Though pandemic isn't an immediate threat, officials want residents to be prepared

By HOLLY HUFFMAN

holly.huffman@theeagle.com

Though there is no immediate danger, Brazos County community leaders want residents to be prepared for the worst when it comes to the possibility of pandemic influenza.

Brazos Valley families soon -- if they haven't already -- will find a new preparation tool delivered to their mailboxes.

A 31-page handbook, titled How You Can Be Prepared for a Flu Pandemic is being mailed to 137,000 households across the Brazos Valley, health officials announced Thursday. The book is being sent to families in Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson and Washington counties.

"Our goal is to make it available in almost every household in the seven counties," said Dr. Charles Williams, the Brazos County public health authority. "It's meant to be a permanent resource within your household."

The books provide families with information on general preparedness with an emphasis on influenza. It explains the pandemic flu, its history and how it is linked to avian influenza. The book also instructs residents on how to best prepare for such a pandemic.

It also includes tips for staying healthy, emergency contact information and fill-in-the-blank charts and graphs allowing families to outline their own emergency plans.

"We want people to start talking about it, planning for it," said Gena Parsons, a Blinn College public information officer and the designated spokeswoman for the Brazos County pandemic flu awareness campaign.

The handbooks were paid for by a Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health officials said. The $192,467 grant was awarded to the Brazos Valley Council of Governments by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Intergovernmental Committee Chairman James Massey stressed the importance of working together to provide the best information for the community. The Intergovernmental Committee is spearheading the awareness campaign.

"The potential for a pandemic in our community won't stop at a geographic line," Massey said.

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