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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Mary McKee, MSW, Public Health Administration, Marion County Health Department, 3838 N Rural St, Indianapolis, IN 46205, 317-221-2080, mmckee@hhcorp.org

Local public health departments are specially suited to deal with the implications of the peak oil crisis because of their ability to monitor population health, inform and educate the people they serve, and mobilize partnerships in communities. This presentation will describe the planning process that is currently underway at a local county health department serving a population of 830,000 citizens to develop a model for strategically addressing future oil depletion that is based on other successful community-based models. This process will result in a plan that will serve three purposes: 1) to continue to perform the Essential Services of Public Health under the constraints of fewer oil resources, (example: fewer gasoline reserves for transportation of staff, the implications on services of rolling blackouts, etc.), 2) to communicate to the citizens of the county the methods of preparing for the peak oil crisis, such as forming neighborhood partnerships to learn methods of sustainability and maximizing resources, and 3) to provide a plan for neighborhood groups to utilize in educating neighbors about living with depleted resources, example, how to chlorinate water, plant an organic garden, etc.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• gain an understanding of the potential impact of the peak oil crisis on strategic planning in a local health department serving a county of 830,000.
• gain an understanding of a community model in development to strategically deal with the potential public health implications of oil depletion in a medium-sized city in the United States.
• gain an understanding of a communication plan for the population of a medium-sized city in the United States to prepare for the peak oil crisis.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation