Public Health Emergency Preparedness is the process of planning, training, collaborating, responding, and evaluating to ensure that people and communities are protected when extraordinary or large-scale events threaten public health and safety.
The Western UP Health Department works with local hospitals, emergency medical teams, county emergency planners, and regional, state and federal authorities to develop and exercise procedures to protect public health in the face of a wide range of possible emergencies, including natural disasters, contaminated food or water supplies, communicable disease outbreaks, and the potential use of biological, chemical or radiological weapons.