News and Articles

Planning for the Community vs. Planning for the Plan

Imagine a family losing their home, their belongings – everything. With nowhere to go, they find the nearest shelter, only to be turned away due to shelter restrictions. Maybe it was because they have a dog, or one of their children has a disability, or they have an elderly parent with them. Regardless of the reason, they are turned away. When planning for a community, that should never happen.

Read More>>

Training & Events

Prep Partners Webinar: Access & Functional Needs “The Whole Community- We Succeed or Fail Together”

Archived Webinar

The latest edition of Preparedness Partners Presents: Access & Functional Needs: "Whole Community Preparedness-We succeed or fail together!". Vance Taylor from the Governor of California’s Office of Access and Functional Needs (OAFN) discusses how he manages existing partnership networks to further preparedness through a straightforward process that promotes safety and saves lives before, during and after disasters. He discusses how local governments, state agencies and individuals with disabilities and access or functional needs can work collaboratively to enhance emergency preparedness for the whole community in a way that improves planning, response and recovery.

Read More>>

The Michigan Update

September is Preparedness Month

Alice Hoffman – Program Coordinator - Health Promotion for People with Disabilities Initiative - Disabilities Health Unit  – Michigan Department of health and Human Services

Not that emergency preparedness should be confined to one month, but it certainly helps to have a designated time to get the ball rolling. This year, the CDC’s theme is “Ready, Steady, Show, Go.”

Looking at this through a disability health promotion lens, let's focus on Show – what inspires those with disabilities to prepare? People relate more to stories and images of others like themselves.

Read More>>

Partnership with the National Guard

Patricia Crenshaw - Region 7 Healthcare Coalition Coordinator

Camp Grayling, the largest military installment east of the Mississippi River, is home to the premier Joint Maneuver Training Center playing host to countless National Guard units every year. With its sprawling ranges and 3 county coverage, Camp Grayling it is the mecca of training and exercise in Michigan and is the stage each year for Operation Northern Strike. 

Read More>>

Research

Zika pandemic online trends, incidence and health risk communication: a time trend study

In BMJ Global Health, researchers aimed to describe the online search trends of Zika and examine their association with Zika incidence, assess the content of Zika-related press releases issued by leading health authorities and examine the association between online trends and press release timing. Using Google Trends, the 1 May 2015 to 30 May 2016 online trends of Zika and associated search terms were studied globally and in the five countries with the highest numbers of suspected cases. Correlations were then examined between online trends and Zika incidence in these countries. All Zika-related press releases issued by WHO/Pan America Health Organization (PAHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the study period were assessed for transparency, uncertainty and audience segmentation. The research showed online trends correlated with Zika incidence and could be used for disease surveillance. Weekly online search terms also predicted the timing of WHO press releases.

Read More>>

Tools & Resources

Effectiveness of Disinfecting and Sporicidal Wipes against Bacillus atrophaeus, a Bacillus anthracis Surrogate

This seven-page technical brief summarizes published research that considered the use of disinfecting and sporicidal wipes for decontamination of surfaces following a B. anthracis release. Disinfecting and sporicidal wipes are frequently used in healthcare settings; they are appealing because they are readily available and easy to use.  The data from this report will help individuals such as incident commanders and remediation personnel make informed decisions about surface decontamination options after a biological contamination incident.  

Read More>>