Emergency Preparedness & Response

Preparing Mississippi

MSDH's Office of Emergency Planning and Response has worked to significantly improve Mississippi's emergency response capability. In place now are:

• A Biosafety Level 3 laboratory with advanced pathogen detection equipment
• 17 Weapons of Mass Destruction Centers of Excellence in hospitals across the state
• The satellite-based Health Alert Network, connecting 13,000 Mississippi physicians and facilities
• A distribution system for emergency medication from the Strategic National Stockpile
• State and regional bioterrorism response plans overseen by nine Public Health Emergency Response Coordinators
• Nurses trained in bioterrorism issues and diseases in every public health district
• 24/7 information hotline (1-866-HLTHY4U)