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Emergency Preparedness & Response
Role of the McLean County Health Department in Emergency Preparedness & Response
Since September 11, 2001, public health - along with police, fire, ambulance, and emergency service providers - has been responsible for planning and responding to incidents of bioterrorism and disease outbreaks, such as pandemic influenza.
The role of the McLean County Health Department in an actual bioterrorism event would be to distribute antibiotics or vaccines to the residents of McLean County that may have been exposed to a biological agent.
Program Partner
The Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response section works closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health's Emergency Preparedness program. The program receives grants from the state that allow for planning and the exercising of plans for local public health emergencies such as bioterrorism events or pandemic flu.
Plan. Prepare. Protect.
The best time to prepare for a disaster is before one hits. Preparing before an emergency takes the guess-work out of survival. Immediately after an emergency, items like water and batteries may be hard to find. The electricity may be off for an extended period of time. Or you may have to leave your home quickly. Take these three steps to keep yourself and your loved ones safe when disaster strikes. Read more information about Plan, Prepare, and Protect.
Functional Needs Registry
The Functional Needs Registry was developed in coordination with McLean County Health Department and McLean County Emergency Management Agency to help individuals with special needs during an emergency situation. The registry was created to help in planning and preparedness so local emergency responders know in advance who needs extra assistance. Read more information about Functional Needs Registry.
Medical Reserve Corps
The department coordinates volunteers for the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). A community-wide emergency would require extra help from those with health and medical skills and expertise. Most recently, the MRC assisted with the health department's mass vaccination efforts during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.