Eric Anderson
Emergency Preparedness Planner
Southeast Utah Health Department
Carbon, Emery and Grand counties are definitely feeling the effects of the worldwide pandemic known as COVID-19. There are some simple steps we can take as community members to prepare for and live through this pandemic.
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Have a plan to be self sufficient for two weeks, as this is the typical time frame COVID patients, and those that come into close contact with a COVID case, are quarantined.
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Include food, water and prescriptions (and for me dark chocolate).
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It is a great idea to have a supply of nonprescription drugs and other health supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes and vitamins.
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Don’t forget to include supplies for your pets/animals!
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It is also a good idea to have two weeks to a month of savings in case you or a loved one are unable to work.
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These quarantines often come as surprise, and really, they shouldn’t at this point. We are eight months into this pandemic and seeing a steady increase of cases across the State of Utah.
One of the things I love about Utah and our three counties is the work ethic and responsibility community members demonstrate each and every day. Spending 30 years in the armed forces, I was able to see and sometimes help when other states and foreign countries faced natural and manmade disasters. I have always cherished returning to Utah with the realization that Utahns are prepared, and most important, willing to help each other.
Service in the military also taught me that if I want to help others, my family and I need to be prepared first. Our personal preparation enables us to take care of our families and spend more time helping those in need. I have tried to carry that philosophy with me to the Southeast Utah Health Department.
The mission of the Health Department is to assist the residents of our communities to achieve and maintain optimal health and wellness and to improve our communities’ ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from any incident that could affect the health and wellbeing of our citizens.
The first line of defense in any emergency or disaster is personal preparedness. I know that together we can all make a difference by being personally prepared and willing to step in and lend a hand when required. I look forward to serving this community and am always available for questions, training or assistance.