NET Health to Hold Public Health Emergency Preparedness Conference

TYLER – Local health officials say preparing for an emergency now provides you your best chance of survival in the event of a local disaster — and emergency preparedness should always be considered in the home and workplace for any unexpected event. That’s why the Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health), Department of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP), is presenting the “Public Health Capabilities: Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Preparedness” conference to educate East Texans about the importance of emergency planning and response.

The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn South Broadway, 5701 South Broadway Ave., Tyler, TX 75703, from noon until 5:00 pm on Monday, July 8th, 8:00 am until 5:00 pm on Tuesday, July 9th and Wednesday, July 10th from 8:00 am until noon. Continuing education credit for multiple disciplines will be provided for the conference.

The opening speaker will be Red Cross Ambassador Lt. General Russel Honoré. The Lieutenant General served as the 33rd commanding general of the U.S. First Army at Fort Gillem, Georgia. He is best known for being the designated commander of the Joint Task Force Katrina. Honoré’s arrival in New Orleans was a catalyst for change in the response to Hurricane Katrina; therefore, Honore gained notoriety for his role in the response efforts.

The intended audience for the conference is business owners, hospital administrators, response personnel, volunteers and medical professionals. Some of the sessions include social media, mass fatality, disease surveillance, continuity of operations, behavioral health and much more. “NET Health is pleased to bring a large scale conference to East Texas and hope that the information provided is useful to each individual, in their planning efforts. Emergency planning, response and recovery will make East Texas an even stronger community in which to live”, says George Roberts, CEO of NET Health.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit the NET Health website at http://www.healthyeasttx.org and click on the link to the right titled PHEP Capabilities Conference or call 903-595-1350.