Calvert County Health Department

Local (410) 535-5400, DC Metro (301) 855-1353, Annapolis (410) 269-2216

Personal Health

CommunityServices

Health Threats

Home
Health Topics A-Z
Contact Directory
About Our Agency
Links to Organizations
Public Health
Font Size
Print this Page

Emergency Preparedness

The Health Department provides an organized public health intervention to natural or man-made emergencies or disasters that occur in Calvert County. We work in conjunction with multiple government agencies including: The Centers for Disease Control, The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, The Maryland Emergency Management Agency, Maryland Department of Health, and Calvert County Emergency Services.

In addition to our government affiliations, we incorporate partnerships within the community with businesses and community stakeholders to assist and support our plan for an integrated response and recovery from such events.

The Health Department serves as a community resource for education, training, and information to help the individuals of Calvert County prepare themselves for an emergency.

In the event of an emergency we will make every effort possible to provide up to date information to the residents of Calvert County through multiple radio stations and public access cable television. A list of those stations is provided here.

We also encourage residents to sign up for Calvert County Alert which provides emergency and non-emergency alerts for a variety of situations such as, severe weather, evacuations, law enforcement notifications, missing persons and water and sewer updates.

Be Prepared

Citizens can take responsibility to protect themselves and their families by knowing what to do before, during, and after an event. Emergency preparedness involves a number of basic strategies:

  • Have a Disaster Supply Kit
    Basic considerations for the unexpected emergency kit include: water (1 gallon/per day/per person), food (long shelf life/minimal to no preparation needed), important medications, flashlight, spare batteries, a NOAA radio, a blanket, first aid kit, personal hygiene items, and spare currency.
    Additional considerations on developing a disaster supply.
  • Develop a Disaster Plan
    Having a plan ahead of time mitigates some of the anxieties that occur during a disaster and better prepares you to deal with the adversity. Pertinent considerations for your plan should include: how would you contact one another (cell phones may not work in an emergency), how would you get to a safe place (modes of transportation), where would your family assembly, and what would you do in different emergency situations? Additional considerations include a disaster supply kit, spare currency, escape routes, utilities unavailable, animals, and shelter.
    Learn more about disaster plan strategies.

Specific Types of Emergencies

Radiological Emergencies

If you live within a 10 mile-radius of Calvert Cliff’s nuclear power plant you will annually receive materials from Exelon Corporation regarding the unlikely event of a radiation emergency. Read the materials carefully and store them in a readily available location. You are also eligible to receive Potassium Iodide (KI) tablets. KI helps protect the thyroid gland from damage caused by radioactive iodine that may be released from the plant during an emergency.

KI does not protect any other part of the body from radiation damage. Therefore, KI is not a substitute for other protective actions such as evacuation or taking shelter, which protect the entire body from most forms of radiation. Should a radioactive emergency occur, official recommendations to the public for protective actions, including taking KI, will be broadcast by the media.

Summer Heat
Hurricanes
Flooding
Winter Weather

Want to get involved?

  • Individuals:
    CERT – Community Emergency Response Teams may assist emergency response professionals when systems are temporarily overloaded. See what is involved in being a trained volunteer.
    Maryland’s Responds Medical Reserve Corp is a community-based, civilian, volunteer program that helps build the public health infrastructure and response capabilities of Maryland communities.
  • Communities/Businesses:
    POD – Point of Distribution is a site where medications or vaccines intended to prevent disease may be given quickly to a large number of people in the event of a public health emergency.

In the event of an emergency, residents should tune in to one of the broadcasting stations listed below for news and official information.

Western Shore:

WKIK FM 102.9 MHz - California
WKIK AM 1560 kHz - La Plata
WPRS FM 104.1 MHz - La Plata
WTOP FM 103.5 MHz - Frederick & DC
WYRX FM 97.7 MHz - Lexington Park
WPTX AM 1690 kHz - Lexington Park
WSMD FM 98.3 MHz - Mechanicsville
WGOP AM 540 kHz - Pocomoke
WRAR FM 105.5 MHz - Tappahannock
WNNT FM 100.9 MHz - Warsaw

Eastern Shore:

WCEI FM 96.7 MHz - Easton
WEMD AM 1460 kHz - Easton
WCEM FM 106.3 MHz - Cambridge
WCEM AM 1240 kHz - Cambridge

Public Access Cable Television:

Comcast Channel 6 - Calvert County Government
Channel 95 - St. Mary's County Government

Additional Resources:

Ready.gov – Prepare. Plan. Stay Informed

CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response

American Red Cross – Be prepared

Calvert County Government

For further information, please contact the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at 410-535-5400, x331.

Site Policy | Contact Directory | Privacy Statement
975 Solomons Island Road North, PO Box 980, Prince Frederick, MD 20678 | (410) 535-5400 | Fax: (410) 535-5285
Calvert Crisis Response Hotline 1-877-467-5628
© Calvert County Health Department