The Florida Department of Health in Martin County (DOH-Martin) has once again been recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its ability to plan for, respond to and recover from public health emergencies.  DOH-Martin demonstrated these capabilities by meeting the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready. (PPHR)

PPHR is a partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness (CDC). Re-recognition occurs every five years. DOH-Martin joins more than 450 local health departments across the country to receive distinction for excellence in preparedness.

“Public health emergencies can happen at any time. Whether its responding to a potentially dangerous storm as we did last October for Hurricane Matthew or an outbreak of illness, our staff trains year-round to meet the challenges that threaten public health in Martin County.” said Karlette Peck, Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health in Martin County. “We are proud to be recognized by Project Public Health Ready because it demonstrates our ability to meet a set of national standards that align with government requirements and best practices.”

PPHR recognition also requires health departments to collaborate with their state, local and community partners to develop plans that account for all residents in their jurisdictions. DOH-Martin routinely trains with state, local and regional emergency management agencies including: Martin County Government, the City of Stuart, Martin Health System, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Civil Support Teams and more.

Recently, staff from DOH-Martin trained with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) instructors at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama.