DCHHS is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of Dallas County residents in the event of public health emergencies. Our Emergency Preparedness division works to develop and implement emergency response plans, train healthcare providers and first responders, and coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies to effectively respond to public health threats. We conduct drills, exercises, and simulations to test our preparedness and continuously improve our response capabilities.
- Detect - The source and spread of disease or other health threats
- Investigate - Causes and effects in the community
- Prevent - Further spread to minimize population exposure
- Report - To citizens what is being done and what they can do to protect themselves and their families
- Recover - Facilitate community-wide recovery efforts
Leading the Nation in Public Health Preparedness
DCHHS was awarded by National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for outstanding response to the H1N1 outbreak
Who We Are
The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program operates to engage, educate, and train Dallas County and its partners to plan and prepare, respond, and recover from emerging public health threats to mitigate risks to the public and public health. The PHEP program engages partners, stakeholders, and the public through outreach, exercise, and training opportunities, and serves all persons within Dallas County and assures planning and inclusion for people, groups, and areas that are vulnerable to public health threats including: uninsured children, immigrants/refugees, economically disadvantaged, elderly, immunocompromised, non-English speakers, homeless, and individuals with end-stage renal disease, chronic health conditions, and mental illness.
During emergencies PHEP provides direct services to these groups and individuals to create resilient communities and to facilitate access to public health resources and other critical services that support the health and well-being of all persons in Dallas County.
- Within the PHEP program, the Epidemiology and Laboratory branches lead detection, surveillance, sampling and analysis, and investigation of public health threats, and play an integral part in determining public health interventions to safeguard public health.
- The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Ensures community resiliency by recruiting and training volunteers to supplement medical response to local disasters and other public health emergencies.
- The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) program ensures readiness to manage and rapidly deploy public health emergency assets like prophylaxis and vaccines to Points of Dispensing (PODs).
Other Public Health Preparedness Components
- Antibiotic Cache
- Developing and Maintaining Local Partnerships
- Drills and Exercises
- Emergency Communications
- Preparedness and Response Planning
- Public Information
