Supporting Information

Agents, Diseases and Threats Biological, Chemical, Radiological, Natural Disasters & Severe Weather and Emerging & Re-emerging Infectious Diseases.

Chicago Health Alert Network The private Health Alert Network (HAN) is a secure communications network for Chicagoland public health professionals and partners.

Emergency Communications Capability Chicago Department of Public Health’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Team uses multiple forms of communication to address activities whether preparing for or responding to an emergency in the City.

Hospital and Healthcare System Preparedness Program CDPH receives funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Hospital Preparedness Program.

Individual, Family and Community Preparedness There is never too much preparedness when it means saving a LIFE! You can cope with disaster by preparing in advance and by working with your family as a team. Preparation should include: getting informed (including a checklist), making a plan, assembling, and maintaining your plan and kit.

Long Term Care Facility Evacuation Training

Medications for the Public During Public Health Emergencies The Chicago Department of Public Health is the local agency responsible for distributing protective medication from the federal government’s national stockpile to Chicago residents in the event of a large-scale emergency or disaster.

NIMS Compliance and Training This system provides a consistent nationwide template to enable Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and private-sector and nongovernmental organizations to work together effectively and efficiently to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size, or complexity, including acts of catastrophic terrorism.

Public Health Emergency Training and Exercises The Chicago Department of Public Health maintains a robust training and exercise program to test current emergency plans and to identify areas for improvement based on exercise objectives drawn from Homeland Security and Public Health Target Capabilities and Exercise Evaluation Guidelines based on the overall Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program.

Public Health Preparedness for Special Needs Populations “Special Needs Populations” are generally understood to be populations with some physical or mental disability that limits their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.

Regional Coordination and Collaboration The Chicago Department of Public Health works closely with other local health departments in northern Illinois and the Illinois Department of Public Health to coordinate regional preparedness.

Training Tools Highlight Psychological First Aid Basics New psychological first aid training video for health care workers and first responders.

What is a Public Health Emergency? A public health emergency is any adverse event (natural or man-made) that compromises the health of the population and has the potential to cause widespread illness