Hospital Disaster Preparedness

Access & Functional Needs (AFN)

In 2008, California established the Office of Access and Functional Needs (OAFN) within the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. This collection of CalOES online resources identify the needs of individuals with disabilities and others with access or functional needs before, during, and after disasters and to integrate them into the State’s emergency management systems.

Access and Functional Needs: Hospital Disaster Guidebook

Shared by Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, this reference aims to assist hospital emergency managers prepare, plan and conduct exercises and training with local Access and Functional Needs (AFN) communities. Funded through a grant from the California Community Foundation, the tool was developed for use by emergency management professionals in the health care industry.

Preparing Hospitals for Chemical Emergencies

2022 Disaster Conference

Chemical emergencies can happen at any time at health care facilities. The impact may not only be to the facility, but to patients, staff, and the surrounding community. To assist hospitals, ASPR/TRACIE has developed a “Chemical Emergency Considerations for Health Care Facilities” resource to assist in preparing and responding to chemical emergencies.

Hospital Guidebook for Access and Functional Needs in a Disaster

2022 Disaster Conference

The growing population of older adults in the United States with complex medical conditions are typically the most severely impacted by large-scale weather and climate disasters. A health care systems’ ability to leverage technology and optimize limited resources during an emergency is universal. Join us to learn how the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) established the Vulnerable Patient Care, Access, and Response in Emergencies (VP CARE) Program to provide standardized data tools and guidance to assist medical facilities with conducting outreach and care coordination to vulnerable Veteran populations during major emergencies

Outreach to Vulnerable Patients in Emergencies

2023 Disaster Conference

The growing population of older adults in the United States with complex medical conditions are typically the most severely impacted by large-scale weather and climate disasters. A health care systems’ ability to leverage technology and optimize limited resources during an emergency is universal. Join us to learn how the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) established the Vulnerable Patient Care, Access, and Response in Emergencies (VP CARE) Program to provide standardized data tools and guidance to assist medical facilities with conducting outreach and care coordination to vulnerable Veteran populations during major emergencies

Managing Pediatric Winter Viral Surges

2023 Disaster Conference

The Children’s Hospital of Orange County reviewed strategies for managing the pediatric winter viral surge, including implementing surge plans and decompression measures, to optimize patient flow. This presentation addresses best practices and lessons learned with the goal of equipping hospitals to be prepared to meet the inevitable pediatric winter viral surge.

Vulnerable Populations: Overview

Hospitals play a critical role in safeguarding the health and safety of all individuals during disaster events, particularly those from vulnerable populations. These groups—such as the elderly, children, individuals with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness, and non-English speakers—often face unique challenges during crises, making tailored disaster planning essential.

Reporting Suspicious Activities for Hospitals

The California State Threat Assessment System is an all-hazards information sharing partnership of Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies to connect suspicious activity reporting for potential terrorism or security issues. This partnership connects law enforcement through a network of interconnected Regional Threat Assessment Centers (RTACs) in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento.