September 29, 2004

Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) infectious disease epidemiologist Jennifer Beggs was called upon earlier this month to lend assistance in the hurricane relief efforts in Florida.

“The Department of Community Health is proud to lend our highly skilled specialists to other states in their time of extreme need,” said Janet Olszewski, MDCH Director. “Our public health experts are some of the best in the nation, and I am pleased that Jennifer could share her knowledge and experience to help our fellow citizens in Florida.”

Deployed as part of a state team on September 7, Beggs spent two weeks in Florida with colleagues from the Michigan State Police, Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Family Independence Agency. The group was able to assist the state of Florida and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with operations, planning, emergency services, and human services in the areas worst hit by the multiple hurricanes.

“We were able to provide assistance all over Florida – from Punta Gorda to Pensacola, and Orlando to Tallahassee – and we saw some of the most seriously damaged areas,” Beggs said. “The group was assigned a variety tasks. We performed community and environmental assessments, connected citizens with charitable organizations and shelters, passed out information, and ensured safe drinking water was available.”

Beggs, a 2002 Masters of Public Health graduate from the University of Michigan, has previously been involved in emergency management situations, but said she felt that this opportunity was an invaluable learning experience.

“Being on the front line and working closely with FEMA and the Florida Emergency Operation Center, I was able to see first hand how important it is to prepare for potential disasters and emergencies,” Beggs said. “It was interesting and beneficial to see how all of the pieces came together to help the citizens of Florida.”

The group of State of Michigan experts were sent to Florida under the authority of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). The EMAC is an interstate mutual aid agreement that enables states to share resources during times of disaster. Michigan began participating with EMAC in January 2002 and this is the first time the state has provided assistance under the compact.