Information for the General Public

Yuba County's Emergency Services Department has important public information for emergency preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery located here.  Information is available in English, Spanish and Hmong languages.

 

Disaster Kit and Family Plan

A disaster supplies kit is simply a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.  You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours.  Download a list of suggested Disaster Kit Contents.

 

Prepare yourself and your family for a disaster by making an emergency plan.  Download the Family Emergency Plan, print the pages and fill them in offline.  Your emergency planning should also address the care of pets, aiding family members with access and functional needs and safely shutting off utilities.

 

Information for Kids and Low English Language Literacy Adults

Information for younger children using Sesame Street characters to convey information is available here (en Espanol).  Additional Sesame Street preparedness materials are available here.

A coloring book with an emergencies preparedness theme starring Ready Fredie is available here.

 

Survivor Tales are comic books with preparedness messages targeting teens and low literacy adults.  Two are currently available:

Survival Tales Aftershocks talks about earthquake preparedness and response (en Espanol).

Survival Tales In Deep Water talks about floods preparedness and response (en Espanol).

 

CDC enters the disaster preparedness comic book business using a Zombie Apocalypse scenario to teach preparedness--see the Preparedness 101 Zombie Pandemic comic book.

 

Pandemic Influenza (Flu) comic books are available in English, Spanish and Hmong languages.

 

Information for Persons with Disabilities

Yuba County Public Health has a workbook where people with disabilities and their families can fill it out and use during an emergency.  This workbook will come in handy in case the disabled patient needs to evacuate to go to a shelter or a place where they do not have their usual caregivers.  This workbook allows you to write any medications, medical equipment and other aids to let the caregiver know what they need to make the temporary move more comfortable.  Please download the document here.  You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it.

 

United States Fire Administration (USFA) - "Fire Safety for People with Disabilities"

 

Information for County Employees

As a County Employee, you may be called upon as a disaster service worker.  Information on the disaster service worker program is available here.  A video describing the disaster service worker role is available here (video duration is approximately 12 minutes).

 

Information for Public Health Nurses

Public Health Nurses (PHNs) perform an important role in responding to a broad spectrum of disasters that may affect Yuba County and surrounding communities.  The California Conference of Local Health Department Nursing Directors (CCLHDND) has provided a Public Health Nurse Disaster manual to help PHNs prepare for disasters and respond to disasters if they occur.  The latest version of the PHN Disaster Manual is available here.

 

Information for Clinicians and Medical Care Providers

 

The Zebra Packet--Thinking Zebras since the year 2000.

The Zebra Packet PDF document and website is intended to be a one-stop hub in finding biological, chemical radiological information as well as providing information to clinicians on how to report potential exposures to the Yuba County Health Division, Health and Humans Services Department.

BIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY

Biological agents are bacteria and toxins that can cause disease in people. Protection during a biological event depends on the agent being used.

For example, anthrax can only affect people who come into direct contact with it and it cannot be passed on from person to person. But smallpox is highly contagious and would require isolating people who have been exposed. In response to a biological event, local authorities may give orders for SHELTER IN PLACE or EVACUATION.

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CHEMICAL EMERGENCY:

                   

Chemical agents are poisonous gases, liquids or solids that can cause illness and death. Chemical emergencies can be caused by industrial accidents, or through the intentional release of harmful chemicals. Protection from chemical agents varies.

Either SHELTER IN PLACE or EVACUATION orders may be given to provide protection. Local authorities will give these orders only when necessary. Gas masks and protective clothing may help in some instances, but cannot protect you from contaminated food or water. However not all such gear sold today is suitable for protection. Learn before you buy.                                                

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RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY:

Exposure to radiation can occur from a nuclear explosion, an accident in a nuclear power plant, or a terrorist attack with a dirty bomb (conventional explosives packaged with radioactive materials).

In all cases:
1. Decrease the amount of time you spend near the source of radiation.
2. Increase your distance from the source.
3. Increase the shielding between you and the radiation. Shielding is anything. Depending on the level of radioactive materials used a plate glass window to several feet of concrete

can create a protective barrier between you and the radiation source. It will be very important to listen for emergency information about the level and location of the source of radiation.

SELF-DECONTAMINATION: If you have been exposed to radiation, remove your clothes as quickly as possible and put them in a sealed plastic bag. Take a shower or wash as thoroughly as you can with lukewarm water.