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Kerry Chamberlain,
PhD, MPH – Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response – Bureau of EMS,
Trauma and Preparedness, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
In June 2017, Bay, Gladwin, Midland, and Isabella Counties
experienced near-historic flooding. It
was considered the worst flooding event to hit the area in 30 years. The whole community needed help. After Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley
declared a state of disaster, President Trump declared a major disaster for the
area which allowed FEMA to augment ongoing local and state response and
recovery efforts.
Those affected in the community have the opportunity to
request assistance from FEMA to help recover from the emergency, particularly
those most vulnerable. The key was to
find a way to put as many people as possible in touch with FEMA services. Jennifer Lixey-Terrill and Richard Thelen, MDHHS
Emergency Management Coordinators in the State Emergency Operations Center
worked together with Alice Hoffman, from the Disabilities Unit at MDHHS and Dr.
Max Albanese, the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Michigan
Pharmacists Association to notify the affected community of the availability of
assistance.
Pharmacies were found to be a great way to reach the entire
community. Many people use pharmacies
on a regular basis for medication and vaccination. The Michigan Pharmacist Association has been
a partner with the MDHHS preparedness program for many years for a variety of
initiatives to include medical countermeasure distribution and rapid diagnostic
testing. Dr. Albanese was able to blast the message for FEMA assistance to all
pharmacies in the affected area. The
pharmacies had the FEMA flood assistance information accessible to share
however they saw fit to include marquees as seen in the picture below. Because of these partnerships, FEMA had an
outpouring of citizens reaching out to them for help. Because of the partnerships many people were
able to access needed assistance.
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