The state Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will do a survey of households in Greenbrier and Kanawha counties that were affected by recent flooding.
The community health assessment for public health emergency response (CASPER) is used to assess the impact of a disaster on a community, determine a community's health needs and evaluate how effective the response and recovery efforts were.
"We know that West Virginians are resilient, but we want to record how the flood recovery efforts have progressed and ensure impacted residents know about available services that can help them through this difficult time," Dr. Rahul Gupta, state Health Officer and commissioner for DHHR's Bureau for Public Health, said in a statement Thursday.
The June 23 floods damaged or destroyed thousands of homes in West Virginia and killed 23 people. The flooding also exposed residents to health hazards they would not normally encounter. More than 10,000 doses of tetanus
During the survey, which will take place Aug. 1 through Aug. 3, trained public health interviewers, including state and local public health personnel, will use a standardized questionnaire to evaluate the physical and behavioral health of a household, in addition to inquiring about knowledge of safe practices and access to information and resources for recovery.
"We will use the results of this survey to improve our preparedness, rescue and response activities for state residents as they recover from this disaster," Gupta said in the release. "The assessment is part of a multi-step plan to evaluate response efforts from the perspective of the affected population."
The survey will take place during daytime hours, in Greenbrier and Kanawha counties. Teams will visit randomly selected households and will carry credentials to identify themselves as public health staff. Survey participation is not mandatory by residents, but is appreciated.
Also this week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation specialists will be at five area hardware stores to offer guidance for residents who are rebuilding after the floods. FEMA advisors will answer questions and offer home improvement tips along with proven methods to prevent and lessen damage from future disasters. Free workshops for storm-impacted homeowners will include topics such as repairing or installing flooring and what to do with rain-soaked drywall. Most of the information is geared for do-it-yourselfers and general contractors.
FEMA advisors will be at:
Ace Hardware at 326 Main Street in Rainelle 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday through Aug. 6; Byrnside Hardware at 107 Fourth Street in Danville 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday July 28 to Aug. 3; The Home Depot at 1100 Liberty Park Drive in Hurricane 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. July 28 to Aug. 3; Lowe's Home Improvement at 1155 Oakvale Road in Princeton 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 28 to Aug. 3; Sears Home Improvement at RR 1 Box 17-A in Ronceverte 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday July 28 to Aug.3.