The Cambridge Public Health Department, as the host agent for Region 4b, acts as the fiscal and administrative agent for Region 4b as well as coordinating planning and response activities for the region. WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS REGION 4B? Unlike most states, Massachusetts does not deliver public health services through county governments. Instead, local health agencies are lar
gely responsible for protecting their own communities from infectious disease outbreaks, environmental hazards, and even terrorism. Recognizing that many communities lacked the staff and resources to respond to major disasters, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) divided the state into seven emergency preparedness regions in 2003 to strengthen local public health infrastructure. Each region currently receives federal funding from MDPH through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 2000, the communities of Emergency Preparedness Region 4b have worked together to enhance their collective capacity to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. Region 4b is committed to working collaboratively across municipal boundaries and disciplines to become better prepared through emergency preparedness planning, plan development, ongoing workforce education and training and multidisciplinary exercises.
