South Heartland District Health Department

Preparedness

May 01, 2024

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Disaster Prep

After a disaster occurs is too late to think about developing a disaster plan. You need to be ready before an emergency or a disaster happens. Make sure you and your family are prepared before any disaster or emergency.

Remember, you need to include in your plan:

• how to contact family members
• medications you need to have available
• emergency numbers
• what to do with pets

As part of its successful Ready campaign, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is encouraging Americans to be prepared for emergencies. This brochure includes lists of recommended items to have ready, as well as suggestions for making a disaster plan. Please share this information with family and friends.

Click here for a copy of the brochure.

Click here to see how you can train to be a volunteer who helps during a disaster.

Learn information on how to stay informed, make a plan, build a kit, and get involved in preparedness in your community.

Extreme Cold

South Heartland District Health Department wants you to stay safe during extreme cold conditions. As extreme cold is always a possibility each winter, it's important to plan ahead for it. Make sure your car and your home are prepared, and take extra care both indoors and outdoors when extreme cold hits. This way, you can reduce risk for cold-related health problems for both you and your family.

For more information on how to protect you and your family during harsh winter weather, click here.

Floods

Flash floods are fast and extreme volumes of water flooding into a normally dry area, or rapid rises in water level in a stream or creek beyond a predetermined flood level. It starts within six hours of the event that caused it. One of the most common causes of flash flooding is intense rainfall.

River floods occur when river levels overflow the banks and enter areas where it is normally dry. Causes for river flooding include strong rainfall, dam failures, rapid snowmelt, and ice jams.

For more information about flooding hazards and safety in Nebraska, go to weather.gov.

The Disaster Distress Helpline is a SAMHSA resource for people having trouble coping after the flooding or other disasters.  You can call it at 1-800-985-5990.

Disease Outbreaks

South Heartland District Health Department is working with the state health and human services, the centers for disease control and prevention, and many local partners to develop an emergency mass dispensing plan. 

This plan could be activated in the event of a bio-terrorism incident or naturally occurring disease outbreak. For example, if a case of smallpox were to be confirmed in the state or if an influenza pandemic were to occur, the mass clinics could be activated and the public would be notified through the Emergency Management alert system. These centers would provide immunizations or medications for everyone in the SHDHD District. Hundreds of area volunteers will be used to staff these clinics. Supplies may be provided from the Strategic National Stockpile.