News Release 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: March 6, 2009
For more information contact:
Theresa Lyczko at 274-6710 or Brenda Grinnell Crosby – 274-6674

LOCAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUNDS IN JEOPARDY

(March 6, 2009) - The Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) and the New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO) are alerting the community that the Governor’s budget proposal eliminates $12 million in emergency preparedness funding, which supported the ability of local health departments to effectively respond to public health emergencies.  In 2008, after a cumulative 40% reduction to its CDC grant for emergency preparedness, the state allocated direct funding for local health department preparedness because it recognized how essential the local departments are in a crisis.  This critical funding is now in jeopardy unless the state Legislature acts now.

The backbone of the public health system in New York is the local health department, which protects the health and safety of every New Yorker in the first and last instance.  All emergency response will occur first and foremost at the local level and local health departments’ preparedness activities are a crucial component of New York’s overall ability to respond.  We recognize that this fiscal crisis requires difficult choices and shared sacrifice, but one of the most essential roles of government is the protection of its residents from harm.  To meet our shared obligation to protect the people of New York State, we are urging the NYS Legislature to:

• Restore full $12 million funding for public health emergency preparedness and response in 2009-10
• Maintain current levels of state aid and state grant funding for core public health
• Reauthorize the appropriation of the balance of current fiscal year emergency preparedness funding to  avoid an immediate short- term crisis in local emergency preparedness

 Local health departments ensure the public’s safety and health daily and during emergencies:  

• Western NY:  the 2008 Hepatitis case in a super market employee which led to emergency vaccination of 10,000 people. Tompkins County has 476 licensed eateries including restaurants, schools, and institutions that TCHD inspects regularly.
• Capital region: The December 2008 ice storm and power outages required response by local health departments in the capital region.
• Westchester, Onondoga, Tompkins Counties:  A steady stream of communicable disease outbreaks in 2008 demanded daily emergency response. Preparedness resulted in the successful collaboration among local providers, colleges, agencies and TCHD during the syphilis outbreak in 2008.
• Southern tier: in June 2006, severe rainstorms led to flooding that caused the evacuation of all patients from Lourdes Hospital.
• Finger Lakes region: in August 2005, an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis, traced to a water spray park, led to 2300 cases of gastrointestinal illness reported from 36 counties.

NYSACHO is a public, non-profit association representing all 58 local health departments in the state.  The association provides advocacy, training and technical assistance to local health departments.

 

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