Pandemic Flu
In an effort to bring you the most current information, please see the Public Health - Seattle & King County web site providing up-to-date information and recommendations on how to prepare for and respond to pandemic flu.
Hazard-specific Preparedness
Steps
- New! View Business Not As Usual: Preparing for Pandemic Flu - a 20-minute training video for businesses, government agencies and community-based organizations.
- View the King County Human Resources Manual Division pandemic influenza manual (PDF, 560K, 74 pages) for helpful information and guidelines on business continuity planning.
- See the Public Health - Seattle & King County Web site for information and recommendations.
- Take a short demo of the Pandemic Flu Challenge, a new Web-based pandemic flu simulation to prepare King County leaders.
- School preparation resources
Response Steps
See the Public Health - Seattle & King County Web site for information on response plan.
General Preparedness
Steps
- Have and practice a family
disaster plan.
- Establish meeting places and phone numbers in case family
members are separated.
- Identify an out-of-state contact to call during a major
disaster or emergency; it will be easier to call out of the area
if local lines are tied up.
- Make sure everyone knows when and how to call 9-1-1.
- Keep your disaster supply kits
up to date. Make sure you have kits for your home, vehicle, work
and school.
- Get a tone-alert NOAA Weather Radio to receive emergency
notifications and up-to-date information and instructions.
- Teach all family members when, where and how to turn
off utilities. Make sure you have the appropriate equipment,
such as a wrench, handy.
- Make sure you understand the emergency plans and expectations
at your child's school and your work.
- Preplan alternate transportation routes to and from work and
other important destinations.
- Be sure to keep at least a half-tank of gas in your vehicle
at all times; power outages often accompany disasters and gas
stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.
- Know ahead of time what you should do to help family, friends or neighbors who are elderly or have special needs.
See "related links" for more details on how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from this type of a disaster or emergency.
Related
Internal Links
Podcasts: Pandemic Flu: What are the facts?
Pandemic
Flu (2005) (28:38)
(Real Video
player required.)
- Personal Preparedness
- Basic - Better - Best!
- Washington State Pandemic Flu Family Guide
- NOAA Tone Alert Radio
- Public Health E-mail News Alerts
- Public Health Disaster Preparedness Information
- Emergency Management Agencies Contact Info
Related
External Links
- Disaster Preparedness Handbook
- Planning for Schools - Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pan Flu Planning New
- Long-Term Care and Other Residential Facilities Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist New
- Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy (CIDRAP) New
- Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MRSC) - Emergency Preparedness Planning for Pandemic Influenza
- Washington State Department of Health
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - www.pandemicflu.gov Web site
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Pandemic Influenza
- World Health Organization
- World Health Organization - United States
- Trust for America's Health - It's Not Flu as Usual
- READYBusiness - Plan to Stay in Business
- Trust for America's Health - A Killer Flu?
- Home Safety Council
- National Geographic's "Tracking the Next Killer Flu"
- MD Flu Digest .com - Latest Avian Flu News Stories and Commentary
- Article - Washington State Officials Watch for Flu Pandemic (McClatchy Newspapers)
- Article - The Enemy Within (Seattle Times - Pacific Northwest)
- Article - Sims Warns of Flu Pandemic (Seattle Times)
- Article - A moment with Eric Holdeman (Seattle PI)