Health District to conduct neighborhood CASPER survey, Nov. 2-3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 22, 2018

LAS VEGAS – On Friday, Nov. 2 and Saturday, Nov. 3, teams from the Southern Nevada Health District will begin interviewing household members in Las Vegas about how extreme heat impacts them and their families. These neighborhood surveys are part of the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) technique to gather information to assist in emergency planning and response efforts. The goal of this CASPER survey is to understand how extreme heat affects Clark County residents and how local response agencies and Southern Nevadans can better prepare for such events. In 2017, the Health District reported 123 heat-related deaths among Clark County residents.

Survey team members will go door-to-door between noon and 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2 and between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3 in 25 ZIP Codes across the Las Vegas Valley. Additional information on the process is available at www.snhd.info/casper. Participation is voluntary, and the interviews are confidential. The team will not ask for names or other identifying information. The questions will be simple and will ask about how heat affects individual families and how households are preparing for an emergency.

Extreme heat can affect anyone, but certain people are more at risk, including those who are 65 years or older, young children, and people who work or exercise outdoors, live in low-income households, are experiencing homelessness, or have chronic medical conditions. Gaining a better understanding of the public’s knowledge, personal planning activities, and perceptions of the risks from extreme heat conditions will assist the Health District and partner response agencies in enhancing their response plans, educational materials, and outreach activities to better serve the needs of the public.

“Heat-related deaths are tragic and unnecessary. Conducting these surveys is an opportunity to hear directly from people who are impacted by these conditions and whose needs our plans are designed to meet,” said Dr. Joe Iser, Chief Health Officer. “This assessment also gives us an opportunity to find out how well our residents are prepared for other types of emergencies.”

The CASPER toolkit was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects/Health Studies Branch to assist federal, state, and local public health agencies in conducting a community needs assessment. The tools are designed to provide accurate and timely data for public health and emergency managers to help them prioritize their responses and make informed decisions regarding the distribution of resources in an emergency. For more information visit the CDC’s Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) page.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.