Grant County Health District

Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response

Public health preparedness and response activities support a systems approach for healthcare emergencies by building capacity of the public health and healthcare systems to effectively manage small and large events. Such as the 2006 Grant County measles outbreak or more recently the H1N1 worldwide outbreak.

Local emergency planning efforts by hospitals, public health and other community entities are integrated with comprehensive plans developed by Grant County Emergency Management.

Public health preparedness activities include:

• Development of the regional healthcare coalition
• Enhancement of local emergency preparedness and response plans
• Development of effective disease surveillance and communications systems
• Enhancement of risk communications capacity, and
• Providing for related education and training

WAshington Health Volunteers in Emergencies

What does WAHVE do?
WAHVE allows licensed medical professionals to register themselves as volunteers, enter their own contact information and note specialty qualifications and geographical preferences.

Volunteers are a valuable resource during public health emergencies.  If you are a licensed health care professional interested in volunteering, please register at www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/wahve/default.htm.  Completing this process does not mean you are obligated to help us if we contact you during an emergency. 

Registering to become a volunteer emergency worker does not mean that you are required to respond. Registering prior to an emergency protects volunteers for personal injury and damaged property under Washington State law. You will not be added to any phone solicitation or other lists by signing up.

Not a licensed medical professional but still interested in volunteering?
Visit Grant County Emergency Managment's Volunteer web site or call 509-762-1462.

Pandemic Flu Planning

For Healthcare Providers