Collier Prepares

Business Preparedness 

The Department of Health in Collier has partnered with Collier Emergency Management and the local Red Cross chapter to assist our business community with their preparedness efforts. The intended outcome is an active emergency management resource that is aware, educated, organized and trained to meet the challenges during a natural or man made disaster. The information provided on this Web page offers valuable resources to help your staff, customers, vendors and the community you serve understand the importance of preparedness efforts including public health issues and disease prevention strategies. Through this initiative, we will work together to build partnerships, prepare plans, provide training and enhance coordination before disasters strike our community. For more information please contact us at the number listed above.

Community Preparedness 

The Department of Health in Collier has developed a program to assist our residential enclave communities with their preparedness efforts. The intended outcome is an active emergency management resource that is aware, educated, organized and trained to meet the challenges during a natural or man made disaster. RED plan communities will be provided consistent communication of vetted, useful public health information, organizational continuity of operations planning (COOP), and development of an all hazards operations plan (EOP). Through planning, training, and pre-credentialing, RED Plan communities may possess the ability to operate a Point of Distribution (POD) for their community in the event of Bio-Terrorism or a wide spread communicable disease. The ability to operate a POD is at the discretion of the health department Director. An all important focus of the RED plan remains the information provided by consistent communication with the health department and the preparedness web page at collierhealthdept.org, or collierprepares.org, which will be invaluable to the residents of your enclave during a public health emergency. Partnering with all the various community preparedness entities will provide a true all hazards approach to your preparedness efforts. For more information please contact us at the number listed above.

Faith Based Organization Preparedness 

The Department of Health in Collier has partnered with Collier Emergency Management and the local Red Cross chapter to assist our faith based community with their preparedness efforts. The intended outcome is an active emergency management resource that is aware, educated, organized and trained to meet the challenges during a natural or man made disaster. The information provided on this Web site offers valuable resources to help your congregation and organization members understand the importance of preparedness efforts including public health issues and disease prevention strategies. Through this initiative, we will work together to build partnerships, prepare plans, provide training and enhance coordination before disasters strike our community. For more information please contact us at the number listed above.

Health Care Provider Preparedness 

Effective Health Care Provider Emergency Planning

Sound, timely planning provides the foundation for effective emergency management. The response to an emergency can impact an entire community and can involve numerous medical and public health entities, including health care provider systems, public health departments, emergency medical services, medical laboratories, individual health practitioners, and medical support services. A coordinated response is essential. Comprehensive emergency management includes the following phases:

Hazard Identification

Health care providers should make every effort to include any potential hazards that could affect the facility directly and indirectly for the particular area it is located. Indirect hazards could affect the community but not the provider, and as a result interrupt necessary utilities, supplies or staffing.

Hazard Mitigation

Hazard mitigation is activities taken to eliminate or reduce the probability of the event, or reduce its severity or consequences, either prior to or following a disaster or emergency. The emergency plan should include mitigation processes for both residents and staff. Mitigation details should address care for the facility residents, and how the facility will educate staff in protecting themselves in the likelihood of an emergency. Comprehensive hazard mitigation efforts, including staff education, will aid in reducing staffs' vulnerability to potential hazards.

Preparedness

Preparedness includes developing a plan to address how the provider will meet the needs of patients and residents if essential services breakdown as a result of a disaster. It will be the product of a review of the basic facility information, the hazard analysis, and an analysis of the provider's ability to continue providing care and services during an emergency. It also includes training staff on their role in the emergency plan, testing the plan, and revising the plan as needed. For more information please contact us at the number listed above.

Personal Preparedness 

You and your family can cope with disaster by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Knowing what to do is your best protection and your responsibility. Utilize the Four Steps to Safety plan and become better prepared for an emergency. Use the "Four Steps to Safety" guide to improve your family's preparedness plan.

Understand What Could Happen

Emergencies such as terrorism, fire, flood, communicable disease or those caused by natural disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes can happen anywhere to anyone.

Create an Emergency/Disaster Plan

Discuss the types of disasters and emergencies that are most likely to happen and what to do in each case. Working with neighbors can save lives and property. Know your neighbors' skills (i.e., medical, technical) and consider how you can help neighbors with special needs.

The Preparedness Checklist: What You Need

Stock emergency supplies and assemble a disaster supplies kit. Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your needs and those of each family member for three to five days. To learn what to pack in your supply kit, visit https://www.ready.gov/kit

Maintain Your Plan

Review your plan every six months and quiz your family about what to do. In addition to taking steps to prepare for your own safety, citizens are encouraged to "be involved" by becoming active participants in preparing their community and helping others. There are many ways to volunteer to ensure that communities are safer, stronger and better prepared to react to a variety of emergencies.

Local and National Resources 

• Collier County Emergency Management
• Collier County Air Quality Readings
• Report a problem with food
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Flu.gov
• Ready.gov
• Floridadisaster.org
• American Red Cross
• DOH Hurricane Information