The City of Joplin Health Department recognizes the importance of public health emergency preparedness activities in the community. The department participates in emergency preparedness planning initiatives in the local, state and federal level. Public health emergency preparedness includes planning and epidemiology services. These services are supplemented by a contract from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Through this contract, the City of Joplin Health Department offers regional planning and epidemiology services to the Joplin and Jasper County area.
The health department also participates with other community partners in several committees that work toward community preparedness for emergencies. Chief among them are the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Medical Subcommittee, which comprise of community stakeholders from Joplin City, Jasper and Newton counties.
Local Emergency Planning Committee, Medical Subcommittee
The purpose of the local Emergency Planning Committee, Medical Subcommittee is to facilitate enhanced preparedness for community emergencies that impacts the community health. The Medical Subcommittee is responsible for reviewing and providing recommendations to the larger Joplin/Jasper County LEPC needed changes to the following Annexes:
Annex M of the Joplin/Jasper County Local Emergency Operations Plan (Health and Medical)
Annex N Of the Joplin/Jasper County Local Emergency Operations Plan (WMD)
Appendix 7 of Annex M (Local Health Agency Plan)
Annex O The Animal Disaster and Agriculture Response Plan Other Annexes impacting community health response.
The Medical Subcommittee work with each member agency to review individual agency emergency response plans to ensure a coordinated response to community emergencies impacting community health. The committee works with member agencies to determine the need for, and plan exercise activities for medical emergencies. Additional responsibilities of the Medical Subcommittee include:
Review of need for any potential Strategic National Stockpile Activation in Jasper County or Joplin
Review of need for DHSS Surge Capacity Cache activation (located at Freeman Hospital)
Review of need for the Mass Casualty Trailer activation (located at St. John’s Hospital) if needed out of area
Membership:
Membership includes community partners in the City of Joplin and Jasper County that have a role in the community health emergency response issues.
Regional Public Health Planning Services
The regional public health planning services include developing local and regional emergency preparedness and response plans in the City of Joplin and Jasper County.
Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans
The City of Joplin Health Department recognizes the important role of planning for emergencies and has plans that cover various areas that would be affected in the event of disasters. Such plans include;
➢ Public Health Emergency Plan
➢ Sheltering Support Plan for American Red Cross Emergency Shelters Plans
➢ Animal Emergency Response Plan
➢ Agricultural Terrorism Plan
➢ Strategic National Stockpile Plan (SNS)
➢ Pandemic Flu Preparedness Plan
Emergency Planning Exercises
The City of Joplin Health Department participates in disaster preparedness exercises in collaboration with the local emergency preparedness committee and community stakeholders.
Education and Training
As part of emergency preparedness, the regional public health planner offers training such as Incident Command Systems (ICS) and National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) to local health department staff and other interested stakeholders.
Ready- In- 3
Ready-In-3 focuses on 3 steps to take in order to prepare for many kinds of emergencies which include:
➢ Creating a plan,
➢ Preparing a kit
➢ Listening for information
Ready-In-3 materials are available free-of-charge from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. They are presented in various formats, in multiple languages and geared toward families, seniors, special needs, faith-based organizations, schools, child-care providers, and employers.
To learn more about Ready-In-3 materials, visit: http://www.dhss.mo.gov/Ready_in_3/
Helpful links