REGION 21
Public Health Emergency Preparedness
(Comprising the towns of Branford, East Haven, Guilford, Madison and North Branford)
Served by the East Shore Health Department District, the Guilford Health Department and the Madison Health Department

OVERVIEW

As envisioned by the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and the Department of Public Health, the above listed towns will act regionally in the event of bio-terrorist events, pandemics or other large-scale public health emergencies.

Region 21 was created by the CT Department of Public Health to plan regional Emergency Smallpox Vaccination Clinics. Subsequently, the need for addressing additional potential public health emergencies was identified, and a regional response will be the most efficient way to address these. There is continual communication between the three health departments (and our state partners) that serve the 5 towns in Region 21 and considerable cooperation in a number of important activities. Each individual town retains autonomy and the responsibility for its residents, but the towns have agreed to assist each other during a potential public health emergency. There may be a scenario in which the health departments that serve these towns voluntarily operate jointly in the interest of efficiency.

Plans for emergencies will never adequately address all contingencies, so Federal, State and Local governments will cooperate in drills involving each level of government to mimic some of the real life difficulties that would accompany a genuine emergency. Residents are encouraged to participate in these drills if they are able (see volunteer information below).

In the event of an emergency suitable to such regional action this website would be a gateway for residents from the five towns for information about regional public health activities, resident responsibilities, clinic schedules, volunteer information and more. In the interim it contains versions of a continuing evolution of regional emergency plans, which will be posted as they are developed.

Not all emergencies will require regional response. Emergency planning for natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, ice storms etc. are maintained town by town. This page will have links to those plans as they become available on the various town web sites.

Emergency planning is not only for governmental agencies. Every family is encouraged to prepare in advance for possible emergencies – to develop a family emergency plan so that family members will know what to do to be safe in the face of danger. Several agencies have developed templates that can be used create such a plan. Consult the websites below to download a template for your family.

VOLUNTEER NOW We Need You!!

Certain emergencies would require massive public health actions well beyond the capabilities of the existing public health system. The health and safety of all of our residents would depend on the work of many volunteers. For example, an outbreak of smallpox would require two clinics in Region 21, one in Branford serving residents of Branford and East Haven and one in Madison serving residents of Guilford, Madison and North Branford. The plans for these two clinics are extensive, but the bulk of the work would be provided by hundreds of volunteers working thousands of hours over a ten-day period, all done with very little training. Other emergencies may require fewer volunteers, but in all cases adequate response to large-scale public health emergencies will be impossible without volunteers.

Residents willing to volunteer for either medical or non-medical positions during emergencies are encouraged to sign up now. Contact information for volunteers will be kept in a database to facilitate quick call on short notice. Volunteers will also be contacted from time to time by mail or email with significant updates and information on upcoming drills or emergency training courses available to volunteers.

There are no specific obligations resulting from signing up as a volunteer and in an emergency, personal and family safety will always take precedence over volunteer activities. We ask that you make your name and contact information available and participate to the degree you are able.

Many public health emergencies would require either mass vaccination or rapid dispensing of appropriate medicine. Plans for mass smallpox vaccination, being the most complex clinic, was developed first. Detailed plans for other specific emergencies will be added as they are created. Additional information regarding large-scale public health threats will be posted here from time to time.