stockpile discusses the SNS and what to do and where to go if there is ever a need for SNS supplies. During a public health emergency, you may be asked to go to a special Point of Dispensing (POD) site. We will use the media, this website, and the Public Health Hotline (694-4040) to tell you where your POD is located.

The SNS has large quantities of medicine and medical supplies to protect citizens if there is a public health emergency and local supplies are depleted. All medicine in the SNS is FREE.

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Prepare Your Family

Ready.gov (Listo.gov) is a campaign to get the public to prepare for and respond to emergencies. Ready.gov asks individuals to do three things:

(1) make an emergency supply kit,

(2) have a family emergency plan, and

(3) be informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and their appropriate responses.

The Ready Kids website features age-appropriate, step-by-step instructions on what families can do to be better prepared and the role kids can play in this effort.

For young children, SesameStreet.org has activities and videos about emergency preparedness called Let's Get Ready! Planning Together for Emergencies.

ReadyNC.org (ListoNC.org) is North Carolina's campaign to prepare for all types of emergencies. Their website has multiple resources and lists.

American Red Cross is another source for emergency-specific preparedness. Also, check out the Be Red Cross Ready on-line course.

  

Preparedness Instructional Videos 

Preparing Makes Sense

Prepararse tiene sentido

Other Videos:

Preparing Makes Sense for Older Americans

Preparing Makes Sense for People with Disabilities and Other Access and Functional Needs

Preparing Makes Sense for Pet Owners

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Pandemic Flu and Seasonal Flu

Are you prepared for a flu outbreak or pandemic? The resources at Planning & Preparedness can help you create a plan, whether you are an individual, a family, a business, or a school.

Pandemic Flu

Seasonal Flu

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. It is determined by how the disease spreads, not how many deaths it causes.

  • When a new influenza A virus emerges, a flu pandemic can occur. Because the virus is new, the human population has little to no immunity against it. With no immunity in the population, the virus spreads quickly from person-to-person worldwide.
  • Be aware that during such an outbreak, health care providers and hospitals may be overwhelmed. No vaccine would be available in the early stages, and effective antivirals may be in limited supply.
  • A pandemic flu could impact the general public with widespread travel restrictions and school or business closings.

Four flu pandemics have occurred since 1918, each with different characteristics. Read more about pandemic flu history.

Seasonal flu is an annual contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. Approximately 5-20% of U.S. residents get the flu each year.

  • Flu season typically peaks in January or February, but it can come as early as October and as late as May.
  • Getting the flu vaccine is your best protection against the flu.
  • Everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine. Seasonal flu vaccines have a very good safety track record.
  • Flu-related complications include pneumonia and dehydration. In some cases, the flu can lead to death.
  • Children are at higher risk for the flu because their immune systems are not fully developed.
  • Illness from seasonal flu usually lasts one to two weeks.

Learn more at flu.gov.

Bioterrorism

A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents) to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants. These agents are typically found in nature, but it is possible that they could be changed to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current medicines, or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment. Biological agents can be spread through the air, through water, or in food. 

Anthrax

Botulism

Brucellosis

Plague

Smallpox

Tularemia

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers

 

Disaster Preparedness

Natural disasters affect thousands of people every year. Know what your risks are and prepare to protect yourself and your family.

Floods

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

Thunderstorms & Lightening

Winter Storms & Extreme Cold

Extreme Heat

Earthquakes

Landslides & Debris Flow

Wildfires

Phone Numbers & Resources

Public Health Hotline (828) 694-4040

Henderson County Emergency Management

Emergency Shelters
Listen to WHKP-AM or WTZQ-AM radio or go online to Blue Ridge Now (Hendersonville Times-News).
    
Click Here for listing of all American Red Cross shelter openings anywhere in the U.S.

Connect with Your Loved Ones
The American Red Cross Safe and Well website is a secure, online tool to help families and friends connect during emergencies. To register, visit SAFE and WELL or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

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Henderson County Department of Public Health
1200 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 100 • Hendersonville, NC 28792 • (828) 692-4223

Last updated November 9, 2012