Montana Last In Emergency Preparedness

Montana is known as the "Last Best Place," but according to a recent report by Trust For America's Health, when it comes to level of readiness for a disease outbreak, natural disaster or other unexpected event, Montana is just "Last Place."

Montana, along with Iowa, ranked lowest of all 50 states when it comes to health emergency preparedness.

"We try to look at this as constructive feedback and try to benefit from the report," said Jim Murphy, Communicable Disease Control Bureau chief for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

The goal of the report is to help states determine their level of readiness for a disease outbreak, natural disaster or other unexpected event.

There are areas in which Murphy acknowledges the state needs improvement, and other areas where he said he is "comfortable."

Montana received five of 10 possible points in a state-by-state analysis. It is the second consecutive year that Montana has brought up the rear in the annual "Ready or Not? Protecting the Public from Diseases, Disasters, and Bio-terrorism" report. The report was released Tuesday by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

via Montana last in the U.S. in terms of emergency preparedness. - Billings Gazette