All-hazards preparedness in an era of bioterrorism funding.
OBJECTIVE
All-hazards preparedness was evaluated in North Carolina's 85 local health departments (LHDs).


METHODS
In regional meetings, data were collected from LHD teams from North Carolina's LHDs using an instrument constructed from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's preparedness indicators and from the Local Public Health Preparedness and Response Capacity Inventory.


CONCLUSIONS
Levels of preparedness differ widely by disaster types. LHDs reported higher levels of preparedness for natural disasters, outbreaks, and bioterrorist events than for chemical, radiation, or mass trauma disasters. LHDs face challenges to achieving all-hazards preparedness since preparation for one type of disaster does not lead to preparedness for all types of disasters. LHDs in this survey were more prepared for disasters for which they were funded (bioterrorism) and for events they faced regularly (natural disasters, outbreaks) than they were for other types of disasters.
Lovelace
Kay
K
The University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA. klovelace@uncg.edu
Bibeau
Daniel
D
Gansneder
Bruce
B
Hernandez
Erika
E
Cline
J Steven
JS
D023482:Bioterrorism; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D005380:Financing, Government; D006801:Humans; D009111:Local Government; D009657:North Carolina; D015980:Public Health Practice