Administration
The administration, business, and inner-workings of the LCHD.
AdministrationCommunity HealthResources
Emergency Preparedness Inquiry
Thank you for your interest in serving our community. We are always looking for volunteers to ensure those in need are able to receive care quickly. Please complete the below form, which will send the information to our emergency preparedness coordinator. Please allow at least two business days for a response, as they are often in the community conducting this training. Thank you again!
Lincoln County Health Department
Lincoln County Health Department serves our communities with a focus on getting and staying healthy.
Services
Services are provided in-person at our Davenport office, via phone or email, or through the contact page. A few of our most utilized services are below; additionalones and information can be found on the menu above.
Applications are currently available at the office, online, or requested via email. We will be moving to an online only application system in 2024. To schedule an onsite evaluation, please call our Director of Environmental Health.
The WIC program enrolls families throughout the year. Walk-ins appointments are available, or you can schedule a specific day and time by calling our WIC Coordinator.
Requests for birth and death certificates can be submitted via email, fax, mail, or in-person.
The Lincoln County Health Department is a certified Coliform testing lab. Home test kits are available in the lobby, and water samples can be mailed or dropped off for our lab testing.
Temporary food permits are required for seasonal and one-time events. You can apply for a permit by downloading this PDF to complete and email, mail, or deliver in-person. Instructions and contact information can be found on the Temporary Food Event Permit page.
All other services and health resources can be found on our Site Map or through the menus above.
AdministrationCommunity Health
COVID-19
COVID-19 rocked the world when it brought a global shutdown in March 2020. Since then, the virus has become part of our daily lives. It continues to spread, mutate, and change, just like the flu once did. And just like the flu, it will never go away, but its impact will likely decrease over time.
In May 2023, the public health emergency ended and with it, many of the restrictions and requirements which were implemented when the virus was at its highest. The additional funding also ended, which changes how prevention and treatment of the virus is handled.
While COVID is no longer at pandemic status, it is not gone, and it is unlikely to completely disappear. As with any illness, it will affect people differently. Young children and older adults are more at risk for serious complications and variations of the virus. You can keep yourself, your family, and your loved ones safe from COVID by following the guidelines and recommendations. The CDC website will have comprehensive COVID-19 information, but the below areas will provide a good baseline for how to stay healthy.
Current COVID Status
VACCINES
LCHD is no longer offering COVID vaccines. Please contact your healthcare provider or visit VaccinateWA to find the closest provider.
TESTING
LCHD has free COVID test kits available in the lobby of our office. You can also order four free tests through USPS.
EXPIRED TESTS
The FDA has adjusted COVID test expiration dates. You can see the extended expiration dates on the FDA COVID At-Home Test
There are a wide range of potential symptoms with COVID-19. Symptoms generally appear within two to 14 days after exposure. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath/Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion
- Runny nose
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
These are not the only symptoms though, as there are many factors in how COVID presents in an individual. If you believe you have been exposed and are not feeling well, it is always safest to stay home and test for COVID.
The following symptoms are considered an emergency and should be treated by a medical professional immediately.
- Significant trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake up or stay awake
- Pale, grey, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
If you or someone you love is showing any of these symptoms, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
COVID and the flu can share many of the same symptoms, but they are not the same illness. COVID is more severe, easier to spread, and takes longer to show symptoms than the flu. The CDC has compiled a list of similarities and differences between the flu and COVID on their The Difference between Flu and COVID-19 page. A few key considerations when you are not feeling well:
- It is impossible to tell whether it’s the flu or COVID based on symptoms. Taking a COVID test is one way to determine if it’s COVID.
- You can have COVID and the flu at the same time. Since they are different viruses, this can happen, although it is uncommon.
- If you have COVID, you are contagious for a longer period than with the flu. COVID is contagious for eight days after symptoms appear, while the flu is contagious for only three to four days.
- Some people with COVID could have no symptoms at all, which is called asymptomatic. While there may be no symptoms, they are still considered contagious.
- Treatment for both viruses are most effective within the first days of being ill, so if you are not feeling well and believe it to be the flu or COVID, test at home and schedule a doctor’s appointment.
Whether it is COVID or the flu, you can protect your loved ones and the community by staying home when you don’t feel well, avoiding others, and wearing a mask in public if you must go out.
As of November 2023, the CDC recommends the 2023-24 updated COVID vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax. This vaccine was released in October 2023. Vaccines prior to this date are not considered up-to-date and people should receive at least one of the 2023-23 updated COVID vaccine.
Most vaccines depend on your age, and COVID is the same. COVID vaccines have some variation for children between six months and four years old, but most people will only need one vaccine to be considered up-to-date. Recommendations are below. CDC has also created a visual chart to help determine what is best for your situation.
| Age Range | Unvaccinated | Vaccinated prior to 2023-24 update |
| 6 months to 4 years | 2 doses of 2023-24 Moderna
OR 3 doses of 2023-24 Pfizer |
1 dose 2023-24 Moderna for previous Modern vaccines
OR 2 doses 2023-24 Pfizer vaccine for 1 previous Pfizer vaccine OR 1 dose 2023-23 Pfizer vaccine for 2 or more previous Pfizer vaccine |
| 5 to 11 years | 1 dose 2023-24 Moderna
OR 1 dose 2023-24 Pfizer |
1 dose 2023-24 Moderna
OR 1 dose 2023-24 Pfizer |
| 12 years and over | 1 dose 2023-24 Moderna
OR 1 dose 2023-24 Pfizer OR 2 doses 2023-24 Novavax |
1 dose 2023-24 Moderna
OR 1 dose 2023-24 Pfizer OR 1 dose 2023-24 Novavax |
The CDC Frequently Asked Questions can provide additional guidance on safely receiving a vaccine for a variety of situations, including considerations for youth, pregnancy, immunocompromised, and more.
COVID exposure is when you have come in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID. Suspected exposure is when you have been in contact with someone who may have COVID but has not been diagnosed. Whether it is a confirmed or suspected exposure, taking precautions the moment you find out will help reduce the chance of spreading it to others. Precautions should be taken for 10 days after exposure and begin simply: wear a mask any time you are around others.
The next 10 days will depend on whether you start showing symptoms or not. It is important to start the 10-day clock at the right time to keep everyone safe. It begins the first full day after exposure. So, if you were around someone on Friday, Saturday is your day 1.
Day 1 to Day 6 will be monitoring your symptoms. If you develop symptoms, test immediately. If positive, you’ll need to follow the COVID Positive precautions. On day 6, if you have not shown any symptoms, test for COVID. If your test is negative, complete a second test on day 8 and continue to wear a mask and avoid high-risk people through day 10.
On day 8, if you have not shown any symptoms, test for COVID. If your test is negative, complete a third and final test on day 10 and continue to wear a mask and avoid high-risk people through day 10. On day 10, before you remove your mask and resume your normal routine, test for COVID a third and final time. A negative test on day 10 will confirm you likely do not have COVID and can resume your normal routine the next day. If at any time during the 10-day period you begin to show symptoms, test immediately.
At day 11, which is actually 12 days after exposure, if you have no symptoms and no positive tests, you can resume your normal schedule. While wearing a mask and avoiding people is not always the most exciting choice, it is the best choice to keep your loved ones healthy.
If you do not want to do repeated at-home tests, you can always schedule an appointment for a clinical PCR test to confirm you do not have COVID.
Quarantine vs. Isolation
Quarantining keeps someone who may have a virus away from others by restricting their interaction with the community. Isolation keeps sick people away from healthy people, even inside a home.
If you take an at home COVID test and have a positive result, you should take immediate steps to reduce the chance you will pass it along to someone else and to help ensure you do not develop complications from COVID. There are many options to treat COVID, and the right one for you will depend on your health history, the severity of the COVID infection, and other factors. If you test positive at home and have mild symptoms, stay home. If you test positive and have severe symptoms or are considered high risk (i.e. immunocompromised, older than 65, etc.), scheduling a medical visit is the best next step to ensure you fully recover.
Please note, COVID is considered a notifiable condition. This means when there is a positive test, the doctor and/or lab must report it to the health department. You will likely receive a call from us to check-in on you. We do this to not only find where it came from so we can prevent it from spreading, but also because we want to be able to support your recovery from it. You can learn more about this on our Notifiable Conditions page.
Quarantine vs. Isolation
Quarantining keeps someone who may have a virus away from others by restricting their interaction with the community. Isolation keeps sick people away from healthy people, even inside a home.
If you receive a positive test and have no symptoms, the day of the test is day zero. Day 1 begins the first day after the test. If you receive a positive test and have symptoms, day zero is the first day of your symptoms and day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms started. The CDC has an Isolation and Exposure Calculator to help you determine the best timeline for keeping you, your loved ones, and the community safe.
Immediately After a Positive Test
When you have a positive test result, even if you have no symptoms, you will need to isolate yourself from others for at least five days. Isolation means you will separate and avoid interaction with everyone, even in your own home. This helps keep your family safe from catching the virus and starting a cycle of passing it back and forth. This cycle is called a retransmission cycle and is very common in homes.
Isolation and Recovery
If you tested positive, have no symptoms, and do not develop any symptoms, you can end your isolation on day 5. From day 6 to day 10, you should quarantine by staying home and avoiding the public. If at any time you develop symptoms, the clock starts over at day zero.
If you tested positive and had symptoms, but they are improving, you can end your isolation on day 5 as long as you have been fever-free for 24-hours. If your symptoms are not improving, you should continue to isolate until they improve and you’ve been fever free for 24-hours. For those with moderate or severe (hospitalized) symptoms or are considered immunocompromised, isolation should continue through day 10 to ensure you are able to fully recover. No matter the symptoms, your provider can always answer your questions about when it’s time to stop isolating.
Isolation Checklist:
- Wear a mask anytime you are around others, even at home.
- Stay home as much as possible.
- Do not travel.
- Use separate rooms, when possible, for all activities, including sleeping.
- Use separate bathrooms, when possible.
- Do not share personal items, food, or drinks with anyone.
- Avoid pets, when possible, and keep them away from your face.
- Wash your hands regularly.
There are now options to help treat COVID for those who are at risk of developing complications or are immunocompromised. For most people, treating the symptoms of COVID with over-the-counter medicines likes acetaminophen or ibuprofen will help you feel more comfortable.
For those at-risk, there are two prescription medicines which you can take at home to help. These target the virus and stop it from multiplying, which reduces the length and severity of the illness. These meds, called antivirals, must be started withing five days of developing symptoms to be effective. Like the vaccine, the prescription treatment options—called Paxlovid or Lagevrio, are currently being transitioned to the general market. This is expected to be completed by December 31, 2023, after which time people who are un- or under-insured will be able to receive financial assistance if they are prescribed one of these.
There is a third antiviral which must be administered intravenously over three consecutive days. This third option is not yet privatized but is meant for some of the most severe cases. When and if it moves to the general market is not yet clear.
These treatment options can be wonderful options for some people, but they can also interact with medications and have their own set of risks. It is ultimately up to you and your provider on whether an antiviral treatment option is the best for you. You can learn more about these options on the CDC COVID-19 Treatment and Medications page.
While many people recover from COVID without any lingering issues, some people continue to have health issues related to their COVID infection. The continued health issue is called Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions, and is broadly defined to include any signs, symptoms, or conditions that continue (or develop) after COVID. Long COVID is associated more with people who have severe COVID, but anyone who had COVID can develop Long COVID.
There are certain situations which increase the chances of developing Long COVID, including:
- Not being vaccinated against COVID
- Having COVID repeatedly
- Having a severe case of COVID.
Long COVID is still new in the medical realm, which means there is a lot to learn. Information will be updated and may even change, as we learn more about it. You can learn more about Long COVID and follow the updates as more is understood on the CDC Long COVID page.
Long COVID is a recognizable condition under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The US Department of Health and Human Service has guidance for this addition.
- WAVerify will provide a digital record of your COVID-19 vaccinations.
- MyIR Mobile provides digital records of your complete vaccination record.
- VaccinateWA helps you find COVID vaccines near you.
- WA DOH COVID-19 is the hub for COVID information at the Washington state level.
- CDC COVID-19 is the hub for COVID information at the national level.
- At-Home COVID-19 Tests will allow you to order four at-home test kits for free.
- Extended At-Home COVID Tests provides the extended expiration dates for over the counter, at-home COVID-19 tests.
- Lincoln County Hospital COVID-19 provides resources and information specific to the services they are able to provide.
- FEMA Funeral Assistance provides information on the financial funeral assistance for those who passed away due to COVID. The funding will continue through September 2025.
- COVID Treatment Locator provides a map which displays all locations for COVID treatment within your chosen distance. This includes telehealth options. You can also access this via phone by calling 1.800.232.0233.
- CDC Long COVID page has information on all aspect of Long COVID as it is understood now.
- HHS Guidance on Long COVID as a Disability under the ADA, Section 504 and Section 1557 provides information to organizations and the general public on what considerations need to be taken to protect the civil rights of those with Long COVID.
Vital Records
Vital records are birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates; however, the Lincoln County Health Department only handles birth and death certificates. We can provide certified copies of birth certificates for anyone born in the state of Washington after 1921 and certified copies of death certificates for any death in Washington state after August 2012. Copies can be ordered in person or electronically and can be picked up at the LCHD office or mailed.
Vital Records
Rachael Steadman
509.725.1001
Certified copies of birth certificates can be ordered from the LCHD for births occurring in Washington state after 1921. Birth certificates prior to 1921 must be ordered from VitalChek. Only qualified people who can prove a relationship are able to order birth certificates. This is to protect personal identification information and prevent identity theft. When you apply for a certificate, you will have to provide documentation of the qualifying relationship in addition to supplying a copy of your identification.
How to Order a Birth Certificate
Ordering a birth certificate can be completed in-person at the LCHD office in Davenport, through the mail, or electronically when followed up with a call for fee payment. Certificates are $25.00 per copy. If you need a copy immediately, ordering at the office will allow you to leave with a certificate, in most cases.
- Complete a Lincoln County birth certificate application.
- Gather appropriate documentation of your qualifying relationship.
- Submit the completed application, copies of your identification and relationship documentation, and fee payment to LCHD.
- Documents can be submitted via mail or in-person.
- Electronic submission is allowed, but LCHD is not liable for security related to the submission. **Secure electronic request capacity is coming in 2024!**
- Payment can be made via check, cash, money order, or card. Any card payments will incur a $2.50 fee.
- Receive your certificate copies.
- Copies can be picked up at the LCHD office in Davenport.
- Copies can be mailed to you for an additional $3.00 per certificate mailing fee.
Certified copies of death certificates can be ordered at LCHD for all Washington state deaths after August 2012. For deaths prior to this, death certificates can be ordered through VitalChek. Only qualified people who can prove a relationship are able to order death certificates. This is to protect personal identification information and prevent identity theft. When you apply for a certificate, you will have to provide documentation of the qualifying relationship in addition to supplying a copy of your identification. Death certificates allow for more relationships than birth certificates due to the nature of the document, but some have specific time limits. Specifics on these relationships can be found on the application.
How to Order a Death Certificate
Ordering a death certificate can be completed in-person at the LCHD office in Davenport, through the mail, or electronically when followed up with a call for fee payment. Certificates are $25.00 per copy. If you need a copy immediately, ordering at the office will allow you to leave with a certificate, in most cases.
- Complete a Lincoln County death certificate application.
- Gather appropriate documentation of your qualifying relationship.
- Submit the completed application, copies of your identification and relationship documentation, and fee payment to LCHD.
- Documents can be submitted via mail or in-person.
- Electronic submission is allowed, but LCHD is not liable for security related to the submission. **Secure electronic request capacity is coming in 2024!**
- Payment can be made via check, cash, money order, or card. Any card payments will incur a $2.50 fee.
- Receive your certificate copies.
- Copies can be picked up at the LCHD office in Davenport.
- Copies can be mailed to you for an additional $3.00 per certificate mailing fee.
VitalChek is the only Washington state approved vendor to supply vital records. Vital records outside of the timelines (births prior to 1922 and deaths prior to August 2012) as well as for those outside of Washington State can be ordered via their website. VitalChek is not associated with LCHD, thus we have no control over fees, timelines, or other faucets related to their services. For questions you can contact VitalChek via email or by visiting their website.
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Emergency Preparedness
The Oxford Dictionary defines emergency as “a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action”—but given the variety of situations where emergencies can happen, they are sometimes hard to recognize. This recognition could save a life, as minutes can make the difference. Being prepared for an emergency will mean different things based on the type of emergency, but many times, preparing can lead to prevention
Types of Emergencies
Emergencies can happen anywhere, but when we look at being prepared for them, there are three main categories: natural disasters, medical emergencies, and societal emergencies. Each category has specific emergencies and each one will have different ways to prepare, prevent, or address it.
Natural disasters are emergencies relating to the environment and natural world. Tornados, wildfires, extreme heat, and earthquakes are just a few examples of natural disasters. Preparing for these types of disasters includes addressing physical needs, communications, and planning.
Medical emergencies occur when our health is in danger. This could be something like a heart attack or stroke to a car or home accident to a pandemic. Knowing what a medical emergency looks like and what to do next will make the difference for the person experiencing the emergency.
Perhaps the rarest of emergencies, societal emergencies are things which affect our community as a whole, our government, or any collective group. Examples include a terrorist attack, a train derailment, or an active shooter situation, although there are certainly more than just these three. The focus of preparing and handling these include taking measures to keep you and your family safe.
Preparing for an Emergency
The first step in preparing for an emergency is to be able to recognize when a situation is an emergency.
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters can happen without warning, or they can happen with days of information about the coming situation. Preparing for a natural disaster can take a bit of time, but if it happens, the prep time will be worth it. Here are five steps to help you be ready should a natural disaster occur.
A go bag is a packed bag (or box) which contains enough items to last you for three days. This includes clothes, toiletries, a first aid kit, non-perishable food, medicines, and other items you would need if you had to evacuate your home with only a minute’s notice. FEMA has a comprehensive emergency packing list on their Ready.gov website to help give you ideas. Remember to conduct a monthly check of your bag to ensure there are no expired items, items still fit, and everything is seasonally appropriate. Your family go bag should be stored in a place where everyone can access it. In the go bag be sure to have a battery-operated radio, this may be the only way for you to continue to get updates on the specific emergency if power goes out.
Preparing your home includes things like making sure you have a fire extinguisher, taking inventory of all of your belongings, ensuring heavy furniture is bolstered to the wall, and other steps to keep your belongings safe. Most importantly, make sure everyone knows where the water line, gas line, and power breakers are, as well as how to turn them off if needed. HUD Exchange has an article about the steps homeowners (and renters) can take to prepare for a natural disaster, along with some checklists to make sure you consider all of your options.
In addition to having the needed supplies, your family should have an emergency plan. This includes know where to meet, who to call if you are separated, what steps to take if they have to evacuate, and other considerations. Ready.gov has a website which will create a family emergency plan for you to complete and then print. Simply answer the questions and a clean document will be emailed to you. Keeping a hard copy and an electronic one will ensure the information isn’t lost. Much like your go bag, make sure to review the information at least twice per year to ensure it’s up-to-date.
Although this may seem like it is only necessary for a medical emergency, being able to administer CPR and first aid is a foundation for preparing for any emergency. Even if no one in your family needs it, these skills could help save a neighbor or friend. Students in Davenport are taught these skills in high school, but you can take classes either online or at a community offering. CPR certification needs to be renewed every two years, so make sure your renewal information is part of your family emergency plan.
You may feel silly, but practicing your plan will help you remember everything if you ever need it. When an emergency happens, we tend to focus on whatever is right in front of us at the time. Practicing the appropriate response will help by making the response routine. You won’t have to think about it, you’ll just know what to do. It’s recommended you practice with your household two to three times per year.
These aren’t the only steps you can take to prepare you and your family for a natural disaster, but they are some easy steps to help you be ready should an emergency happen.
Medical Emergencies
Medical emergencies can happen any time, any place, to anyone. Sometimes they are obvious—someone falls and breaks a leg, or a kitchen accident happens, and you need stitches. But sometimes they are not—a stroke, a heart attack, or overdose. The American College of Emergency Physicians has prepared a short booklet with the signs and symptoms of a medical emergency you can download.
Preparing for a medical emergency may seem impossible, but there are a few things you can do to help prepare you to help someone in a medical emergency situation.
Signs can vary based on age and physical health, but here are the top 10 signs to look for:
- Uncontrolled bleeding.
- Inability to breathe.
- Sudden physical changes.
- Chest pain which lasts longer than two minutes.
- Losing consciousness.
- Sudden change in mental status (confusion, behaviors, etc.).
- Feelings of self-harm or harming others.
- Blue or gray skin color*.
- Being unresponsive to outside prompts.
- An injury to the head or spine.
*skin tone may affect how this appears. Medline Plus has a guide for identifying these symptoms on someone with darker skin
If you observe one of these symptoms, treat it as a medical emergency.
Medical emergencies may need a different response, depending on what is happening, but some guidelines that generally apply are below.
1. Assess the situation
The first step is to determine what is happening and what may have caused it. Is the person bleeding or unconscious? Is there a clear cause, like an accident? Are they still breathing? This should happen quickly, as time is of the utmost importance, but when you reach out for help, having a sense of what is going on can help them respond appropriately.
2. Call 911.
If you can call 911, do it while you are assessing the situation as the people who answer your call can help guide you on what to do. If you are unable to call 911, try to find someone in the immediate area that can. Lincoln County is fortunate to have dedicated community volunteers at the ready to respond to medical emergencies. If you or someone you know is interested in being a volunteer EMT or Non-Medically trained driver, please contact our Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.
3. Provide aid until emergency medical services arrive.
What aid will look like will depend on the situation. As we said above, once you call 911, the Lincoln County Sheriff Office is trained to give direction over the phone and may be able to guide you in helping the person. Generally speaking, if someone is choking, working to remove the obstacle is the first step. If someone isn’t breathing, administering CPR and/or using the AED can help. If someone is bleeding, find a way to stop or slow the blood loss. If you suspect a spine injury, do NOT move the person, as moving them could make it worse. If someone has overdosed on opioids, administer naloxone. VeryWellHealth.com provides some tips for 10 different medical emergencies on their website and the Red Cross provides an Until Help Arrives course, which teaches you the basics of what to do in a medical emergency while you wait for EMS.
Preparing for a medical emergency may seem impossible, but there are a few things you can do to help prepare you to help someone in a medical emergency situation.
1. Learn CPR and first aid.
CPR can save a life, but administering CPR properly is critical for it to work. Many high school students will receive CPR and first aid training at school. There are also online and community courses you can take to become certified. The Red Cross provides an Until Help Arrives course, which teaches you the basics of what to do in a medical emergency, including CPR. Remember that your CPR certification is only good for two years, so make sure to keep up with your renewing your CPR card.
2. Keep a first aid kit.
A first aid kit will have supplies for a variety of situations. The Red Cross has a first aid kit list so you can build your own, or you can buy varying levels of first aid kits at almost every store. Make sure your kit contains gloves in your size as you should wear gloves for any situation involving bodily fluids for your safety and reducing contamination to their wounds.
3. Practice. Practice. Practice.
Just like a natural disaster, you should practice your response to a medical emergency. This means practicing CPR, abdominal thrusts for choking, getting the first aid kit, locating and administering the AED system, and collecting the information needed for 911. For some of these, you will need to have a pillow or doll available or use the practice kit in the case of the AED. But gathering information and the first aid kit should be easy to practice.
In an era of smart technology, we all have In Case of Emergency, or ICE, on our smart phones. ICE information is the information someone would need if you were involved in a medical emergency and could not tell the responder your information. For Apple users, ICE information is in the medical alert portion of the health app. For Android users, ICE is located under settings as the medical alert. Completing this information allows an EMT to access it during an emergency without having to unlock your phone. You can also tag contacts as ICE in your contacts on all cellphones as well.
As easy as this is, there are times your phone may not be available. It is always a good idea to have written ICE information in your glove box, in a safe place in your workspace, and in your home. Most EMTs are trained to look at your fridge to try and find your ICE information, so make sure to have it posted on or near your fridge.
ICE information should include at least the following health information:
ICE Information
- Full name
- Address
- Phone number
- Date of birth
- Physical information (height, weight, blood type)
- At least two emergency contact names, phone numbers, and relationships
- Any allergies
- All medications (including over the counter supplements and vitamins)
- The name and contact information of your doctor
- Any end-of-life decisions (i.e. do not resuscitate), including a picture of a POLST form if available
Each person in your household should have health ICE information easily available in case an EMT needs to provide help.
In addition to health information, it is always a good idea to have the following information available as well to provide comprehensive emergency information.
Emergency Information
- Any pet information (do you have them, type, names, etc)
- Veterinarian information
- Landlord contact information
- Location of emergency shut-offs
- Emergency response direct phone numbers (police, fire, etc)
- Poisoning control’s number (800-222-1222)
This information provides a complete look at what responders need to consider, but it also provides a handy reference for everyone in your home.
Societal Emergencies
Preparing for a societal emergency is a combination of prep for natural and medical emergencies. The biggest preventative step you can take is to have a clear communication plan. Who would you call to check-in with or where would you post your status? Where would you meet your family if you weren’t all together? Finding your loved ones as well as letting them know your status is the best way to prepare.
Emergency Resources
Part of being prepared is knowing what resources can help you in an emergency. The Lincoln County Health Department has staff available to help you prepare for and answer questions about emergency preparedness. You can also look into our resources page for additional information. You can also find more information on our partner websites below:
An emergency can strike at any time. Being prepared will help you know you can handle a situation until professional help arrives. We encourage you to become CPR and first aid trained to ensure you can provide support for anyone who may need it. To find out more about certification, contact our Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.
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Improving Community Health
Lincoln County Health Department is here to serve the community, but also to help improve the overall health of the county. We leverage a two-step process—the community health assessment and the community health improvement plan—to do this.
A community health assessment identifies community health needs through a collaborative process with the community. Also referred to as a CHA, the assessment looks at both quantitative (the numbers) and qualitative (the stories) of the community to find out where improvements need to be made. The CHA is not just problems though–it also inventories the strengths and positive influences our communities already have so we can continue to support those in the next step.
The community health improvement plan, aka the CHIP, is the second step and focuses on specific steps to meet the needs the CHA identified. The CHIP tells the community how we are going to fix the issues and meet the needs of the community. A CHIP is a foundational guide for several years—normally three to five—on how each need will be specifically met, the order the needs will be addressed, who will do the work, and what the measure of success will be.
LCHD developed a CHIP in 2018, but the pandemic interrupted its implementation. Rather than go back to working on something which was five years old, we decided to conduct a new CHA and develop a new CHIP so we would be responsive to the community needs now.
LCHD is currently working on the 2023-24 CHA, which will guide the next CHIP. We began by conducting community forums in Davenport, Odessa, Wilbur, Seven Bays, and Harrington communities.
Currently we are collecting survey responses to allow for community members who were not able to be at a forum to help us narrow down the priorities in the needs identified in the forums. If you would like a paper copy of the survey, please contact us.
Below are reports relating to previous CHA and CHIP efforts in Lincoln County.
In addition to the work the LCHD does, Lincoln County is part of a multi-county region that receives technical assistance from the Data Center program housed in the Spokane Regional Health District. This collaboration allows for additional data collection and evaluation, expanding the capacity of our team. The reports below are the most recent reports in their specific areas.
Information on the county is also available on the County Health Insights website, a data site for Eastern Washington.
About Us
The Lincoln County Health Department supports the health and well-being of Lincoln County community members. We focus on education to empower community members to make the best decisions for their health. We also provide resources, connection support, and services which further this focus. Through a variety of funding expansions, we are growing: in the last 2 years, we went from a staff of 5 to a staff of 14. We are excited about what this means for our capacity to better serve the community.
Mission
Coming soon!
Vision
Coming Soon!
Core Values
Coming Soon!
You can learn more about how we are working towards our vision of a healthy Lincoln County and the services we provide by exploring the site. The menu on the top allows for exploration, or if you like lists, you can visit our Site Map page to find the information you need.
If you are not a website person, that’s okay too: we are happy to chat on the phone, reply via email, or even see a smile at the office. We are here to support the continued health of the county…and that means you.
Meetings and Materials
The Lincoln County Board of Health meets every other month from 1pm to 2:30pm at the Lincoln County Commissioners Chambers in Davenport. All community members are invited to attend the meetings.
Lincoln County Commissioner’s Chambers
450 Logan Street
Davenport WA 99221
2024 Meetings
- January 16
Agenda & Minutes
- January 16
- January 16