NEW ORLEANS – The City of New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) announced it was recognized by the National Association of County & City Health Officials’ Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) program for the department’s ability to plan for, respond to and recover from public health emergencies. NOHD’s emergency preparedness program plans for and responds to all public health emergencies in New Orleans including natural disasters, disease outbreaks, mass casualty incidents and more. Additionally, they monitor the availability of public health and medical services and provide evacuation or sheltering assistance to medically vulnerable populations.
“I thank Project Public Health Ready for this esteemed recognition,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “In New Orleans, we understand the importance of emergency preparedness and the consequences that can arise from not having a plan in place. That is precisely the reason that City agencies like the Health Department work year-round to ensure that our residents are safe and prepared in the event of an emergency.”
“We are committed to continuing to strengthen our ability to bring quality public health services to New Orleans in partnership with our community,” said New Orleans Health Director Charlotte Parent. “This recognition is proof of that commitment, and we are pleased to join the ranks of nearly 450 local health departments that have been Project Public Health Ready recognized.”
PPHR is a training and recognition program that assesses preparedness and assists local health departments to respond to emergencies. The criteria are national standards for local public health preparedness and are updated annually to incorporate the most recent federal initiatives. Each of the three PPHR project goals—all-hazards preparedness planning, workforce capacity development, and demonstration of readiness through exercises or real events—has a comprehensive list of standards that must be met in order to achieve PPHR recognition.
New Orleans was one of 30 local or regional health agencies recognized this year. The PPHR status lasts for five years, and agencies have the opportunity to be re-recognized after that time period.
