Emergency Preparedness

In today’s environment, public health emergencies, whether natural or man-made, may threaten the health and safety of the citizens within the jurisdiction of the NVHD (Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour and Shelton). The goal of this agency during a public health emergency is to minimize the impact of these adverse events on the population it serves.

Detection, response, and disease control of an infectious disease outbreak is most likely to occur at the local or regional level. While a larger event will require public health leadership and involvement at the local level, to effectively coordinate all response efforts, it will be necessary to coordinate with the state and federal government including, but not limited to the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

NVHD continues to increase its capacity to respond to emergencies thanks to its dedicated staff, continuous review and exercising of emergency response plans, and a committed volunteer force. The Emergency Preparedness Division works with police, fire, and other authorities to develop functional plans to use during emergency response.

NVHD has developed and maintains the following emergency response plans:

Public Health Emergency Response Plan
- Continuity of Operations Plan
- Communications and Health Alert Network Plan
- Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications Plan
- Mass Dispensing & Mass Vaccination Plan
- Quarantine and Isolation Plan
- Respiratory Protection Program Plan
- Staff and Volunteer Multi-Year Training & Exercise Plan
- Behavioral Health
- Maternal & Child Health Emergency Planning
- Environmental Surety Plan
  - Food Safety Resources
  - Flood and Storm Water
- Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) & Incident Specific Response Resources
- Anthrax
  - Pandemic Influenza
  - Orthpoxviruses
    - Smallpox
    - Monkeypox
  - Coronaviruses
    - COVID-19
    - SARS
    - MERS
  - Measles
  - Tuberculosis
  - Ebola Virus Disease
  - Vector-Borne Diseases
    - Vector – Mosquitoes
    - Vector – Ticks
    - Vector – Fleas
- Environmental Surety Plan
  - Food Safety Resources
  - Flood and Storm Water

The division also continues to recruit and train individuals to join the volunteer force, the Naugatuck Valley Medical Reserve Corps, and serves as an educational resource for personal and community preparedness.

We are currently seeking volunteers 18 and older with medical and non-medical backgrounds.

Following Tropical Storm Irene (August 2011) and Snowstorm Alfred that soon followed (October 2011), the decision was made to establish a Medical Reserve Corps unit in Naugatuck Valley to support emergency response efforts and enhance community resiliency during a disaster. The Naugatuck Valley Health District partnered with Echo Hose Ambulance to create the Naugatuck Valley Medical Reserve Corps (NVMRC) unit to support response efforts for the towns of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour and Shelton.

Don’t let the name fool you! No medical experience is required.
You will be provided all the training you need!

Visit the Naugatuck Valley Medical Reserve Corps website for more information and how to apply!