Public Health Preparedness Program
Mission: To prepare and respond to natural and man-made public health emergencies including, but not limited to:
- severe weather conditions
- bioterrorism
- disease outbreaks
- radiological/nuclear hazards
Each month HCHD will bring you information and resources about different hazards and how to be prepared to respond.
August: Back-to-School Preparedness
As summer ends, Howard County students will head back to school at the end of August. This is a great time to review simple ways to keep children safe and healthy in the classroom.
Click on the tabs below to learn more:
Here are some easy steps to help your child be ready for unexpected situations.
How can I Help My Child?
- Know your surroundings. Teach your child to look for exits, safe areas, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers at school.
- Backpack Emergency Card. Fill out a Backpack Emergency Card and place it in your child’s bag
- Review important information. It’s easy to rely only on devices or cards. Make sure your child memorizes the key information they would need if separated.
- Make sure your child knows:
- One family member’s phone number
- Their full name and a parent or guardian’s full name
- Home address
- Parent or guardian’s workplace
- Pack helpful items in their backpack:
- Water and a non-perishable snack
- A small first aid kit
- A whistle for emergencies
- A list of allergies, medical needs, and medications (share with the school, too)
- Practice different ways to get home, such as walking, taking the bus, or riding with a trusted friend.
- Set a secret code word with your child and trusted adults to help prevent unsafe pickups.
Being prepared helps children feel more confident during emergencies. By planning ahead, parents, students, and school staff can stay safe and ready. For more information on school emergency preparedness, visit the CDC's Children & School Preparedness Webpage here: https://www.cdc.gov/children-and-school-preparedness/php/index.html
Keep your child safe and help reduce the transmission of vaccine-preventable spread of diseases that vaccines can stop. The Maryland Department of Health provides a list of Back-to-School Immunization Requirements. Speak to your child’s doctor to make sure they are up to date before school starts. If you cannot get an appointment or do not have a regular doctor, the Howard County Health Department offers opportunities for children to receive certain school required vaccines at no cost at walk-up clinics in August and September
How Can I Help My Child?
- Make sure your child is up to date on all required vaccines, so they are not kept out of class. To learn more and view our walk-up clinic schedule, visit the Childhood Immunization webpage.
- Information about the 2026-2027 flu season and FREE flu shot clinics for children, adults, and seniors will be posted on our website in September 2026. For questions, call our Public Health Readiness line at 410-313-6284 (Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm).
Vision
Good vision helps children learn and stay active.
Signs of vision problems may include:
- Headaches after schoolwork
- Rubbing their eyes
- Holding items very close or squinting
- Getting tired while reading or doing close-up work
- For more information visit Center for Disease Control.
Hearing
Hearing problems can affect speech, learning, and social skills. Signs of hearing loss may include:
- Tilting the head to hear
- Not responding to sounds or voices
- Trouble learning correct speech sounds
How Can I Help My Child?
- Schedule a hearing and/or vision screening.
If your child has hearing loss, talk with their doctor or audiologist about treatment options
According to the CDC, mental health is more than just feeling sad. Poor mental health can affect many parts of a young person’s life including schoolwork, grades, friendships, decision-making, and overall health.
When students feel connected to their school, they are more likely to:
- Make healthy choices
- Earn better grades and test scores
- Attend school regularly and graduate.
How can I Help My Child?
- Talk openly and honestly with your child.
- Pay attention, listen, and help guide healthy decisions.
- Spend time together doing activities you both enjoy.
Additional Resources
Be Prepared
Additional Resources
How can YOU help in an emergency?
Become a Public Health Hero - Join the Howard County Medical Reserve Corps
The Howard County Medical Reserve Corps (HCMRC) Program is volunteer organization created in July 2002. Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers can be medical and public health professionals or community members with no healthcare background.
Howard County Health Department
Phone: 410-313-6300
After Hours: 410-313-2200
Maryland Department of Health (MDH)
Phone: 410-767-6500
Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM)
Phone: 410-517-3600
Extreme heat can be dangerous after long periods of exposure, if proper precautions are not taken.
To protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers posed by prolonged sun and heat exposure, follow the below tips:
- NEVER leave children or pets unattended in a parked car or other hot environment.
- If you must be outside in the heat, wear light-colored, lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, a hat and sunscreen.
- Stay hydrated. Drink water and caffeine-free liquids. Alcoholic beverages do not keep you hydrated.
- Take frequent rest breaks in air-conditioned or shaded areas if you must work or exercise outdoors. If possible, stay out of the sun during the middle of the day.
- Know the signs of heat-related illness, including: extreme weakness, muscle cramps, nausea, headache, vomiting, fainting, dry/red skin.
- Check regularly on infants, elderly, family and neighbors with health conditions as they are more vulnerable to heat-related illness.
- If planning a trip to the lake/beach/pool to cool off, be sure to review swim and water safety guidelines with your family and children
Additional Resources about Heat/Sun Safety:
- NHTSA Prevent Hot Car Deaths
- CDC Sun Safety
- American Academy of Pediatrics Drowning Prevention
- National Weather Service Heat Safety
- Heat.gov
- Heat Emergency Awareness: Hot Weather Tips and Heat-Related Illnesses
Places to cool off on a hot day (contact location to verify operating hours before visiting)
- Howard County Library System Branches
- Howard County 50+ Centers
- Howard County Recreation & Parks Community Centers
- The Mall in Columbia
- Map of Howard County Cooling Centers
Anyone in need of shelter or other assistance should call the Grassroots hotline at 410-531-6677 or visit grassrootscrisis.org(opens in a new window).