Emergency Planning

Cities Readiness Initiative 2020

The Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) is a program funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The program aims to enhance preparedness in the nation’s highest populated areas. The CRI 2020 full-scale exercise will test the response to a public health emergency requiring distribution of life-saving medicines. Monroe County works closely with Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties to prepare for the full-scale CRI 2020 exercise.

Turkey Point Nuclear Plant

Turkey Point Nuclear Plant (Homestead, Florida) holds an annual FEMA-evaluated radiological exercise, led by Monroe County Emergency Management. The purpose of the exercise is to prepare Monroe County partners in coordinating the emergency response to a potential radiological emergency at the Turkey Point Nuclear Plant. In the event that any radiological exposure occurs, The Florida Department of Health in Monroe County is responsible for providing citizens with prophylaxis to protect from radiation injury.

Responding to Health Emergencies

The Public Health and Medical Preparedness program at the Florida Department of Department of Health in Monroe County (FDOH Monroe) is responsible for maintaining emergency plans for a wide range of possible disasters that could affect the health of Monroe county citizens. Anything from a disease epidemic to a human-caused disaster has the potential to disrupt normal functions and must be prepared for. Each of these scenarios are covered within the FDOH Monroe Emergency Operation Plan. The Preparedness program at FDOH Monroe holds regular meeting to review plan procedures and ensure that staff are trained to perform their necessary response functions. FDOH Monroe staff have followed the Emergency Operations Plan to respond to several emergencies, such as in the cases of Zika, H1N1, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.