Chesterfield Health District Prepares Chesterfield, Colonial Heights and Powhatan for Emergencies and Disasters Through National “Project Public Health Ready” Recognition Program
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) recognized Chesterfield Health District (CHD) for its ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies. They demonstrated these capabilities by meeting the benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CHD rejoins a cohort of more than 550 local health departments across the country that have been distinguished for excellence in preparedness through PPHR. CHD previously earned recognition in 2009, 2014 and 2019.
“We are honored to have been recognized again by Project Public Health Ready for our high level of preparedness,” said Alexander Samuel, M.D., Health Director of CHD. “It reflects tremendous effort, dedication, and cooperation on the part of our entire team of public health servants and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers.”
PPHR recognition confirms that CHD has a thorough and coordinated emergency response plan in place and that staff and volunteers have the training to protect the health of the community during an emergency. Local health departments recognized by PPHR undergo a rigorous evaluation by peer review.
PPHR recognition also requires health departments to collaborate with their state, local, and community partners to develop plans that account for all the constituents in their jurisdictions. In a recent flu exercise, Chesterfield County Emergency Management staff, MRC volunteers, and VCU Health nursing students all played important roles in practicing a mass immunization event.
“Public health preparedness planning, response, and recovery begins at the local level. Local health departments play an essential role in creating healthy, resilient communities that can respond to and recover from disasters.” said Lori T. Freeman, Chief Executive Officer. “NACCHO commends CHD for being a model of public health emergency preparedness.”