Avian flu.

The ice storm of late February 2007.
H1N1.
The flood of 2008
“I no longer say ‘if’ we have our next public health crisis,” said Public Health Administrator Nancy Farmer. “I say ‘when.’”
Farmer presented the Benton County Board of Supervisors the annual update to the Public Health Multi-Hazard Response Notebook during their meeting Tuesday morning.
The thick binder contains a variety of responses to a variety of health risks.
The plan did not change much this year, Farmer told the supervisors. Some contact information has been updated. Also, Farmer said, she has begun involving more of her staff in more of the activities and drills so they are prepared for the next challenge.
“Our concerns about infectious diseases never go away,” she said. “They just change as events change.”
The Notebook is applicable to all county residents, both urban and rural. It covers both natural and man-made disasters.
The Benton County Board of Health reviews the Notebook annually. The Board of Health also works with the Benton County Emergency Management Office on training and education efforts to improve the county’s ability to protect residents during a crisis.