Preparing for Health Emergencies   

     Across the country, local, state and national government agencies have been working together for years to protect all our citizens from both manmade and natural disasters.  Locally, the Fairfield Department of Health works with the Fairfield Emergency Management Association and other County agencies to be prepared for health emergency or disaster to ensure the safety of our residents.

     To make sure that Health Department staff are prepared, they complete ongoing required emergency response training and participate in local and regional training exercises.

How You Can Be Prepared

     Individuals and families should also be prepared for health emergencies.  If you live alone, getting the flu or a bad cold and having to stay in bed for a few days could be a health emergency if you are not prepared.  Plan ahead, and make sure you have the necessary things including food and water easily available at home so that you could remain in bed and take care of yourself.

     Being prepared also means you are aware of how diseases are spread. This way, you can take precautions to avoid spreading or getting germs. Maintain good health habits, and be sure to cover your sneeze with a tissue and dispose of it promptly.  Wash your hands often.  Cover your cough by coughing into your elbow or sleeve and not into your hands. 

     You can also help yourself and your family by preparing for a longer stay at home in the event of a natural disaster such as an ice storm or flood or even a pandemic flu outbreak.  There are many good resources available online to help you prepare and offer checklists for what to put in your disaster kit.

     Ready.gov is an easy online way to find out more about being prepared.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has created this site to educate citizens about how to be prepared in case of a national emergency. 

·         Get a Kit

·         Make a Plan

·         Explosions

·         Radiation Threat

·         En Espanol

Publications You Might Find Useful

     Some files are large and may take a few moments to download. Thank you for your patience.

·         FEMA - Are you Ready?

·         American Red Cross materials dealing with terrorism and unexpected events:

o        Anthrax Q&A*

o        Your family disaster plan

o        Your family disaster supplies kit list

o        Su epuipo de suministros para la familia en caso de desastres*

o        Food and water in an emergency

o        Agua y alimentos en una emergencia*

Protecting Your Health Through Disease Monitoring

      Fairfield Department of Health staff also work to protect your health through monitoring certain communicable diseases in our County, and alerting you if there is a potential outbreak.  For example, you may remember recently when e-coli disease was linked with a particular kind of fresh spinach grown in California. At health departments, experts called epidemiologists study the causes of diseases and how to control their spread in populations of people.  When two people were sick with the e-coli infection here in Fairfield County, The Fairfield Department of Health epidemiologist received reports from the Ohio Department of health confirming their illness.  The epidemiologist then used a nationally-standardized questionnaire to follow up with these sick people to try to figure out where their illness had come from.  Across the country, epidemiologists from other health districts with sick people were doing the same surveying.  Together, their compiled data tracked down the source of the potentially fatal illness. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Fairfield Department of Health find out I am sick?

     When your doctor makes the diagnosis or the lab test comes back, your doctor or the lab is required by law to report certain illnesses to the local health department. They may do this by phone, fax, or through the Ohio Department of Health Disease Report System, which is a computerized database.

Why does the Fairfield Department of Health have a need to know about my sickness?

    Your illness impacts more people than just yourself, which is why the Fairfield Department of Health will be alerted. 

·        Your illness may be caused by a bacteria which is becoming more resistant to the medications used to treat it.

·        You may have a sickness which could be easily spread to other family members or the public.  For instance, you might have an illness that could spread through food, water or animals.

·        Your illness may be one that you can identify the exact person who gave it to you. The Health District can get in touch with that person so they can seek treatment.

Why does the Fairfield Department of Health need to know where I went or what I ate?

      Some diseases can be spread by food, water or even coughing, for instance. The Fairfield Department of Health asks for specific information from you depending on your illness so that others who might become sick can be identified. We also look at possible food or water sources so that a potential outbreak can be controlled.

Who can I talk to if I have more questions?

     If you have questions about the communicable disease program, the reporting process, or diseases in general, you can call the Fairfield Department of Health at 740-653-4489 and ask to speak with the epidemiologist or the communicable disease nurse. Our staff will be happy to answer your questions, but these staff members will not diagnosis illnesses. You will be referred to your doctor for specific questions about your symptoms and/or treatment options.