Background on Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)

The Allegan County Health Department, Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Division coordinates the public health response to natural or human-caused emergencies. These emergencies includes actual or potential public health hazard, such as communicable disease outbreaks, environmental sanitation hazards, emergencies involving toxic and hazardous materials, and other chemical, biological and radiological incidents. The PHEP develops plans, conducts trainings and collaborates with Community, Regional, and State stakeholders to prepare for and protect the public in a disaster or emergency situation.

The Emergency Preparedness Coordinator manages the distribution of the Strategic National Stockpile's medical countermeasures to the Allegan County population during a disaster or emergency event. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Strategic National Stockpile is the nation’s largest supply of potentially life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out.

The stockpile ensures the right medicines and supplies are available when and where needed to save lives. In case of a public health emergency, the Allegan County Health Department will open Point of Dispensing (POD) sites for mass dispensing of medical countermeasures such as antibiotics, antitoxins and/or vaccines from the Strategic National Stockpile to the public.

PPHR National Recognition and Re-Recogntion

The Allegan County Health Department’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Division earned the Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) recognition for emergency preparedness planning. This prestigious award was given to ACHD's PHEP by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for the division's ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies. The Health Department was also awarded the Jean Chabut's 2015 Policy Champion Award for the completion of the PPHR national recognition. This special award was signed by Governor Snyder. Futhermore, the Allegan County’s Health Department (ACHD) received 2019 National ‘Project Public Health Ready’ (PPHR) re-recognition. PPHR is a criteria-based recognition program created by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The ACHD achieved recognition in 2014 for a five-year period. The ACHD Emergency Preparedness Division demonstrated preparedness and response capability and capacity meeting federal requirements and national best practices. The re-recognition criteria also highlights continuous quality improvement. This achievement demonstrates the County’s continued and ongoing commitment to the highest level of preparedness.

Reports & Plans

• COVID-19 Response Improvement Plan
• COVID-19 After Action Survey Report

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