Animals star in 2019 Get Ready calendar
When it comes to disaster preparedness, few things are as adorable as a fuzzy little dog in pink booties and a raincoat. That was the consensus of judges who chose the winning cover photo for APHA’s newest Get Ready calendar.
Themed “Preparedness furrrr all!” the 2019 calendar includes more than a dozen photos of animals — from dogs and cats to gorillas and birds — and witty captions to help Americans prepare for disasters. The calendar also includes practical advice as a year-round reminder of the importance of being prepared for disasters and emergencies, from snow storms to heat waves.
APHA’s 2019 Get Ready Calendar, available online now, features photos of animals and shares preparedness information.
For the eighth round of the Get Ready campaign’s photo contest, participants were asked to submit pictures of animals acting like people. APHA members, public health supporters and friends responded, sharing more than 200 photos of animals wearing clothes, sitting in driver’s seats, lounging in bathtubs, hanging out near computers and in other fun poses.
“Preparedness is a serious subject, but the way we share information on it doesn’t have to be,” Susan Polan, PhD, APHA’s associate executive director for public affairs and advocacy, who leads the Get Ready campaign, told The Nation’s Health. “A lighthearted, fun approach can get people to be more receptive to preparedness messages.”
Launched in 2006, APHA’s Get Ready campaign helps Americans prepare themselves, their families and their communities for all disasters and hazards, infectious diseases, natural disasters and other emergencies. The campaign offers free fact sheets, infographics, social media images and more.
To download the free calendar and access other Get Ready resources, visit www.aphagetready.org.
New health equity fact sheets available
APHA has created three new fact sheets to help public health professionals advance health equity.
Available now on the APHA website, the fact sheets spell out the consequences of health inequities, share key principles for advancing equity and showcase the link between social determinants of health and equity. They also share information on environmental justice and educational equity, providing facts and findings that health professionals can use in their communities and with policymakers.
The fact sheets join other APHA resources on health equity, including issue briefs, reports and a climate change guide for health departments.
APHA’s mission is to improve the health of the public and achieve equity in health status, noted Tia Taylor Williams, MPH, MS, director of APHA’s Center for Public Health Policy and Center for School, Health and Education. As such, the Association provides tools to help ensure that everyone has an opportunity to attain their highest level of health.
“For the U.S. to become the healthiest nation, we must advance equity,” Taylor Williams told The Nation’s Health.
For more, visit www.apha.org/health-equity.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association