Barren River Community Health Planning Council

Communicable Disease

Disaster Preparedness

Health Education In the Community

Worksite Wellness

• Preparedness Branch
  
  Faith Based Organization Information
  
   

• Collaborate with agencies throughout our district to plan for disasters and participate in disaster drills to test capabilities.
   

• Provide education to partner agencies and the public on our existing response plans and procedures in place to respond to disasters. 
   

•  Design, develop, and implement an emergency plan based on the National Association of County & City Health Officials' (NACCHOProject Public Health Ready (PPHR) criteria for BRDHD staff and volunteers to be used during a man-made or natural disaster.
   

• Involved in monthly Healthcare Emergency Area 4 Response Team (HEART) meetings with regional hospitals, EMS, mental health, coroners, American Red Cross, Emergency Management, local health departments, and long term care facilities to develop plans and protocols for Region 4 response
   

• Implement the National Incident Management System (NIMS).  This is a document written by Homeland Security that instructs all local, state, and federal agencies how to effectively respond to an incident.
  
   

• Establish relationships with community leaders and partner organizations for on-going assessment and enhancement of disaster preparedness.
   

• Participate in the design and implementation of emergency exercises that occur annually within our district.
   

• Respond to public health emergencies.
   

•  Serve on community – based committees that deal with issues related to disaster preparedness.
   

• Teach and recruit members for Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).
   

• Teach basic disaster preparedness to the community and facilitate trainings for first responders.
   

• Coordinate the Health Alert Network, a communication system in place to alert staff and community partners on a 24/7 basis.

Here are the training programs available through this branch:

• Disaster Preparedness Awareness classes for
   

• Schools

• Seniors

• Churches

• Civic Organizations

The Disaster Preparedness Awareness class will cover disasters possible in Kentucky, Individual and Family Disaster Planning, assembling a Disaster Supplies Kit, and an introduction to Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). 
 

• CERT-educates people about disaster preparedness, trains in basic disaster response and disaster medical operations.
   

• MRC-trains community volunteers to assist medical response teams during a local disaster.
  
   

• Introduction to Incident Command, IS-100
   

• Introduction  to the National Incident Management System (NIMS), IS-700        
   

• PREPARE for LTC facilities-educates centers on how to prepare for emergency situations in order to meet the needs of long-term care residents during a disaster.