Niagara County Department of Health seeks residents to participate in public health preparedness access and functional needs exercise

Submitted by the Niagara County Department of Health

The Niagara County Department of Health will be conducting an exercise to help practice and ensure readiness for the next public health emergency. The exercise is scheduled for 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, at Doris W. Jones Family Resource Building, 3001 Ninth St., Niagara Falls.

The NCDOH is seeking residents to participate in the exercise. Volunteer participants can attend the exercise anytime between 3 and 7 p.m. Nov. 7. All participants will have the option to receive seasonal flu vaccine and/or COVID-19 vaccine as a participant in the exercise.

“One of the goals of this exercise is to test our ability to offer an inclusive experience for people with access and functional needs,” said Tracy Fricano Chalmers, director of public health planning and emergency preparedness. “Individuals with disabilities, older adults, and people with limited English proficiency, limited access to transportation, and/or limited access to financial resources to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the emergency are encouraged to participate.”

All participants should register by completing the participant form online via the NCDOH webpage www.niagaracounty.com/health. Participants who wish to be vaccinated for seasonal flu and/or COVID-19 should register for a vaccine appointment at www.niagaracounty.com/health/Vaccine.

“We continually aim to discover how to best serve our citizens; and by planning and exercise, we seek to improve our ability to respond to public health emergencies,” Public Health Director Daniel Stapleton said.

Fricano Chalmers added, “For those that wish to help us practice by participating in the exercise Nov. 7, we are offering a health kit in a clear stadium-type NCDOH tote bag to the first 50 registered participants. The health tote includes Lysol disinfectant spray, hand sanitizer, hand sanitizing wipes, facial tissue box and face masks.”

To learn more about the exercise, call Francisco Meza Aguero at 716-439-7436 or email him at [email protected].