Emergency Preparedness

Natural and man made disasters can range from a summer tornado to a chemical spill from a train derailment. In any event, it is important that we are prepared for emergencies at home, in the community and at work.  Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services (DVHHS) has a dedicated Emergency Preparedness staff that collaborates with other public and private agencies to assure local public health response is coordinated with local emergency management activities, develop departmental protocols for LPH emergency response.   Collaborators include:

MN Department of Health - Emergency Preparedness offers help and information for a variety of emergencies.

MN State Council on Disabilities - MSCOD offers resources on emergency preparedness and can provide written materials and on-site training for individuals with disabilities and employers.

SW RHPC - The Southwest Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition (SW RHPC) is based in Southwest Minnesota.  We work together with hospitals, health services, emergency services and many other entities to enhance our response to local, regional, statewide, and national emergencies.  Our coalition represents 23 hospitals, 43 primary care clinics, 50 Nursing Homes, 103 EMS groups and two tribal governments in our 16-county region

Red Cross - The American Red Cross exists to provide compassionate care to those in need in the areas of disaster relief, supporting American military families, blood donation, health and safety services and international services.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

Federal Emergency Management Agency  - FEMA is the federal resource supporting states and counties in the face of disasters.