JCHD’s Role in Emergencies

Jackson County Health Department works with other local, state and federal agencies to plan for, and respond to, emergency situations. The health department plays a lead role in the local response to public health hazards such as disease outbreaks and food or water contamination. For example, Jackson County Health Department is responsible for mass medication dispensing to the community after a bioterrorism incident, inspecting emergency shelters following a natural disaster, coordinating resources for functional needs individuals sheltering in their homes during disasters, and investigating foodborne illness outbreaks.

Jackson County Health Department also plays a supporting role to emergency managers in other types of emergency responses. These roles have included the coordination of sandbagging supplies during floods, management of debris following storms, and development of public information messages to keep those impacted by disaster informed.