Public Health Emergency Response

MISSION: The Mission of Mason County Public Health’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan is to protect the health, safety, and quality of life of Mason County residents in a public health emergency.

PLAN: Mason County Public Health’s Local Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan provides guidance and procedures for Mason County Public Health in the expected response to an event of bioterrorism, chemical, or radiological event, communicable disease outbreak, pandemic influenza, or any other public health emergency. The Plan reflects the public health responses to “All-hazard” emergencies and focuses on situations that qualify as public health emergencies as stated in our mission. The Health Department uses existing program expertise and personnel to provide surveillance, internal and external mitigation, event tracking, rapid health risk assessment, community education, coordination with community partners, dissemination of information, event command and control through the Incident Command System (ICS) and post event recovery recommendations. The rapid health risk assessment of an event will determine the breadth and depth of the Health Department’s response and recommendations. Mason County’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response is comprehensive and consistent with the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) and with the Mason County CEMP.

AUTHORITIES: Following a public health emergency, Mason County Public Health shall have the responsibility to provide guidance to their political jurisdictions, partner agencies, and the general public on basic public health issues dealing with communicable diseases, environmental health, and other health concerns as needed during an event.

Mason County Public’s Health ability to respond to a bioterrorism, chemical, radiological event, community disease outbreak, or public health emergency will be limited by defined laws and policies, jurisdictional boundaries and available resources.

RCW 70.05.060: Local Boards of Health are granted the authority to supervise all matters pertaining to the preservation of the life and health of the people within its jurisdiction.

RCW 70.05.070: The local Health Officer shall control and prevent the spread of any dangerous contagious or infectious disease that may occur in his/her jurisdiction.

RCW 43.20.050(4): All police officers, sheriffs, constables and all other officers and employees of the state or any county, city or township thereof, shall enforce all rules adopted by the State Board of Health.

WAC 246-101-505: Local health officers shall review and determine the appropriate action for instituting disease prevention and infection control, isolation, detention and quarantine measures necessary to prevent the spread of communicable disease, invoking the powers of the courts to enforce these measures when necessary.

WAC 246-101-425: Members of the general public shall cooperate with public health authorities in the investigation of cases and suspected cases, and cooperate with the implement of infection control measures including isolation and quarantine.