As local health departments nationwide strive to protect the public from infectious diseases, bioterrorism, natural disasters, and other public health threats, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) has recognized the Fremont County Public Health Agency (FCPHA) for its ability to respond to public health emergencies.
Fremont County Public Health met the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required to be recognized by Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). FCPHA joins a cohort of nearly 300 local health departments across the country that have distinguished their agencies’ preparedness efforts through PPHR.
“We are proud to have been recognized by Project Public Health Ready for our high level of preparedness,” said Carla Dionne, Director of the Fremont County Public Health Agency. In particular, Roxie LaSoya and Paula Garcia, the emergency preparedness coordinators, worked diligently to ensure the FCPHA emergency preparedness plans and application for PPHR would meet the highest standards required for this recognition. Dionne said Fremont County is a leader in emergency preparedness—in public health, in public safety, and in other disciplines. She added, “The most important factor in determining whether we succeed in responding to an emergency will be the actions of our citizens in advance planning, cooperating with authorities, and helping each other in a time of duress.”
“NACCHO commends the Fremont County Public Health Agency for being a model of public health emergency preparedness,” said Robert Pestronk, Executive Director of NACCHO. “The public health system is making great strides thanks to the good work of leaders in local public health preparedness such as the Fremont County Public Health Agency.”
Local health departments recognized by PPHR undergo a rigorous peer review. PPHR required Fremont County Public Health to meet a set of national standards for public health preparedness in three key areas: preparedness planning; workforce competency; and demonstration of all-hazards readiness through exercises or a response to a real event.