Be a Germ Stopper Poster - Boy version, An excellent poster for school-aged children that depicts a germ-stopping action figure and contains basic information on how and when to wash your hands and cover your cough. Additional versions in Chinese, French, Hmong, Khmer, Laotian, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese (CDC)

Be a Germ Stopper Poster - Girl version, An excellent poster for school-aged children that depicts a germ-stopping action figure and contains basic information on how and when to wash your hands and cover your cough. Additional versions in Chinese, French, Hmong, Khmer, Laotian, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese (CDC)

Germ Free Zone Poster - A very simple, three-picture poster highlighting the best ways to stop the spread of germs: Cover your cough and wash your hands. (California Department of Health Services, Division of Communicable Disease Control)

Good Health is in your Hands Poster - This poster reminds children to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. Also available in Spanish (LACDPH)

Healthy Habits Poster - This poster speaks to an adult audience (most likely school administrators and staff) about the importance of good hygiene in a school setting. It also contains an interesting chart entitled "Cleaning Hands Keeps Students in School," which shows that over time, students who use proper hand hygiene miss fewer school days than those who do not. Additional versions available in Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese. (CDC)

Keep Our School Healthy Poster - A simple poster that lists the symptoms of flu-like illness and instructs teachers to send students with these symptoms home immediately. (California Department of Health Services, Division of Communicable Disease Control)

Limit the Spread of Germs Poster - A cartoon-like poster of a person sneezing entitled "Limit the Spread of Germs that could make you and Others Sick." (Adapted from Santa Clara County Public Health Department)

The Six Steps of Hand Washing Poster - This poster if part of the NSF's "Scrub Club" series and depicts a six-stage description on how to effectively wash your hands. The poster is colorful and depicts all of the characters from previous Scrub Club lessons practicing good hygiene. (NSF International)

Wash Your Hands Poster A - A simple yet eye-catching poster that can be displayed in bathrooms and includes six translations of the phrase "Wash your Hands." (California Department of Public Health)

Wash Your Hands Poster B - (Adapted from Santa Clara County Public Health Department) An illustrative step-by-step poster on how and when to wash your hands; instructs kids to sing the ABC"s while washing their hands.

An Ounce of Prevention Keeps the Germs Away Flyer - This eight-page brochure from the CDC is an excellent healthy habits resource. It is colorful, easy to understand and dense with great information about hand washing, disinfecting surfaces and immunizations. (CDC)

Be a Germ Stopper Flyer - Boy version, An excellent flyer for school-aged children that depicts a germ-stopping action figure and contains basic information on how and when to wash your hands and cover your cough. Additional versions in Chinese, French, Hmong, Khmer, Laotian, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese (CDC)

Be a Germ Stopper Flyer - Girl version, An excellent flyer for school-aged children that depicts a germ-stopping action figure and contains basic information on how and when to wash your hands and cover your cough. Additional versions in Chinese, French, Hmong, Khmer, Laotian, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese (CDC)

Clean Hands Save Lives! - Flyer developed by the CDC describing the importance of handwashing in preventing the spread of disease. The flyer also lists examples of activities that can leave germs on hands and therefore require handwashing after they are completed. (CDC)

FAQ on H1N1 (LACDPH) - Frequently Asked Question sheet on H1N1 and healthy habits. (LACDPH)

Good Health is in your Hands Flyer - This flyer reminds children to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. Also available in Spanish. (LACDPH)

H1N1 FAQ (LACDPH) - This FAQ contains plenty of excellent information about commonly asked questions regarding H1N1. It will also provide you with key prevention tips, as well as what flu-like symptoms to look for, and who to contact for help.

H1N1 Frequently Asked Questions - This FAQ document contains excellent information about commonly asked questions regarding H1N1. It will also provide you with key prevention tips, as well as what flu-like symptoms to look for, and who to contact for help. (LACDPH)

Healthcare Provider Guidance for H1N1 (LACDPH) - This three page resource is an interim guidance for healthcare providers treating patients concerned about novel influenza H1N1. It will give you a background on the cases found in Los Angeles County, recommendations on what to do if symptoms occur, as well as reinforce basic standard precautions, and healthy habits.

Healthy Habits Supplement to Parent Letter - This flyer contains excellent preparedness tips for parents in a brief and color-filled handout that is also optimized for black/white printing. This supplement should accompany every letter sent to parents as it provides excellent public health information that will help reduce the spread of disease before or during any kind of public health emergency. Also available in Spanish.

Home Care Guidance H1N1 (LACDPH) - A brief three page resource on what you and your family should do when flu like symptoms occur. The precautions recommended for seasonal flu apply to Swine-Origin Influenza H1N1, wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home if you are sick.

LACDPH School Closure Policy (LACDPH) - A brief summary on LACDPH School Closure Policy regarding H1N1 (previously called Swine Flu). LACDPH is not recommending closure of schools as a primary response to the new flu H1N1, read for further guidance and recommendations.

Reason Enough to Get Vaccinated! - This flyer stresses the importance of getting vaccinated agains the flu by citing the fact that on average, flu causes 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year. (CDC)

Safer, Healthier Homes Flyer - An Ounce of Prevention Keeps the Germs Away. A flyer with many good health tips to prevent the spread of infectious diseases from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Infectious Diseases. This flyer can be used in any capacity as a preventative measure for any public health emergency. (CDC)

Schools and Flu: Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ document that addresses school-related pandemic H1N1 issues including guidance on when ill students should return to school, warning signs for seeking medical attention, the use of antivirals, as well as information on vaccination against influenza. (LACDPH)

Talk with your Kids about H1N1 (CDC) - Advice for parents talking to their children about novel H1N1 Flu. You will read about helpful tips to teach your children to prevent H1N1 (formerly Swine Flu).

Wash your Hands Flyer - Spanish - This flyer reminds people to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap. Would be suitable to post in restrooms, kitchen"s and locker rooms. This flyer is mostly in Spanish, but it does contain the phrase "Wash your Hands" in over 10 languages at the bottom. (LACDPH)

While We Can't Predict... WE CAN PREPARE! - This flyer from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health contains several tips for staying healthy and preparing for emergencies. While the flyer focuses on flu, it contains excellent preparedness information for many types of emergencies. Additional versions available in Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, Khmer, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese. (LACDPH)

Disaster Service Worker PowerPoint Presentation - (Adapted from Santa Clara County Public Health Department) This presentation informs school employees of their responsibilities as a disaster service worker during a time of emergency. This presentation is simple in nature and could be given by an administrator or fellow staff member.

Health Tips for Parents PowerPoint Presentation - (Adapted from Santa Clara County Public Health Department) This presentation provides parents of school children with some important tips on preventing the spread of germs at home, social distancing procedures and supplies to have on hand in the event of an emergency. This presentation is simple in nature and could be given by an administrator or parent at a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meeting.

Health Tips for Staff PowerPoint Presentation - (Adapted from Santa Clara County Public Health Department) This presentation provides school staff members with some important tips on preventing the spread of germs at home and in the classroom, social distancing procedures, and supplies to have on hand in the event of an emergency. This presentation is simple in nature and could be given by an administrator or fellow staff member.

Understanding the Incident Command System (ICS) for Schools & Districts - (Adapted from Borden/Lee Consulting) This Presentation provides an overview of the ICS and the basic ICS structure in plain easy-to-follow language. Specifically adapted for schools, this presentation can be used by individuals for self education or easily presented by school staff and administrators during in-service days or as part of a larger staff education campaign. The use of ICS/SEMS/NIMS are mandated for schools in California.

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Courses - (Emergency Management Institute FEMA Independent Study Program)  This link takes you to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Independent Study Program website. At the site, you can take a number of excellent courses online for free, including several courses related to education providers, such as Introduction to the Incident Command System for Schools and Introduction to the Incident Command System for Higher Education.

School Site Emergency Management Organization Chart - This Organization Chart is based on the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS)/National Incident Management System (NIMS), and adapted for LACOE use. The Principal and School Safety Planning Committee should use discretion in making further modifications to address specific needs of the school. The first name in the box represents the primary responsible person whereas the second name denotes the backup.

Continuity of Operations - (COOP) An explanation on how to use the Continuity of Service Plan Template, Back-Up for Critical Functions form. This handout provides a detailed, step-by-step account of how to fill out the form and even contains an example plan for guidance.

Continuity of Operations Plan for Schools - (Los Angeles County) A template COOP plan that allows schools to generate their own plan based on their own critical functions and capabilities. To ensure adequate preparation for any type of public health emergency, all schools should complete a COOP plan and practice constant testing and revision.

Continuity of Service Plan Template, Back-Up for Critical Functions - This one page chart provides the template for a school"s continuity of service plan back up for critical functions.

Emergency Preparedness Continuity of Instruction Resources - (LACOE) This comprehensive resource from the Los Angeles County Office of Education provides guidelines to help schools during a possible pandemic or public health emergency. Contents include planning guidelines, possible scenarios, independent study options (as they relate to distance learning) and information about district and school communication systems.

Gel-Mo on the Go Storybook - (NSF International) A colorful and fun four-page book that can be distributed by teachers to instruct pre-K - grade 3 children about how to properly wash their hands. Part of the NSF"s "Scrub Club" series, this story follows Gel-Mo through a series of adventures in "Scrubville."

Good Health is in your Hands Coloring Sheet - (LACDPH) This two page coloring sheet contains health information for children in both English and Spanish and allows them to color in pictures of students practicing good health practices.

Scrub Club Coloring Book - (NSF International) An eleven-page coloring book for pre-K and elementary school children with pictures of Scrub Club characters and their germ-fighting practices.

Scrub Club Teacher"s Guide - (NSF International) An excellent ten-page reference guide for teachers on how to teach children from Kindergarten through third grade about how to practice good hygiene. The guide introduces teachers to the cast of "Scrub Club" characters and provides lesson plans for classroom discussions and activities. More information can be found at www.scrubclub.org.

These materials provide visual support and sequencing for a variety of healthy habits and skills. They help to teach routines that can be used with special education as well as general education students. The routines are user friendly and can be used by both parents and teachers. - (Developed exclusively for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health by Jennifer Werner, M.A., CCC-SLP, Teresa Rodriguez (Illustrator), Widget Digital, and Medweb. Inspired, in part, by Carol Gray, The Gray Center.)

Washing Hands for 20 Seconds Skill Routine

Staying Healthy at School Skill Routine

Using Hand Gel Skill Routine

Hand Washing Song

Skill Routine Instructions - Printable instructions on how to use the routines.

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Special Needs Emergency Information Form - This Emergency Information form from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health should be completed by the family of every special needs student. Having these forms on hand will help schools in planning for and responding to an influenza pandemic or other public health emergency. (LACDPH)

Order Form for Special Populations Resources - This request form from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health"s Emergency Preparedness Campaign allows schools to order a variety or brochures and guides in over 10 languages. Topics of the resources include emergency preparedness for people with disabilities, family emergency supply kits and emergency information forms for students with special needs. (LACDPH)

Working with Students with Disabilities in a Disaster - This excellent PowerPoint presentation from the Safe Schools Center at the Los Angeles County Office of Education provides a very detailed summary of the challenges that arise in schools when working with students with disabilities in a disaster. (LACOE)

Special Populations References - A list of websites with a variety of resources to serve special populations.

The Ready Moms Alliance Toolkit - (Public Health Preparedness Summit - Atlanta, GA) This toolkit includes brochures, posters, a complete list for a 2-week stockpile of food for a family of 4, lists and display signs for non-food preparedness items, explanatory notes and supporting handouts. All items are formatted and printer-ready.

Personalized Preparedness Letter - This letter has been designed to address the readiness of the Los Angeles County Office of Education to mitigate (prevent), prepare for, respond to, and recover from a pandemic or other public health emergency. It provides a step-by-step guide to assist you in personalizing a letter for your school/school district, and ensures you have the appropriate supporting materials. The content of these letters and the supporting materials have been approved by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Customized letters are available in English and Spanish

Personalized Response Letter - The response letter articulates the same health habits suggested in the preparedness letter, but should be utilized as a response to a particular disease threat or due to heightened media attention surrounding a particular disease. The health information found in this letter and the supporting materials have been approved by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. In addition, this link provides a step-by-step guide to assist you in personalizing the letter for your school/school district, and ensures you have the appropriate supporting materials. The response letter is an excellent resource for schools and one that will help quickly disseminate the correct information to parents in the event of a disease outbreak or other public health emergency.Customized letters are available in English and Spanish

H1N1 Guidance Letters for Camp Administrators (LACDPH) - The purpose of this letter is to clarify the current Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's (LACDPH) policy on reporting and investigating flu-like illnesses occurring at camps in Los Angeles County.

Exercise Design Tutorial - (Adapted from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program) This brief PowerPoint presentation walks those tasked with designing or conducting an exercise through the basic planning steps, provides descriptions of the suggested exercise materials and tips on conducting a successful and well-received exercise or seminar.

Exercise Materials - The Ready-To-Go Exercise provides exercise materials utilized during the Schools" Pandemic Influenza and Public Health Emergency Exercise Program 2008, sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The resources included in this section can be used as templates to conduct follow-on exercises and seminars. It should be noted that these are the actual files used during the conduct of the Los Angeles County Office of Education Local District Tabletop Exercise Series. As plans, policies and procedures tend to evolve over the course of an exercise program or time, information should be verified prior to use or reference.

Public Health Centers and Nursing Contact Information (LACDPH) - This flyer is the most important resource for schools in determining how and when to report communicable diseases. Also includes contact phone numbers for each school district to contact in the case of a public health emergency.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Disease Reporting List (LACDPH) - List of reportable diseases for schools as of January 2008. Also included is the link to which diseases should be reported: http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/Cdrs.htm

Acute Communicable Disease Control Program Brochure (ACDC, LACDPH) - This brochure for the Acute Communicable Disease Control (ACDC), LACDPH includes information on why, how and when schools are supposed to report communicable diseases. It also provides contact phone numbers and websites to reference for more information.

Public Health Newsletter Reporting Issue (LACDPH) - The Public's Health is a monthly newsletter, provided free of charge and available on-line, designed for medical professionals in Los Angeles County. The newsletter provides a wide array of health-related information including updates on disease events, outbreaks, and health issues specific to the residents of our county. Every year, the January issue focuses solely on disease reporting issues and provides a comprehensive summary of contact Los Angeles County Department of Public Health contact information.

H1N1 (Swine Flu) Guidance Letter for LA County School Administrators - This letter, recently updated on 8/28/09, seeks to clarify the current Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) policy on reporting and investigating all flu-like illnesses on K-12 campuses in the Los Angeles area. (LACDPH)

Public Health Emergency Annex to Safe School Plans (LACDPH) - This Annex was designed to be completed as part of Safe School planning efforts. The purpose of this annex is to provide a functional tool for LA County school administrators and staff to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from a public health emergency. Available in PDF and Microsoft Word.

Basic Colds and Flu-Like Illness

Chickenpox (Varicella)

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Coxsackievirus (Especially Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease)

Fifth Disease

Fungal Infections (Including Athletes Foot and Ringworm)

Generic Food-Borne Illness

Head Lice (Pediculosis)

Impetigo (Community Associated Staphylococcal)

Influenza (Flu)

Meningitis

MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus)

Norovirus

Pandemic Influenza

Scarlet Fever / Strep Throat

Whooping Cough (Pertussis)