Public Health Practices

The Florida Department of Health built offline Web page templates ("dark sites") to be customized and placed online when a disaster occurs. In an online format accessible to a large number of people, the dark sites enable communications staff to provide the public and agency employees with current and accurate information they need to stay safe and do their jobs. The project was honored in 2012 for its significant effects on saving agency staff time and financial resources.

Houston, Texas, is susceptible to seasonal hurricanes and other disasters due to its proximity to the Gulf Coast. To address this vulnerability, city and school planners implemented a disaster preparedness curriculum in Houston schools. The curriculum used targeted information and homework assignments to train elementary school children to act as preparedness ambassadors to their families. Teachers implemented the program in 57 classrooms, and its messages reached just under 5,000 people.

During a disaster, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may experience extreme difficulty seeking assistance, communicating with others, and maintaining a sense of personal safety. Extra care and attention is required to ensure their safety and well-being.

The Alaska Tsunami Education Program blends Alaska Native knowledge and science instruction in a hands-on, standard-aligned curriculum for grades K through 12. Digital lectures, interactive multimedia, and mapping projects give students an opportunity to learn the science of tsunamis in a culturally relevant context.

Educational resources are available in more than 20 languages, including Bosnian, Burmese, Farsi, Korean, Punjabi, Romanian, Swahili, Tagalog, Tigrigna, and Ukrainian.

California is home to the second highest number of FEMA-declared disasters each year, and it is also a substantial producer of much of the nation's agriculture.

A grassroots community coalition in Kansas, called Together Prepared, takes a new twist on countywide efforts to increase communication and enhance individual, neighborhood, and organization preparedness with an emphasis on the needs of vulnerable populations.

Background

The Vietnamese and Latino communities have been well-established in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Vietnamese began coming to New Orleans in the mid-1970s, starting their own restaurants, stores, and organizations. Primarily established in New Orleans East and the West Bank, the Vietnamese community has developed a self-sustaining community network, including health care resources.