Our mission is to effectively respond to any emergency impacting public health through preparation, collaboration, education and rapid intervention. The Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs involve state, regional and local emergency response partners working together to enhance readiness to respond to bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies. Funding to support these efforts is provided through grants from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Health Resources Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
We routinely train and exercise with our 10 local governments and their respective community partners. Our health district is comprised of the counties of Augusta, Bath, Highland, Rockbridge and Rockingham, and the cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton and Waynesboro. Below is a picture taken at a drive-through flu vaccination exercise held in the City of Lexington in November of 2007.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emergency Preparedness and Response
www.bt.cdc.gov
Virginia Department of Health, Emergency Preparedness and Response
www.vdh.virginia.gov/epr/
Michael Keatts
District Emergency Planner
Central Shenandoah Health District
Michael.Keatts@vdh.virginia.gov
Phone: 540-332-7830
Fax: 540-885-0149
