Preparedness Planning and Readiness Assessment

Child Care Collaboration

This two-page tip sheet provides tips on how to enhance emergency preparedness efforts by creating and fostering a collaborative partnership with the community with a focus on long term child care for emergency care workers. 

Emergency Response Planning for Child Care Providers

This training toolkit was developed in collaboration by the Montgomery County, Maryland Employee SAFE Children Planning Group, Montgomery County Early Childhood Services, Montgomery County Resource and Referral Center, and the Montgomery County APC.  The toolkit is designed to plan and prepare child care providers for emergency events and to assist in the recovery effort by helping children cope with the traumatic event.  A train-the-trainer guide is included. 

Hospital Collaboration

This two-page step-by-step tip sheet demonstrates how to create partnerships with community hospitals around the issue of emergency preparedness.  It highlights some key lessons learned as well as benefits Montgomery County, MD learned in creating and building the Hospital and Public Health Partnership Group.

PLAN TO BE SAFE Campaign Toolkit

This is an educational toolkit (available in PDF) that was originally targeted to the senior citizen population. However due to the friendly format, Montgomery County launched it as a county-wide campaign in September 2005.  The toolkit includes a poster with a take-away brochure which emphasizes preparing a disaster kit with at least 9 items and a tri-fold brochure.  The tri-fold emphasizes a three step plan, of which preparing a disaster kit is one step.  Each product within the toolkit is also available in a downloadable format that will allow for individual customization (poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure).  A guidance document has been created, which provides suggestions on how the materials may be customized and instructions for printing.

For training staff and others on the Plan to Be Safe Campaign a flip chart training tool has been developed.  A Spanish version of the training tool is also available.  For a sample hard copy please contact Montgomery APC.

Plan to Be Safe Campaign materials (poster, take-away brochure and tri-fold) are now available (PDF ONLY) in 9 different languages (including English):

Cambodian:  Montgomery County: Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.  Non-Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.

Chinese:  Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.  Non-Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.

Farsi:  Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.  Non-Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.

French:  Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.  Non-Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.

Korean:  Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.  Non-Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.

Russian:  Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.  Non-Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.

Spanish:  Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.  Non-Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.

Vietnamese:  Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.  Non-Montgomery County:  Poster, take-away brochure, and tri-fold brochure.

Montgomery APC launches Plan to Be Safe Campaign through local movie theaters.  Check it out!  (requires Windows Media Player).

Mathematical Queuing Model
for Dispensing and Vaccination Clinics

Montgomery County APC is collaborating with the Institute for Systems Research at the University of Maryland in the development of the Clinic Planning Model Generator.

A recent article in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice features the Clinic Planning Model Generator and how it can be used in preparation for pandemic influenza.

The model was featured in the May 2005 issue of the Spotlight: Public Health Readiness E-Link Newsletter: Advancing Local Practice.   

Preparing Senior Citizens for Emergencies

Montgomery County’s APC, in collaboration with the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure & Regulatory Services, has developed an Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, and Group Homes.

Read more about it in the March 2005 issue of the NACCHO publication, Spotlight: Public Health Readiness E-Link Newsletter: Advancing Local Practice. 

Bio-Pack Toolkit

Our first responders are our first line of defense in a public health emergency and are out in the community 24/7.  A program that prepositions medications with first responders is one way to ensure a ready workforce.   This type of program provides first responders the protection they need to safely respond to a public health emergency in a timely manner.  This toolkit showcases Montgomery County Maryland’s Bio-Pack program as an innovate program that prepositions medications with first responders prior to a public health emergency.  Included is a DVD which incorporates a video (requires a media player such as Windows Media Player) used to educate first responders as well as public health staff on the Bio-Pack program.  Part II of the DVD (requires a media player such as Windows Media Player) is for public health staff considering the option of prepositioning medications for traditional first responders.  A guide for local public health agencies is also included in the toolkit.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Toolkit

Many local public health agencies are considering stockpiling personal protective equipment (PPE) to provide their staff in a public health emergency.  This toolkit includes a DVD.  The first part is a video (requires a media player such as Windows Media Player) that walks the viewer through a step by step process of putting on and taking off Level C protection.  Part II of the DVD (requires a media player such as Windows Media Player) addresses some of the frequently asked questions of putting on and taking off PPE.  The toolkit also includes a detailed brochure that viewers can use to review the steps.  This toolkit can be used on its own or as part of an overall training.

Plan to Be Safe:  Training Modules for Emergency Operations of Dispensing and Vaccinations: A Guide for Public Health Program Planners

This toolkit is designed to be used as a 101 on public health clinic operations for training public health staff.  It includes an instructor booklet that incorporates four training modules which can be used either as a series of trainings or as individual trainings.  A detailed booklet includes appendices of materials used by Montgomery County, MD as examples of handouts and background information.  A CD-ROM includes a PDF version of all materials.  A DVD incorporates two training videos used in the modules. 

The Operation Caroline is a video (requires a media player such as Windows Media Player) that demonstrates a mock staging to set up a dispensing and vaccination clinic.  Part II of the DVD (requires a media player such as Windows Media Player) includes questions and answers. 

The Operation Dagwood video (requires a media player such as Windows Media Player) demonstrates a mock smallpox vaccination clinic.  Part II of the DVD (requires a media player such as Windows Media Player) includes questions and answers which can be used as an additional learning tool but is not needed for the training modules.

Avian Influenza and Pandemic Influenza Power Point Presentation and Guide

A two-fold deliverable that includes a basic educational power point presentation as well as a presentation guide with resource materials for persons wishing to gain more knowledge and awareness on the topic of avian and pandemic influenzas.  This presentation can be used as a self-guided presentation or downloaded to use in a presentation format.  All materials can be modified to suit different audiences, communities and needs. 

 Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Case Management and Home Care Services 

This Emergency Preparedness Checklist is designed to ensure that clients receiving home care and case management services have a conversation, develop an emergency plan and gather a three day or more supply of nine essential items in preparation for an emergency event.  The Checklist is designed to be cut and/or copies and directly inserted into a client's chart.  This Checklist can be used in conjunction with Montgomery County APC's Plan to Be Safe Campaign materials.

Notes from the Field:  A Collection of Emergency Preparedness Exercise and Evaluation Reviews

This document, compiled by Montgomery County APC in conjunction with the National Association of County and City Health Officials Exercise and Evaluation Workgroup, is a collection of resources to assist public health emergency planners design, implement and evaluate public health exercises.  Notes from the Field contains peer reviews of a variety of exercise and evaluation documents that have been prepared by a variety of agencies.  Local public health practitioners are the primary audience for most, but not all, of the materials.  However, all may be adapted for use by local public health departments.