The Hawaii District Health Office (HDHO) Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program (PHEP) staff are focused on helping HDHO employees prepare to respond to large-scale threats to the health of our community. These public
health threats could range from the outbreak of a pandemic disease such as the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza, to emergency response
following a natural disaster such as a tsunami or an earthquake, to rapid distribution of prophylactic medicines in the wake of
a terrorist attack. HDHO and PHEP also work closely with a range of County government and local non-profit organizations in
emergency preparedness planning and education.
Medical Reserve Corps
The PHEP Program also manages the Hawaii County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteer program, whose members stand ready to
provide essential support to any emergency public health response effort. MRC volunteers include both medical and non-medical
professionals and retired individuals interested in serving their community. Volunteers have donated hundreds of hours helping
support the annual School Flu Vaccination Program that provides free flu vaccination for school children island-wide, and are
training side-by-side with Hawaii District Health Office staff for operations of Alternative Care Sites that might be opened
following a disaster. For more information about MRC, please call (808) 974-6480 or click here.
MRC
Volunteer RN, Roberta Horita, cheerfully tackles the range of jobs needed to run a vaccination clinic, including hauling
equipment and supplies.
