Emergency Preparedness

Medical emergencies: Medical emergencies occur when our health is in danger. This could be something like a heart attack or stroke, an accident involving a severe injury, or a pandemic. Knowing what a medical emergency looks like and what to do will make the difference for the person experiencing it.

Below are some resources and education for medical emergency preparedness.

• • Identifying and responding to a medical emergency
  • First Aid instructions for 10 medical emergencies (verywellhealth.com)
  • Learn CPR/First Aid – we periodically hold CPR/First Aid courses at the Lincoln County Health Department.
  • Keep a first aid kit
  • Learn CPR online – If you are unable to take a CPR/First Aid course in person, this video instruction can be helpful.

Societal Emergencies: Societal emergencies are events that affect our community, government, or any collective group. Examples include a terrorist attack, a train derailment, or an active shooter situation. Preparing for and handling these kinds of events include taking measures to keep you and your family safe.

• • Preparing for a societal emergency is a combination of preparing for environmental and medical emergencies. The biggest preventive 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.

•  ICE (In Case of Emergency) information is the information someone would need if you were involved in a medical emergency and could not tell the responder your information. In an era of smart technology, ICE is available on smart phones. 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 specify contacts as ICE in your contact list as well.
• There are times when 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 workplace, and in your home. Most EMTs are trained to look at your fridge and find your ICE information. So be sure to have it posted on or near your fridge.

• ICE information should include at least the following health information:
  • Full name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Date of birth
  • Physical information (height, weight, blood type)
  • Any and all medications or vitamins
  • At least two emergency contact numbers
  • Your primary care providers name and number
  • Any allergies
  • Any end-of-life decisions

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 preparation.

If you experience an emergency, plan to call 911 immediately if you are able. 

Lincoln Hospital

Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center

Lincoln County Alert Texts

Red cross

FEMA App

Ready.gov