Preparing yourself and family for an emergency.

The Town of Manchester Health Department, Public Health Emergency Preparedness, and Fire-Rescue-EMS, Emergency Management, has scheduled the next two in a series of twenty (20) community informational sessions on the topic: Preparing yourself and family for an emergency. The first of the two sessions will be at Washington Elementary School, 94 Cedar Street, on Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 7:00pm. The second will be at Nathan Hale Elementary School, 160 Spruce Street, on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 at 7:00pm.

All Manchester residents are welcome to attend these free programs to learn how Manchester will respond to an emergency situation, and what citizens can do to prepare themselves and their family members.

Attendees will hear about:
§ Pandemic influenza and other emergency situations,
§ Manchester’s pre-planning and training to prepare for Pandemic Influenza and other emergency situations,
§ Information to prepare Manchester residents for such events, with the chance to win a Home Preparedness Starter Kit valued at $70 in a free raffle.

Manchester has moved to the forefront in Connecticut in the field of local emergency preparedness planning. It is believed Manchester is the first community in Connecticut seeking to educate its population in readiness for serious events that may affect every person in Town.

Manchester’s Health Department recently signed an agreement to partner with three other health departments or districts to form a Medical Reserve Corps, a nucleus of medically qualified individuals ready for deployment in an emergency. The Manchester Health Department and Manchester Memorial Hospital in partnership are well into the process of planning multiple Alternate Care Facilities to provide backup to the hospital in case of a pandemic influenza or other disease causing overflow at the hospital’s main facility.

Questions may be addressed to Wayne I. Rioux on 647-3189.