Emergency Preparedness

Efforts in Bergen County

 


 

Resources:


Terrorism in general, and bioterrorism in particular, forced public health preparedness onto the national agenda with an unprecedented sense of urgency. Public health suddenly took its rightful place among emergency first responders as the source of health-related intelligence.


Well before September 11, the department had envisioned its role in crisis response alongside hospitals, law enforcement and other government agencies. It became clear that effective response to both natural and manmade threats would require advance planning among partners.


In 1999, West Nile virus had prompted closer working relationships among agencies in Bergen County. Also, advanced monitoring and surveillance techniques implemented to track the virus strengthened the department’s ability to respond to more deadly threats.


Also in 1999, the department convened the Bergen County Emergency Public Health Preparedness Committee to enhance bioterrorism and disease surveillance. The committee was formed to establish a public health response in accordance with existing county and state emergency response systems. Facilitated by the health department, the committee includes representatives from governmental public health, the Division of Emergency Management, hospitals, doctors, veterinarians, the county medical examiner’s office, paramedics and EMTs, the Red Cross and others.

 

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LINCS Coordinator

327 E. Ridgewood Avenue

Paramus, NJ 07652-4895

or fax to: 201-599-8949.