Children categories
Emergency Preparedness
Tuesday, June 14, 2011The Lake County Health Department has developed emergency preparedness plans which allow the health department to move quickly to identify the emergency or disease, its possible source and to minimize the risk to
Quick Links
Extreme Heat http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/Floods http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/
Hurricanes http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/
Tornadoes http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/tornadoes/
Wildfires http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/
Food, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater/
Returning Home After a Disaster http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/returnhome.asp
Prevent Carbon Monoxide Exposure http://www.cdc.gov/co/default.htm
Coping with a Disaster Event http://emergency.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/
Lake County Emergency Managament http://www.lakecountyfl.gov/departments/public_safety/emergency_management/
Community Planning
Wednesday, June 01, 2011M. A. P. P. (MOBILIZING FOR ACTION THROUGH PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIP)
Lake County Health Department and partners are creating healthier communities in Lake County
What is MAPP? Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships is a community-wide strategic planning tool for improving community health. Facilitated by public health leadership, this tool helps communities prioritize public health issues and identify resources for addressing them.
Why utilize MAPP? This four part community assessment, once completed, will assist our community in acquiring additional health care resources, strengthening our public health system, and revealing areas within our local public community needing improvements.
How did we set sail with MAPP? The first step in the process is for the community to conduct a Local Public Health System Assessment-LPHSA. WellFlorida Council facilitated this foundational meeting on June 8th at Lake Technical Center. There were a total of 24 participants-21 community partners and 3 LCHD staff members who recorded the voting process.
Charting our course with MAPP: LCHD has completed the data entry through CDC's supported website and has received the reports which reflect the current appraisal of the local public health system. Community partners will reconvene in the near future to identify strategic issues and formulate goals and strategies for addressing each issue, leading to community health improvement.
Use the following 10 Essential Public Health Services as a guide for navigating the results of Lake County's assessment.
- Monitor health status to identify community health problems.
- Diagnose and investigate health problems and healthhazards in the community.
- Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.
- Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems.
- Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.
- Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.
- Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health- care when otherwise unavailable.
- Assure a competent public health and personal healthcare workforce.
- Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services.
- Research for new insights and innovative
Lake County Medical Reserve Corps
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Medical Reserve Corps Mission
The mission of the Medical Reserve Corps is to improve the health and safety of communities across the country by organizing and utilizing public health, medical and other volunteers.
What is the Medical Reserve Corps?
The Lake County Medical Reserve Corps is a team of healthcare, administrative and/or business professionals, and others who volunteer by donating their time and skills to help prepare their community for disasters and assist by volunteering to support existing emergencies agencies after a disaster.
During a disaster, Lake County first responders and hospitals may become overwhelmed by the need for medical care for our residents. Medical Reserve Corps members are trained and activated to assist during times of need.
Who can volunteer?
Practicing, retired, military, veteran, or otherwise employed medical professionals; such as doctors, dentists, nurses, emergency medical technicians, behavioral health counselors, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, nurses' assistants, veterinarians, healthcare students, and others who live or work within Lake County.
What will I do during an emergency as a Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer?
Lake County MRC volunteers are utilized to support emergency medical workers in areas such as; emergency clinics for mass vaccination or pharmaceutical distribution, disease outbreak investigations, Special Need shelters, hurricane response and relief efforts, and other emergencies that involve public health.
Do I need to be or have a current license in the State of Florida?
Yes, if you are a licensed medical professional. According to Florida Statutes, healthcare providers, such as physicians and nurses, must have an active Florida license in order to practice medicine. For nominal fees, inactive medical and nursing providers may apply for limited licensure or for a retired volunteer nursing certificate. Other retired professionals may or may not have to have an active license. Your healthcare knowledge and experience are valuable assets and will serve as a much needed contribution to the welfare of Lake County Residents.
Do I need liability insurance to volunteer with the Medical Reserve Corps?
No. Volunteer professionals will be working in conjunction with the Department of Health and will receive limited sovereign immunity and worker's compensation for medical costs incurred during an official event. (Statute 768.28 and Chapter 110, F.S.)
Volunteer Training
Volunteers are given the opportunity to receive training and certification in CPR and basic First Aid. Additional training will include topics such as disaster planning, Incident Command Systems, community response plans, weapons of mass destruction, and other areas of bio terrorism. Volunteers will be given access to other "free" trainings via the Internet (some offering free CME, CNE, or CEU credits).
Perhaps the most important part of our training will be learning to work as part of a team by participating in field exercises that simulate a public health emergency. In addition, table top exercises that are designed to teach members roles and responsibilities during mass emergencies, will be included as part of the training for Hurricanes and Bio-Terrorism events
How do I register as a volunteer with my Lake County MRC?
Volunteers may register at www.servfl.com by choosing the "register now" button.
Bioterrorism
Tuesday, June 14, 2011Bioterrorism is the intentional use of infectious agents, germs or toxins, to cause illness or death. Bioterrorism preparedness has been made a national priority. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have worked for several years with state and local health departments to identify and to respond to bioterrorism. The federal response to bioterrorism includes medications, medical supplies, and if necessary, vaccines to protect an affected community.
Agents, Diseases & Threats
The Lake County Health Department is dedicated to protecting public health, including preparing for and responding to weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction can include biological, chemical or radiological threats as defined below. The Lake County Health Department plans and practices response with other local responder agencies.
Biological Agents
A biological agent is a bacterium, virus or other biological substance that can cause disease. Bioterrorism involves the use of any of these biological agents with the intent to cause harm.
Anthrax http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/Botulism http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/botulism/
Brucellosis http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/brucellosis/
Glanders http://www.cdc.gov/glanders/
Plague http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/plague/
Q Fever http://www.cdc.gov/qfever/
Smallpox http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/
Tularemia http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/tularemia/
Viral Hemmorrhagic Fever http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/virlfvr/virlfvr.htm
Strategic Plan
Wednesday, June 01, 2011Community Partners Strategic Plan
Program Goal: Build & Strengthen Partnerships to Improve Community Health Outcomes
Objective 1:
Assess community partnerships to meet the needs of Lake County residents by end of fiscal year 2007/2008
A. Evaluate and inventory current formal community partnerships
B. Implement a process to identify and track formal partnerships
C. Implement process to identify informal partnerships
D. Develop and maintain informal partners spreadsheet
Objective 2:
Gain knowledge of available community resources in Lake County
A. Identify available community resources
B. Utilize resources directories as a guide for staff
C. Educate Leadership Plus
D. Supervisors training of staff
E. Division orientation - include an overview
F. Utilize Elder Affairs directory
Objective 3:
Develop and maintain relationships by cultivating new partners as needed to meet community health needs
A. Survey the employees to assess the community health and partnership needs
B. Identify existing employee participating and roles in internal and external committees
Highly Competent Workforce Strategic Plan
Program Goal: Recruit and retain a highly competent workforce
Objective 1:
Improve the recruitment and hiring process by enhancing current processes and practices.
A. Reduce the recruitment timeframe from 48 working days to 32 working days for the hiring of qualified applicants
B. Develop a plan to market the benefits of Department of Health employment and a tool to track its effectiveness.
C. Create a strategic tool identifying innovative recruitment resources.
D. Develop a new supervisory hiring and recruitment training
E. Expand and localize the content of the adopted Basic Supervisor Training.
F. Train supervisors on recruiting and interviewing policies and skills.
G. Review the possibility of offering Basic Supervisor Training locally.
Objective 2:
Increase current retention rate from 72% to 85% by 2010
A. Ensure position descriptions and performance reviews are reviewed and signed by supervisor, reviewing authority, employee and HR on an annual basis to reflect the actual duties and expectations of the job performed.
B. Benchmark pay rates and class specifications with surrounding and/or similar counties.
C. Develop and implement a succession plan.
D. Develop retention training.
E. Train supervisor's on retention training.
Health of Women and Children Strategic Plan
Program Goal: Improve the Health of Women and Children in Lake County
Objective 1:
By 2012, reduce the rate of obesity (? 95% of BMI), among WIC participants, ages 2-5 years, by 2%
A. Identify WIC clients with BMI ? 95% at certifications
B. Counsel & Provide Educational Material
C. Client Follow Up Quarterly
D. Monitor BMI results
E. Evaluate BMI results
F. Offer Family and Support Groups
Objective 2:
By 2012, reduce the rate of obesity (? 95% of BMI) among 1st and 3rd graders in Lake County public schools by 2%
A. Identify 1st & 3rd graders in full service school with BMI ? 95%
B. Counsel & Provide Educational Material
C. Client Follow Up twice yearly (3 & 6 months)
D. Monitor BMI results
E. Evaluate BMI results
F. Offer Family and Support Groups
Objective 3:
By 2012, reduce the rate in Lake County of repeated births to teen mothers ages 15-19 to a rate ?18.4 (2007 State rate)
A. Increase Interconceptual Educational materials to medical providers
B. Increase interconceptual educational materials to Teen Parent Resource Teachers
Objective 4:
By 2012, reduce the infant death rate to ?7.1% (2007 State rate)
A. Educate prenatal care providers in Lake County about Healthy Start Screen
B. Identify High Risk Population within Lake County
Identified high risk population in Lake County Health Department Maternity Clinic
C. Counsel and provide educational material to identified clients (prenatal & post partum)
D. Monitor and Evaluate Screening Data
E. Educate Community: Enhance public knowledge by providing timely and accurate public health educational programs, and by disseminating appropriate educational resources
F. Develop FIMR
Objective 5:
By 2012, reduce the Fetal Death Rate to ? 7.6% (2007 State Rate)
A. Educate prenatal care providers in Lake County about Healthy Start Screen
B. Identify High Risk Population within Lake County
Counsel and provide educational material to identified clients (prenatal & post partum)
C. Educate Community: Enhance public knowledge by providing timely and accurate public health educational programs, and by disseminating appropriate educational resources
D. Develop FIMR
Objective 6:
By 2012, increase the rate of breastfeeding in black, non-Hispanic WIC clients from 51% to 55%
A. Train staff in breastfeeding techniques
B. Completion of breastfeeding module by new WIC staff
C. Provide one hour of breastfeeding training per year to WIC staff
D. Breastfeeding support group at the WIC Leesburg
E. Introduce breastfeeding support group at the WWC site
F. Promote Breast feeding in the community
G. Make Maternity clinic sites breastfeeding friendly.
Facility Strategic Plan
Program Goal: To establish and maintain a safe and comfortable work environment where staff can excel in service.
Objective 1:
Enhanced and improved the working environment for the Lake County Health Department staff and the community.
A. Established Standard Operating Procedures for safety and to implemented training of staff via Track It program.
B. Workforce Excellence Team has identified areas of concern through suggestions, surveys, and reports from the safety committee, and work with the budget department to correct those areas.
C. Will compose a team to visit each site quarterly to access the needs of the site.
D. Assigned safety liaisons at each site to submit inspection results to safety committee.
Objective 2:
Create a comfortable work environment and reduce worker compensation claims by implementing OSHA regulations.
A. Recommended space allocation committee adopts DMS guidelines for employee square footage needs and functions of responsibilities.
B. Will approve budget allowance for purchase of furniture and office ergonomic corrections needed.
C. Annually space allocation committee meets with leadership to determine the needs of the department.
Objective 3:
Decrease the number of facility storage sites and the expenses of transportation.
A. Locating central storage facility that will accommodate the needs of the Lake County Health Department and will eliminate multiple rental units.
B. Researching all available facilities in the central radius of all sites. Provided that the Lake County Health Department has a surplus of 7.5% cash balance and no loss of Federal funding.
C. Will implement E-Bridge electronic documentation of records or like program to reduce the amount of storage for records.
D. Need to reduce fuel expenses by having one location that is centralized for all sites.
Objective 4:
Communicate safety objectives to staff and educate staff in proficient and timely manner.
A. Created and update facility and safety sharepoint sites.
B. Set up surveys and questionnaires to receive staff feedback on areas of concern.
C. Utilized the TRACK-IT system to implement safety training and tracking.
D. Distributed safety bulletins to staff from DOH and to enhance safety bulletin boards at all sites. This will increase safety awareness.
Chemical Agents
Tuesday, June 14, 2011A chemical agent is a toxic gas, liquid or solid that can harm people or the environment. Chemical Terrorism involves the use of any of these chemical agents with the intent to cause harm.
Nerve
Nerve agents are chemicals that interfere with the nervous system.
Sarin http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/sarin/index.asp
Soman http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/soman/index.asp
Tabun http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/tabun/index.asp
VX http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/vx/index.asp
Blister
Blister agents are chemicals that can damage skin, eyes and lungs.
Lewisite http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/lewisite/index.asp
Nitrogen mustard http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/nitrogenmustard/index.asp
Sulfur mustard http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/sulfurmustard/index.asp
Chlorine http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/chlorine/index.asp
Chlorine is shipped as a liquid in trucks and trains but quickly forms a gas when it escapes from its storage container. It is used widely in chemical manufacturing, bleaching, drinking water and swimming pool disinfecting, and in cleaning agents.
Cyanides http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/cyanide/index.asp
Cyanides are poisons that inhibit respiration at the cellular level preventing cells from utilizing oxygen.
Ricin Toxins http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/ricin/index.asp
Ricin is a potent protein toxin derived from the beans of the castor plant which is available worldwide and therefore a potentially available toxin.
Radiological and Nuclear Threats
Tuesday, June 14, 2011Radiological and nuclear threats include nuclear weapons and dirty bombs. Both spread radioactive materials, but a nuclear explosion would have a far reaching impact while a dirty bomb would affect a more targeted area. Intentional release of radioactive material is a form of terrorism.
Radiation Emergencies http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/
Response to a Public Health Threat
Tuesday, June 14, 2011Strategic National Stockpile
The mission of Centers for Disease Control’s Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Program is to ensure the availability and rapid deployment of life-saving pharmaceuticals, antidotes, other medical supplies, and equipment necessary to counter the effects of nerve agents, biological pathogens and chemical agents. The SNS Program stands ready for immediate deployment to any
Emergency Mass Prophylaxis Plan
The Emergency Mass Prophylaxis Plan is the countywide plan for large-scale antibiotic or vaccine dispensing in the event of an infectious disease emergency. The Lake County Health Department is responsible for creating and maintaining this plan. Emergencies of this magnitude would include bioterrorism attacks through agents such as anthrax or smallpox as well as naturally occurring disease epidemics like pandemic influenza or meningococcal disease.
Point of Dispensing Sites
During a public health emergency, Points of Dispensing (PODS) are locations where large populations can receive medications or shots very quickly. PODs will be open to the public and all antibiotics and vaccines that are offered in response to the emergency will be free. PODs will be located throughout
Disaster Preparedness for Families
It is important that we make sure that our families know what to do before, during and after a terrorist event. A Family Disaster Plan and disaster Supply Kit will help account for the safety of all family members in a disaster. Your family should review the plan frequently. Treat this plan as you would a fire drill.
Your Family disaster Plan should include emergency contact telephone numbers, a disaster supply kit, a family meeting site and more. Learn more from the following:
http://www.floridadisaster.org/
Why Your Family Should Identify Rally Points
Because your family is not together 24 hours a day, it is important for you to consider how you would find each other in a disaster. When choosing a family meeting location, you should consider selecting the most commonly frequented location (i.e., work, school, or neighbors). For example, parents should include a designated location in the plan to meet children if a crisis occurs while they are at school.
Items to Consider When Developing Your Plan
Discuss the various types of hazards that could affect your family:
- Determine an escape route from your home and places to meet including a child's school, a neighbor's house, family meeting location, or a familiar public place.
- Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact. Have at least two ways of contacting this person like email or phone.
- Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.
- Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones, in your wallet, or purse, and make sure your children know how and when to call 911.
- Stock nonperishable emergency supplies and a disaster supply kit.
- Take First Aid, CPR, and disaster preparedness classes.
Preparing a Family Disaster Supply Kit
It is important for you to prepare a well-stocked disaster supply kit. Suggested supply items include:
- Water-at least one gallon daily per person for three to seven days
- Food-at least enough for three to seven days
- Blankets, pillows, and associated items
- Warm clothing
- First Aid kit and medicines
- Special Items-for babies and the elderly
- Toiletries
- Radio-battery-operated and NOAA weather radio
- Keys
- Toys, books, and games
- Important documents
- Tools
- Vehicle fuel tanks pre-filled
- Pet care items
- Flashlight and batteries
Family Emergency Phone Numbers
- 911
- Neighbor
- Out of town family contact
- School
