News

September is National Preparedness Month

September was declared as National Preparedness Month in 2004 to increase public awareness of the importance of being prepared for all kinds of emergencies ranging from natural disasters to potential terrorist attacks.

Every week, newspapers report disasters that occur around the globe. Public health workers have an important role to play in disaster preparedness and response, in conjunction with first responders, law enforcement, public safety, health care professionals and others. The Yale Center for Public Health Preparedness (YCPHP) is part of a national network of Centers for Public Health Preparedness funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The YCPHP, a center at the Yale School of Public Health, works to make sure the public health work force is prepared to respond to disasters and other public health emergencies. The Center has created a Preparedness Blog for the public to engage in dialogue about issues such as pandemic flu and how they are preparing for emergencies.

For further information on how to ensure that you are prepared for a disaster, visit the Ready America Web site and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Web site.