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Emergency Preparedness and Response
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Emergency Preparedness and
Response Program
Los Angeles County
Department of Public Health
600 S. Commonwealth Ave., Suite 700
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 637-3600
(213) 381-0006 FAX
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Our Vision: Los Angeles County residents are protected from the public health consequences of both natural
and intentional emergencies.
Our Mission: To prevent and mitigate the public health consequences of natural or intentional emergencies for Los
Angeles County residents through threat assessment, planning, improved operational readiness, and timely response.
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CAHAN is a key component of emergency preparedness and response for both the state and local jurisdictions. This secure, web-based system is accessible via the internet on a 24/7/365 basis. The CAHAN system has four major functions:
- Alerts
Receive and send important, time sensitive and secure health alert messages that reflect state and local public health guidance and resources.
- Home Page Information
Access current statewide news, announcements, recent alerts, quick links, and documentation.
- Document Center
Securely post, share, and access incident related guidance content and information.
- Directory
View CAHAN directory containing current contact information for public health partners statewide.
Current CAHAN Participants
CAHAN participants are managed on both the state and local levels and represent a range of organizations including the following:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Skilled Nursing Facilities
- Pharmacies
- Physicians, Nurses, and other healthcare providers
- Schools and College & University Student Health Centers
- Medical and healthcare organizations
- Other key public health partners
Types of Alerts sent from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
CAHAN takes an all hazards approach when a public health response is required. That is, we prepare to respond to all incidents that affect or threaten the public’s health. The following is a list of the types of alerts that are sent from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health:
- Revised alerts from CDPH or CDC with focus on local relevance/guidance
- Natural disasters that require a public health and/or emergency medical response
- Disease identification prevention, control, treatment, and testing guidelines
- Distribution and availability of medication including vaccine
- Requests for heightened surveillance
- Occurrence of rare or unusual communicable diseases
- Known or suspected disease outbreaks
You can receive CAHAN alerts via e-mail, phone (landline and cellular), Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), fax, or pager, or access them directly on the CAHAN portal.
For information on the types of alerts the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) sends, please see the brochure in the Resources section of this website. |
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Southern California has about 10,000 earthquakes each year, though most are so small that they are never felt. (readyla.org)
Smoke alarms should be tested every month, and batteries replaced at least once a year. (redcross.org)
During hot weather, people should drink more liquid than their thirst indicates, up to four 16-ounce glasses per hour if exercising in the heat. (readyla.org)
Cooking is the major cause of home fires in the U.S. (readyla.org)
Space heaters are a common cause of fires during winter and should be kept at least three feet from drapes and furniture. (readyla.org)
The most common home chemical emergencies involve small children eating medicines. Experts say that taking hazardous materials out of sight could eliminate up to 75% of all poisoning of small children. (redcross.org)
There is no such thing as “earthquake weather.” Earthquakes can occur in any type of weather. (readyla.org)
The most common illnesses treated in the U.S. include colds and coughs, flu, sore throat, bladder infection, and more seriously, cancer, heart disease, and stroke. (readyla.org)
Each year, fire kills more Americans than all other natural disasters combined. (readyla.org)
During an earthquake, get under a sturdy piece of furniture and hold on. This will provide some protection from falling objects that can injure you. Doorways are no stronger than any part of the structure. (redcross.org)
65% of home fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms. (redcross.org)
The San Andreas Fault is not a single, continuous fault, but rather a fault zone consisting of many different segments. Its fault system is more than 800 miles long. (readyla.org)
City dwellers may be at greater risk than those in rural areas during heat waves because asphalt and concrete store heat longer and gradually release it at night. (readyla.org)
Los Angeles County utilizes a Terrorism Early Warning group to constantly assess terrorist attacks and keep authorities and the public updated. (readyla.org)
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Volunteer Opportunities
