Skagit County Public Health outlines emergency communications plan to speed public alerts

Carson Hansen, emergency response coordinator for Skagit County Public Health, presented a recently approved emergency communications plan to the Skagit County Board of Health at its Aug. 19 meeting. The plan is intended to streamline how the department communicates before, during and after public-health incidents such as disease outbreaks, hazardous wildfire smoke or extreme heat.

Hansen said the county developed the plan in response to an increase in the frequency and complexity of public-health events and because communications is repeatedly identified as an area for improvement in after-action reports. "Information is really important," Hansen said. "People need to have information so they know first and foremost what is happening … and what they can do to better protect themselves."

The plan draws on the Centers for Disease Control and…