There’s a Public Health Role in Creating a Weather-Ready Nation

Many issues related to weather can impact your health. Wildfires spawned by lightning can cause respiratory illnesses from smoke and poor air quality. Flash flooding has led to numerous rescues from vehicles and homes. Last year, extreme heat sent at least 2,414 people to Arizona emergency rooms and contributed to 522 deaths.

There are many actions you and your family can take to be prepared for unexpected weather. ADHS has developed simple health safety messages for what to do before, during, and after wildfires, monsoon, extreme heat in the deserts, and extreme cold in Arizona’s higher elevations.

This month, the National Weather Service named ADHS an Ambassador of Excellence for its efforts to ensure that Arizona is weather-ready, including:

inspiring others to take action and become ready, responsive, and resilient;
creating innovative ways to engage the community, the workforce, and/or social networks;
forming unique collaborations with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and/or other ambassador organizations to achieve goals they alone could not meet; and
helping build a “Weather-Ready Nation for All” by addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.

“ADHS is a prime example of a core partner promoting weather safety and education as a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador,” according to the National Weather Service. “Their contributions have undoubtedly improved public awareness, education, and preparedness for the extreme heat experienced in Arizona.”

I’m proud of this recognition and the ADHS employees who worked hard to make it happen. I hope it gives everyone a reason to check out the Weather-Ready Nation resources available at weather.gov so you’re ready for Arizona’s predictably unpredictable weather.

By Don Herrington|2021-09-29T14:33:02-07:00September 29th, 2021|Preparedness|Comments Off

About the Author: Don Herrington

Don Herrington, Interim Director, has been with ADHS since 2000. During this time he has served as the State’s Food Safety Manager, the Office Chief of Environmental Health, Bureau Chief of Epidemiology and Disease Control Services, Acting Assistant Director for Public Health Preparedness, Assistant Director for Public Health Preparedness. Herrington is currently the department’s Deputy Director for Planning and Operations. In this role he oversees policy development, hiring professional and support staff and the department’s budget. During his time in public health, Herrington has served on numerous councils, commissions and committees on behalf of the Director of ADHS, including Chair of the Arizona Sanitarians’ Council, Chair of the Arizona Infection Prevention and Control Advisory Committee, and as one of five voting members of the Arizona Emergency Response Commission.