BRADENTON – The Florida Department of Health – Manatee County (DOH-Manatee) is being recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its staff’s ability to plan for, respond to and recover from public health emergencies.
DOH-Manatee staff demonstrated these capabilities by meeting the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This community is a leader in emergency preparedness — in public health, in public safety and in other disciplines,” DOH-Manatee Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Bencie said in a press release. “Still, 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 disaster.”
Departments recognized by the PPHR program must go through a rigorous peer-reviewed evaluation to assess their ability to meet a set of national standards for public health preparedness. These standards align with federal government requirements and other national best practices for emergency preparedness.
To qualify for the PPHR distinction, health department staff must also collaborate with state, local and community partners on developing plans accounting for everyone in their area.
“Public health preparedness planning, response and recovery begin at the local level. Local health departments play an essential role in creating healthy, resilient communities that can respond to and recover from disasters,” NACCHO Chief Executive Officer Lori Tremmel Freeman said. “NACCHO commends the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County for being a model of public health emergency preparedness.”
Representing more than 300 health departments across the country, NACCHO provides resources to help local health department leaders develop public health policies and programs to ensure that communities have access to vital programs and services that people need to keep them protected from disease and disaster.
