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.
What Are Memoranda of Understanding?
Hospitals should consider memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with organizations that can supplement their resources and services during emergencies and disasters. MOUs are established between hospitals, other health care providers, and/or emergency response agencies to collaborate, communicate, respond, and support one another during a disaster or other public health emergency. Understandings regarding the incident command structure, patient and resource management, processes and policies in place for requesting and sharing of staff, equipment and consumable resources, as well as payment, are generally addressed in a local mutual aid MOU.
Analysis Tool: Hazard Vulnerability
Kaiser Permanente has developed a Hazard Vulnerability Analysis tool and instruction sheet. This resource is available as a planning tool only; if sharing publicly, please credit Kaiser Permanente. This tool is not intended for commercial use.
Other Training Resources
The following resources are shared to support hospitals in enhancing their crisis preparedness and response capabilities. These tools focus on fostering effective collaboration between hospitals and emergency management agencies to support a coordinated responses during disasters. They also include training resources to help hospital staff gain specialized knowledge on protocols to ensure staff are equipped to handle various crisis scenarios.
FEMA Training
The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides a range of training and preparedness resources that can significantly enhance hospitals’ emergency response capabilities. These include specialized courses for health care professionals to provide essential knowledge and skills for managing various emergency situations. Additionally, FEMA’s exercise and evaluation programs enable hospitals to develop and assess their emergency plans […]
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) offers a structured, proactive approach for different government departments, agencies, non-governmental organizations, and businesses to collaborate effectively.
Course: Concepts & Principles of the National Response Framework
The IS-800 course is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website. The course introduces participants to the concepts and principles of the National Response Framework.
Kaiser FEMA ICS 100, ICS 200 and ICS 700 Course
Mandated Training on the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System for Hospitals and Health Care Systems
ICS Web Training Course (ICS-100, ICS-200 & IS-700)
The Hospital Preparedness Program requires hospitals that receive grant funding to train their leadership in the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System. This training is required for hospital emergency program managers and for personnel who are likely to assume an incident command position as described in the hospital’s emergency management plan.
Active Shooter Event Response: Interactive Tabletop Exercise
Developed by UC San Diego Health System, this interactive tabletop exercise aims to enhance hospital preparedness for potential active shooter incidents. The exercise engages participants in a realistic scenario that promotes strategic discussions and decision-making regarding roles, communication strategies, and response protocols. Outcomes include building collaboration among various departments, highlighting the importance of coordinated responses […]
AHRQ Tool for Evaluating Core Elements of Hospital Drills
Hospitals must be prepared to respond to public health emergencies that may create a sudden demand on services. Disaster drills allow hospitals to test response capabilities to these emergencies in real time.
Hospital Drill & Exercise Requirements
Hospitals are required to conduct drills and exercises for accreditation and/or grant requirement(s).