New guide: Preparing for emergencies New guide: Preparing for emergencies (September 21, 2005)

A Pocket Guide to Emergency Preparedness, produced by the San Mateo County Health Department, is now available at local city halls and libraries, the county has announced.

The guide contains information on how to plan for and respond to natural and man-made emergencies. Web sites and phone numbers are included.

It was funded through a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and includes information on how to access neighborhood emergency triage, vaccination and antibiotic centers.

It can take up to 72 hours and sometimes longer for the government to mobilize resources, said Scott Morrow, the county's health officer.

Making a family emergency plan and preparing a kit of emergency supplies are vital to keeping a family safe in an emergency, he said.

The guide is available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded from the department's Web site at smhealth.org.

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