About Emergency Preparedness
It’s time to change the way California thinks about disaster response. The COVID-19 pandemic showed that hospitals can quickly mobilize to provide flexible approaches to patient care during a disaster. The state must draw upon these lessons to prepare differently so the next crisis will be less severe. Given California’s size and complexity, the health care disaster response system of the future must be nimble enough to respond to any catastrophe. View more information on hospital disaster preparedness.
Cost-Effective Disaster Exercises
2023 Disaster Conference
In this presentation, participants will learn how to lead cost efficient disaster exercises and incident responses within thematic approaches within the following scenarios: mass decontamination, active shooter, bomb threat and labor action scenarios, and will receive ready-made templates for exercise development.
CHA Releases Resource Web Page for Nationwide IV Fluid Shortage
What are the six critical areas of emergency response according to The Joint Commission (TJC)?
Communication (EM.02.02.01) Resources and assets (EM.02.02.03) Safety and security (EM.02.02.05) Staff responsibilities (EM.02.02.07) Utilities management (EM.02.02.09) Patient clinical and support activities (EM.02.02.11)
What activities are required to evaluate a facility’s response to an event e.g., debriefings, evaluation and improvement plans?
The Joint Commission in EM.03.01.03 requires the deficiencies and opportunities for improvement, identified in the evaluation of all emergency response exercises be communicated to the improvement team responsible for monitoring environment of care issues. NFPA 1600 requires that procedures shall be established to take corrective action on any deficiency identified.
What is a Hazard Vulnerability Analysis?
Hospitals are required to conduct and review their Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA) annually. The HVA is a systematic approach to identifying hazards that may affect demand for the hospitals services or its ability to provide those services. The risks associated with each hazard are analyzed to prioritize planning, mitigation, response and recovery activities. The HVA serves as a needs assessment for the Emergency Management program. This process should involve community partners and be communicated to community emergency response agencies.
How should a hospital’s Emergency Management Program (EMP) relate to plans made by other entities in their community?
Effective emergency management requires planning, cooperation, training and exercising with the entire community. Collaboration should start at the planning phase and continue throughout the entire Emergency Management Program development and implementation.
How can a hospital demonstrate participation in community wide disaster planning?
Local public health departments, local emergency medical services agencies (LEMSA) and the Department of Homeland Security, are all working together to test readiness for various scenarios. Hospitals should participate in the planning for these events as well as working with the Hazard Vulnerability Analysis for each hospital to coordinate community participation with the specific needs of the hospital.
What is all-hazard planning?
Many hospitals used to develop specific plans for a variety of disaster and emergency situations. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now requires that hospitals use an emergency management system that is comprehensive, risk based, and all-hazard in nature.
What is “Redundant Communication”?
Redundant communication refers to having multiple back-up communication modalities and is imperative in emergency preparedness planning. Past experience demonstrates that hospitals cannot depend on just one or two means for communication.
What is the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS), Wireless Priority Service (WPS) and Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) and why should hospitals be enrolled?
Hospitals may benefit substantially in achieving landline and cell communications and restoring communications after a disruption in service with and without a declared disaster.