The Butler County Health Department is updating its registry of individuals with special health care needs who may require assistance if a natural disaster hits.
The list was first created in 2007 through a partnership with the Butler County Emergency Management Agency.
Emily Goodin with the Butler County Health Department said the goal of the registry is to contact people at health risk should a natural disaster hit the area.
The registration form lists conditions such as severe respiratory problems, IV therapy, tube feeding, language/cultural barrier and hearing or speech impairment. The form is inserted in today’s edition.
Goodin said these conditions are suggestions. Anybody with a condition they worry about during a disaster can sign up. People can also sign up parents or other family members.
One suggestion Goodin offered is for people with mental illness to register.
“We will not limit it,” she said. “They fill it out, we will put their name on the list.”
Goodin said that extends to people outside of the county. While they can’t offer this service to people in St. Louis, people in the bordering counties can also sign up to be on the registry.
In the case of an emergency, Goodin said, those on the registry will receive an automated call asking them to contact the health department if they need assistance.
“If they call back and say they’re not OK,” Goodin said, “we’ll go from there.”
People can register for free and Goodin promised telemarketers will not get the information.
She said the increased access to automated phone call technology makes the registry easier.
Before, members of the health department called everybody on the list. Now they can set it up for a computer to call the list. This both ensures everybody gets called, but it also frees employees up to be helping those they need to.
Developing technology also allows for the call list to narrow down if it affects a specific area of Butler County.
For instance, if Fisk sees flooding, health department employees can set the system up to only call people in the Fisk area.
“It’s pretty cool that we’re working with that kind of technology,” Goodin said.