{"id":36,"date":"2016-08-11T17:10:43","date_gmt":"2016-08-11T17:10:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/west-piedmont\/?page_id=36"},"modified":"2026-04-23T15:04:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T19:04:49","slug":"office-of-emergency-preparedness","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/west-piedmont\/office-of-emergency-preparedness\/","title":{"rendered":"Emergency Preparedness"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pl-36\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-36-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-36-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-36-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<h2>Be prepared!<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ready.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ready.gov<\/a> <\/span>is a great resource with a wealth of information about preparing for and responding to emergencies of all kinds.<\/li>\n<li>For severe weather preparedness information go to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/severe-weather-preparedness\/\">www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/severe-weather-preparedness\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>For winter weather preparedness information go to\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/winter-weather-preparedness\/\">www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/winter-weather-preparedness\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pgc-36-0-1\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-36-0-1-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-8b5b6f678277-36\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Emergency_Car_Kit.png\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<img \n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Emergency_Car_Kit.png\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Emergency_Car_Kit.png 480w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Emergency_Car_Kit-188x300.png 188w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 188px) 100vw, 188px\" title=\"Click on graphic to enlarge.\" alt=\"A graphic of a car emergency kit.\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-36-1\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-36-1-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-36-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\" ><div class=\"so-rounded panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-36-1-0-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<figure id=\"attachment_5115\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5115\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Build_an_Emergency_Kit.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5115 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Build_an_Emergency_Kit-1024x512.jpeg\" alt=\"A graphic on how to build an emergency kit\" width=\"640\" height=\"320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Build_an_Emergency_Kit-1024x512.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Build_an_Emergency_Kit-300x150.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Build_an_Emergency_Kit-768x384.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Build_an_Emergency_Kit-1536x768.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/2025\/03\/Build_an_Emergency_Kit.jpeg 1833w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5115\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Having an emergency kit prepares you for unexpected situations. Keep a kit in your car as well. Click either graphic to enlarge it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-36-2\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-36-2-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell panel-grid-cell-empty\" ><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-36-3\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-36-3-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-36-3-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"3\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>If you\u2019re interested in volunteering in our district, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/mrc\">https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/mrc<\/a> to learn about the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps and submit an application.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5719 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/VAMRC-logo-with-bannger-LG-300x87.png\" alt=\"Virginia Medical Reserve Corp. Logo\" width=\"551\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/VAMRC-logo-with-bannger-LG-300x87.png 300w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/VAMRC-logo-with-bannger-LG-1024x298.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/VAMRC-logo-with-bannger-LG-768x224.png 768w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/VAMRC-logo-with-bannger-LG-1536x447.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/111\/VAMRC-logo-with-bannger-LG-2048x597.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 551px) 100vw, 551px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Virginia Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) brings together dedicated volunteers who support their communities during public health emergencies. Each of Virginia\u2019s 25 local MRC units includes medical and public health professionals, along with non\u2011medical community members, who contribute their skills, experience, and time to strengthen public health initiatives and emergency response efforts across the state.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-36-4\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-36-4-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-36-4-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"4\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>The West Piedmont Health District Office of Emergency Preparedness consists of the Local Health Emergency Coordinator and District Epidemiologist.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Local Health Emergency Coordinator-<\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"mailto:morgan.arseneault@vdh.virginia.gov\">Morgan Arseneault<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>District Epidemiologist \u2013 <\/strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"mailto:sharon.ortiz-garcia@vdh.virginia.gov\">Sharon Ortiz-Garc\u00eda<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Be prepared! Ready.gov is a great resource with a wealth of information about preparing for and responding to emergencies of all kinds. For severe weather preparedness information go to www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/severe-weather-preparedness\/ For winter weather preparedness information go to\u00a0www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/winter-weather-preparedness\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Emergency Preparedness - West Piedmont<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"West Piedmont Health District Office of Emergency Preparedness coordinates response of the health departments to public health emergency.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/west-piedmont\/office-of-emergency-preparedness\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Emergency Preparedness - 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