disaster | Blogs

Welcome PrepTember: The Readiest Time of the Year

September is a busy month, and not just because that’s when all things pumpkin spice start showing up on store shelves and coffeehouse menus. Here are few reasons why September is possibly the busiest time of year for emergency and risk communicators, including those of us here at the Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR). Read More >

August 26, 2019 by Blog Administrator1 Comment

General, natural disasters, preparedness, Preparedness Month

Asthma, Atlantic hurricane season, bleeding disorder, disaster, emergency, Environmental Health, food allergy, Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Michael, national preparedness month, personal health, Prepare Your Health, preparedness, public health, Ready Wrigley, school

3 Reasons Why Handwashing Should Matter to You

Unseen woman washing her hands with soap in a sink.

Most of us are familiar with the parental-like voice in the back of our minds that helps guide our decision-making—asking us questions like, “Have you called your grandmother lately?” For many that voice serves as a gentle, yet constant reminder to wash our hands. Handwashing with soap and water is one of the most important Read More >

October 15, 2018 by David M. Berendes, PhD, MSPH, Epidemiologist15 Comments

Disease Outbreak, Flu, General, natural disasters, preparedness, prevention, response

disaster, disease prevention, emergency preparedness, Environmental Health, flood, floodwater, flu, Global Handwashing Day, handwashing, Hurricane, influenza, outbreak, pandemic, personal health, Personal Preparedness, Prepare Your Health, public health, school, Waterborne

Protecting Our Future: Emergency Preparedness and Children’s Mental Health

Sad boy sitting against a brick wall with his face hidden

Among the many lessons learned during the 2017 Hurricane season, we recognized that addressing children’s mental and behavioral health needs is a major concern in hurricane-affected areas. CDC’s At Risk Task Force (ARTF) was established in 2017 to ensure identification and prioritization of the mental and physical health needs of at-risk populations, including children. ARTF’s Read More >

October 9, 2018 by Jessica Franks, MPH, CHES, Health Communications Fellow, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities; Rebecca Leeb, PhD, Acting Team Lead, Children’s Preparedness Unit, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities; Amy Wolkin, DrPH, MSPH, Vulnerable Populations Officer, Center for Preparedness and Response4 Comments

natural disasters, response

At Risk Task Force, behavioral health, children, disaster, emergency, emergency response, Hurricane Harvey, mental health, public health, world mental health day

Preparing Your Medicine Cabinet for an Emergency: A Checklist

Closeup view of an eighty year old senior woman's hands as she sorts her prescription medicine.

If you read our blog on a regular basis you can probably recite the mantra “Make a kit. Have a plan. Be informed.” in your sleep. You are probably familiar with the important items you should keep in your emergency kit – water, food, a flashlight, and a battery-powered radio. What you may not think Read More >

October 16, 2017 by CDR Ibad Khan, Pharmacist, Division of Emergency Operations, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response5 Comments

natural disasters, preparedness

disaster, Emergency kit, Emergency Plan, go bag, health insurance, medical supplies, medicine, pharmacy, prescription drugs

Empowering Kids to Make Their Families Safer

American-Red-Cross-volunteer-with-pillowcase-in-Alaska_BLUR

After graduating from college I moved to Anchorage, Alaska for a year of post-graduate service through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps NW and AmeriCorps. I served as the Preparedness and Casework Specialist for the American Red Cross of Alaska. Though often overlooked, Alaska is the largest state in the country (more than twice as big as Read More >

September 5, 2017 by Sam Johnson, Red Cross Volunteer1 Comment

natural disasters, preparedness, Preparedness Month

#endhomefires, #NatlPrep, children, children’s preparedness, disaster, Emergency kit, home fire safety, national preparedness month, NPM2017, Pillowcase Project, ready, red cross, sound the alarm

Keep your pets safe in an emergency: 5 things to know

Emergencies come in many forms: fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, violent storms and even terrorism. In the event of extreme weather or a disaster, would you know what to do to protect your pet? Many pet owners are unsure of what to do if they’re faced with such a situation. In recognition of National Pet Read More >

June 19, 2017 by Crystal Bruce, Health Communications Specialist, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response2 Comments