Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina: How Local Health Departments Can Prepare to Meet the Needs of Vulnerable Population in Emergencies

This document presents the lessons learned from New Orleans as well as the strategies that that the Alameda County Public Health Department is using to improve emergency preparedness for and with their vulnerable populations. It is presented through the lens of three case studies and in-depth descriptions of two innovative CBOs doing emergency preparedness trainings in Alameda County, CA. The purpose of this document is to offer descriptions of concrete strategies that one local health department currently employs and make recommendations other local health department’s and communities can incorporate in their work to enhance emergency preparedness activities to meet the needs of vulnerable populations.