National Preparedness Month: Partnerships lead to better service

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – September is National Preparedness Month and Klamath County Public Health (KCPH) officials want residents to know that it takes well-coordinated partnerships to provide accurate air quality information during wildfires.

During an active wildfire, various agencies and departments come together to inform residents about hazards, evacuations and air quality. When wildfire season began in July, coordinating phone calls were held to assess the forecasts for weather, fire containment, air quality and public safety.

KCPH partnered with neighboring county public health authorities, the Department of Environmental Quality, the National Weather Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Oregon Health Authority during the severe smoke intrusions to provide accurate information for residents.

Animated forecast maps take into account expected wind speed and direction, along with other weather information and containment expectations to create an assumed outlook for air quality. These, however, can be inaccurate if the wind shifts or the fire breaches containment lines.

Collaborative work is not out of the ordinary. KCPH routinely partners with other agencies in the best interest of local people. It’s a population health perspective that is used worldwide.

Klamath County Public Health provides a wide range of services to local residents. It works to prevent and solve health problems, while also providing information and support for the community. These services are performed by nurse practitioners, registered sanitarians and registered dieticians, along with other support staff. All services are confidential.

Press release provided from Klamath County Public Health.