On April 29, 2017, seven tornadoes ripped through Van Zandt County in Northeast Texas, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage, and 4 fatalities. Two of the seven tornadoes were found to have caused the most damage and were rated an EF-3 and EF-4. The areas that were affected the most were immediately to the East and immediately to the West of Canton, Texas.  

 

In response to the devastating tornados, the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association and the University of North Texas's School of Public Health assembled a Planers4Health team to focus on disaster recovery, in Van Zandt County, from a Social Determinants of Health perspective.

 

The Planners4Health Project is an extension of the American Planning Association's Plan4Health initiative. The American Planning Association, in partnership with the American Public Health Association, and many others, was allotted a grant, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to address the healthy living standings in our nation's communities. 

 

The Planners4Health team aims to create a disaster preparedness and recovery tool kit for small and rural communities through the lens of public health and planning, by hosting a community roundtable for Van Zandt County residents and officials to discuss the tool kit, and most importantly raise donations for the residents affected by the tornados in Van Zandt County, Texas. 

 

The Planners4Health team hopes this project sheds light on the necessity to create an emergency preparedness and recovery plan so small and rural communities can better prepare for disasters in their own areas.