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Boulder County Public Health Communications Office 303-441-1457
Boulder
County Public Health Earns Emergency Preparedness
Recognition
Thursday, February 05, 2009 -
(Boulder, Colo.) - Boulder County Public Health was
recognized this week for its ability to respond to public
health emergencies, such as infectious disease outbreaks,
bioterrorism, natural disasters, and other public health
threats.
The public health agency underwent a rigorous review process
conducted by the Project Public Health Ready Review
Committee and the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment (CDPHE) to assure all criteria for response were
met.
Project Public Health Ready, a partnership between the
National Association of County and City Health Officials and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a
voluntary recognition program for local public health
agencies that meet peer-developed criteria for public health
preparedness.
“This is exceptional recognition and demonstrates the
commitment of our staff to do what is best for our
community,” said Boulder County Public Health Director Jeff
Zayach. “We are proud to have been recognized for our level
of preparedness, and we would not have been able to do this
without our collaboration with key partners, such as the
Office of Emergency Management, local law enforcement, local
fire departments, and local hospitals.”
“We commend Boulder County Public Health for being a model
of public health emergency preparedness,” said Robert
Pestronk, executive director of the National Association of
County and City Health Officials. “The public health system
is making great strides, thanks to the good work of leaders
in local public health preparedness such as in Boulder
County.”
To gain recognition, Boulder County Public Health was
required to meet expectations of public health preparedness
in three key areas: preparedness planning; workforce
competency; and demonstration of all-hazards readiness
through exercises or response to real events.
The recognition confirms that Boulder County Public Health
has an emergency response plan in place, the plan is
appropriately connected to other jurisdictional emergency
response plans, agency staff members are trained, and the
plan is exercised and used during public health and other
community emergencies.
Colorado is the second state health department to coordinate
this national public health program on a statewide level.
For more information on all Project Public Health Ready
sites and project tools and resources, go to
www.naccho.org/topics/emergency/pphr.cfm.
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