Emergency Preparedness

The Fulton County Board of Health’s Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) is responsible for developing and implementing plans to dispense the appropriate medication to citizens in the event of a bioterrorist attack or life-threatening, community-wide disease outbreak. These plans include establishing medication Points of Dispensing (PODs) throughout the County in locations that will be convenient for all communities. These activities also support department, county and community-wide responses to natural disasters (ice-storms, tornadoes, flooding, etc.) where medical and public health services would be required.

In order to ensure community preparedness, the OEP conducts emergency drills and exercises throughout the year to test readiness response in coordination with the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Office of Emergency Preparedness. These activities are very important in that they provide opportunities to test specific aspects of response operations such as communications protocols or the establishment of medication dispensing facilities.

To decrease the impact of widespread infectious diseases such as influenza, the Office of Emergency Preparedness develops Pandemic Influenza plans and conducts exercises addressing public health and medical aspects of the response to a pandemic. This includes planning and coordination with community partners. It also establishes a communications program specific to Fulton County that increases Pandemic Influenza awareness and preventive behaviors among the general public and partners.

FULTON COUNTY MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS

The Fulton County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a network of volunteers who donate their time and expertise to improve the health and safety of their local communities. Made up of  public health, medical and nonmedical professionals, Fulton County MRC unit volunteers help to strengthen and improve the local public health system’s emergency response capabilities by preparing for and responding to natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, blizzards and wildfires, as well as, disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.
In addition to improving public health preparedness and response, our MRC units also work with us to increase disease prevention and promote healthy habits throughout Fulton County.

HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER?

If you are interested in serving your community as a member of the Fulton County Medical Reserve Corps, please sign-up on the SERVGA website. Those who register through SERVGA will receive additional information about our upcoming orientation and meetings.

Email questions about Fulton County MRC