Public Health Matters Blog | Blogs

How to Be Smart (About Preparedness)

Dramatic sky in contrast with the afternoon sun on a November afternoon in Limburg, the Netherlands

Emergencies are everywhere: from floods to flu, tornadoes to terrorists… How do you prepare for all of it? Trying to prepare for every possibility can seem impossible. But you can be smart about preparing for the emergencies and situations you are most likely to experience. Start by looking around at where you live, the people Read More >

September 26, 2016 by Blog AdministratorLeave a comment

General, preparedness, Preparedness Month

children, emergency, pets, preparedness, public health, tornado, travel

Recognizing the Vital Work of Our Nation’s Public Servants

In April 2015, an Ohio doctor made an urgent call to CDC concerning a possible life-threatening botulism outbreak that posed a risk to as many as 50 people who had attended a church potluck dinner. Within hours, CDC, the Ohio Department of Health, and a local hospital had determined that botulism antitoxin was needed to Read More >

September 21, 2016 by Blog AdministratorLeave a comment

preparedness, Preparedness Month

botulism, burel, ebola, medical countermeasures, public health, sammie, strategic national stockpile, Zika

Fred the Preparedness Dog—Tails from Kansas

Fred witnesses the governor of Kansas signing a proclamation naming September "National Preparedness Month"

It all started when Fred jumped into the bathtub. It was one of those warm, Kansas summer days, back in 2013. Fred the German Shepherd had just joined our family, and my wife eagerly captured all his adorable dog-moments with her camera. So when Fred hopped into the tub, she quickly snapped a photo and Read More >

September 19, 2016 by Michael McNulty, Director of Homeland Security Operations, Kansas Department of Health and Environment1 Comment

natural disasters, preparedness, Preparedness Month, prevention

children, Emergency kit, first aid, kansas, prepare locally, preparedness, public health

West Nile to Zika: How One Virus Helped New York City Prepare for Another

No one told the Aedes mosquito that New York is the city that never sleeps. The type of mosquito that can spread Zika virus (Zika) is most active during the early morning, day, and early evening. But New York is teeming with people during most of this time, meaning that our scientists had to find Read More >

September 12, 2016 by Mario Merlino, Assistant Commissioner, Pest Control and Veterinary Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene2 Comments

Disease Investigation, Disease Outbreak, preparedness, Preparedness Month, Vectorborne

Aedes albopictus, mosquito control, New York City, preparedness, west nile, Zika

When Preparation Meets Opportunity: Cameroon Gets a Jump on Outbreak Response

Buea-Regional-Hospital-at-the-foot-of-Mt-Cameroon

When Dr. Aristide Abah stepped off the plane that brought him from Atlanta back to his home in Cameroon, there was no time to waste. An outbreak of H5N1 flu threatened the country, and it was up to Dr. Abah to lead the response. Fortunately, he was prepared. Read More >

September 6, 2016 by Blog AdministratorLeave a comment

Disease Outbreak, Flu, preparedness, Preparedness Month, response, Zoonotic Disease

Cameroon, emergency operations, flu, Global Health Security Agenda, H5N1, outbreak, prepare to respond, Public Health Emergency Management Fellowship

The Power of Preparedness

If there were one thing I’d wish for, it would be the ability to predict when and where the next infectious disease outbreak would occur and stop it before it starts. I can’t do that. And neither can anyone else. At this moment, in addition to combating Zika in the United States and polio in Read More >

September 2, 2016 by Dr. Stephen Redd, Director, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response4 Comments