December
15, 2011 - The
regional public health preparedness
website NorCalBT.com has changed
its name to NorCalEP.com to reflect
the important changes to the
scope of public health preparedness.
The website was developed in
2004 by thirteen Northeastern
California counties to provide
accurate and reliable information
on bioterrorism preparedness
to the community.
>
The website,
as well as the scope of the public
health preparedness program,
has grown to encompass all-hazards
preparedness reflected in the
change from Bio-Terrorism preparedness
to Emergency Preparedness.
>
Following the implementation
of the Pandemic and All-Hazards
Act of 2006, it was recognized
that the all disasters impact
the health and medical needs
of the impacted community. The
Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Program began a slow evolution
from focusing only on infectious
disease outbreaks, including
intentional bio-terrorist acts,
to all natural and man-made disasters.
>
“This evolution and growth has
fostered a change in the way
that we see the world and its
hazards. No longer are we focused
on one tiny element, one cause,
one disaster. We now see the
whole picture,” said Amy
Travis, Glenn County Medical & Health
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator and
NorCalEP.com Regional Coordinator.
>
The recent numerous natural disasters
such as the California Wildfires
(2007-2009), the 2009-2010 H1N1
Pandemic Influenza, the multiple
catastrophic tornados in the
Midwest and South in 2011, and
the triple disaster in Japan
in 2011(earthquake, tsunami, & nuclear)
highlight the importance of health
and medical all-hazards preparedness. >
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In
addition to a new name, NorCalEP.com is pleased
to announce that Glenn County will serve
as the Regional Coordinator for this project.
Amy Travis, Glenn County Medical & Health
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
will serve as the
Regional Project Coordinator and Grinnell
Norton, Glenn County Health Services Agency,
Deputy Director of Public Health, will serve
as the Regional Project Manager.
>
Glenn
County will work with the website developers
to ensure this website continues to meet
the
needs
of all the communities it serves in North-Eastern
California.
>
Grinnell
Norton stated, “This website
will remain an asset to this region providing
reliable information on emergency preparedness
and continues to be a valuable
resource to the communities we serve during an actual inicdent or disaster.”>
>
NorCalEP.com
web site technology is driven by VIPlanning® Online Services.
The technology was developed by Visual Imagry, Inc. in
2003, specifically with the needs
of collaboration and communication in mind.
>
“The VIPlanning technology
team continues to develop features that support medical and emergency preparedness,” added
Norton. “
We are pleased that Visual Imagry will continue to
provide hosting, support and development services for the Region in 2012.”
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