Emergency Response and Preparedness

The Lynchburg City Health Department has an Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) which is in place to effectively respond to any emergency impacting public health through preparation, collaboration, education, and rapid intervention.  Emergency Preparedness and Response involves state, regional, and local emergency response partners working together to enhance readiness response for all hazards, including bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health emergencies.

In addition to Emergency Preparedness, the health department also offers Epidemiology services.  Our Epidemiologist works with partners and applies epidemiological principles to infectious diseases affecting the citizens in healthcare settings and the community, with the mission of improving patient-level outcomes and protecting the population.

In collaboration with the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Surveillance and Investigation (DSI), we provide surveillance, investigation, and follow-up of communicable diseases that are reportable by medical providers and laboratories.

This includes:

• Community outreach, education, and in-service training
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) treatment, counseling, and referral
• Childhood and adult immunizations, counseling, and referral