Download Public Health and Communications

Public Health
and
Communications
The Implications and Amateur Radio
W. Stanley (Stan) Edwards, PhD, CEM – Master Manager
Background


Made a first responder agency by
Presidential Homeland Security Directive
Funding for emergency preparedness
– Lead agency for bioterrorism response
– Support agency for weapons of mass destruction
response - lead in some response scenarios

Funding for all hazards response
– Lead agency for disease outbreak responses
Funding and Guidance
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


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) for general emergency preparedness
Health and Human Services for hospital
preparedness and hospital support
Strategic National Stockpile/Cities Readiness
Initiative for special pharmaceutical and
medical supplies
Special funding through disease specific
grants, e.g. pandemic influenza
What is expected of
Public Health?




Planning
Stockpiling of basic emergency supplies
Training
Implementation of Homeland Security
Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
– Exercising
– After Action Reporting
– Corrective Action Plans and execution
Communications


Significant internal assets based on
commercial services and public safety
related systems
CDC levied requirement that
communications be available that can
provide acknowledgement within 5minutes in the absence of any
commercial services
Issues
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

Most Public Health Districts have 10 or
more counties
Integrated public safety systems are
not designed to provide the level of
coverage needed
Cost of internal dedicated system
would be prohibitive
Options
 Develop
internal
communications network
 Utilize Amateur Radio
communications
Amateur Radio Concerns



Limited availability in some counties
Lack of formal agreement(s)
Lack of plans that can be exercised/
evaluated/refined
– CDC will not consider viable any
resources without MOUs and plans
– Unless capability is demonstrated, not
considered a viable option
What can ARES do?
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
In counties where there are health
district offices, designate someone to
work with Public Health and other
counties’ ARES groups within the
health district
Develop MOUs with county Emergency
Management Agencies and health
districts
What can ARES do?


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Develop communications plans
working with health district emergency
preparedness staff
Periodically exercise communications
plans in conjunction with health
district exercises
Adopt Homeland Security Exercise and
Evaluation Program (HSEEP) concept
What can ARES do?

Become a full fledged first responder
asset by adopting the emergency
management concepts now required
of the emergency response community
Questions
Georgia Public Health
Exercise Program 2009
Ed Rollor
Institute for Health Management
and Mass Destruction Defense
University of Georgia
Exercise Participants
Georgia Public Health
University of Georgia
Georgia Hospital Association
4 Hospital Regions per year
Role of University of Georgia
in 2009
Coordination
A) Prepare 4 Hospital Homeland Security
Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
compliant Exercises
B) Four Tabletop and 4 Full Scale Exercises at
regions centered on Savannah, Rome,
Columbus, and Milledgeville areas in 2009
Regional and District
Coordination?
Georgia
Georgia
ARES
ARES
Exercises will test various
Joint Commission standards
Conducts Hazard Vulnerability Analysis to identify potential
emergencies
Prepares Emergency Operations Plan
Prepares Communications Plan
Manages Resources and Assets
Manages Safety and Security
Staff responsibilities for effective patient care
Utilities management ensuring ongoing hospital operations
Patient management to protect life and prevent disability
Volunteer Licensed Independent Practitioner Management when
EOP activated and unable to meet patient needs
Volunteer Practitioner Management (unlicensed)
Role of Communications

As ever, communications is THE KEY
– No communications = total confusion
– Inability to coordinate patient transfers
– Inability to coordinate available resources
– Inability to execute shared agreements
Role of Communications
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In a really bad disaster, Amateur
Radio may be all Public Health and the
Hospitals have
Need to test the ARES and RACES
integration with hospitals and
vulnerable & special needs populations
Traditionally most hospitals have not
worked closely with Amateur Radio
and their EMAs
Challenges for ARES and
RACES
• Equipment Issues
 Transceivers
 Antennas
 Repeaters
• Planning
 Frequencies
 MOUs
between repeater operators and
Hospitals and Public Health
Where to start?
Communications between
Groups
Little experience working together means:
– Lack of trust
– Lack of awareness of capabilities and limitations
Golden rule in disaster operations is to meet and
know the people you will work with BEFORE the
disaster strikes
PARTICIPATION is the key to building trust and
educating the players
Participate in table top and full scale exercises in
your region
2009 Hospital Exercise Schedule
Region
C
H
H
J
I
C
D
Exercise
Infectious Disease
Outbreak
Communication
Tornado/Evacuation
Hurricane/Evacuation
TBA
Infectious Disease
Outbreak
Type
TTX
Date
Jan. 26
Drill
FSE
TTX
TTX
FSE
Jan. 27
Feb. 3
Feb. 10
March 15
March 28
Chempack
FSE
April 2009
Questions