National Public Health Week To Focus On Preparedness, Public Health Threats
04/10/07
Tobacco remains the
number one cause of preventable death, claiming more than 400,000 American
lives annually. The American Legacy Foundation's mission is to build a
world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit, and as part of
Under the leadership of President and CEO Dr. Cheryl Healton, the
foundation is now capable of continuing its important work should a
challenging situation -- such as pandemic flu, occur in the nation's
capital area. More than a year ago, Healton consulted with the foundation's
Board of Directors and implemented a foundation-wide emergency preparedness
plan that would enable the organization's staff to continue its life-saving
work even in the event of a national disaster.
"We embraced the challenge to outfit every Legacy employee household
with basic necessities -- enough food, water and technological capability
to withstand an emergency situation for up to approximately 6 to 8 weeks,"
Cheryl Healton, Dr. PH, said. "We felt this was the responsible approach to
take, given our location in Washington, D.C. Such an effort is also vital
to our commitment to the health and wellness of our staff, and being able
to maintain our important and life-saving work under challenging
conditions."
Materials shared with foundation staff included emergency information
packets, detailing how to respond in specific situations and how to plan
for the best use of emergency resources, including food and water.
"The American Legacy Foundation has created an outstanding model for
continuing essential operations during an emergency," said Georges C.
Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health
Association. "The work of health-related organizations and businesses that
preserve health and prevent disability is even more critical during times
of crisis. We are grateful to the American Legacy Foundation for their
leadership in developing a model preparedness program and for their
continuing partnership with National Public Health Week."
Information provided by the American Public Health Association includes
details on preparing employees -- especially hourly workers -- for
emergency situations. That topic is the focus of the day on Wednesday
during National Public Health Week. Other focal issues include addressing
needs of mothers with children in the household, local food banks, children
in kindergarten through 12th grade and individuals with chronic health
conditions.
The American Legacy Foundation(R) is dedicated to building a world
where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Located in
Washington, D.C., the foundation develops programs that address the health
effects of tobacco use, especially among vulnerable populations
disproportionately affected by the toll of tobacco, through grants,
technical assistance and training, partnerships, youth activism, and
counter-marketing and grassroots marketing campaigns. The foundation's
programs include truth(R), a national youth smoking prevention campaign
that has been cited as contributing to significant declines in youth
smoking; EXSM, an innovative public health program designed to speak to
smokers in their own language and change the way they approach quitting;
research initiatives exploring the causes, consequences and approaches to
reducing tobacco use; and a nationally-renowned program of outreach to
priority populations. The American Legacy Foundation was created as a
result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached
between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the
tobacco industry. Visit
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