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Public Health and Communications

Explore the implications of using Amateur Radio for public health communications, including challenges, benefits, and integration with hospitals. Develop MOUs, communication plans, and exercise them to ensure effective coordination during emergencies.

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Public Health and Communications

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  1. Public HealthandCommunications The Implications and Amateur Radio W. Stanley (Stan) Edwards, PhD, CEM – Master Manager

  2. 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

  3. Funding and Guidance • 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

  4. 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

  5. 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 5-minutes in the absence of any commercial services

  6. Issues • 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

  7. Options • Develop internal communications network • Utilize Amateur Radio communications

  8. 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

  9. What can ARES do? • 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

  10. What can ARES do? • 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

  11. What can ARES do? • Become a full fledged first responder asset by adopting the emergency management concepts now required of the emergency response community

  12. Questions

  13. Georgia Public Health Exercise Program 2009 Ed Rollor Institute for Health Management and Mass Destruction Defense University of Georgia

  14. Exercise Participants Georgia Public Health University of Georgia Georgia Hospital Association 4 Hospital Regions per year

  15. Role of University of Georgiain 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

  16. Georgia ARES Georgia ARES Regional and District Coordination?

  17. 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)

  18. 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

  19. Role of Communications • 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

  20. Challenges for ARES and RACES • Equipment Issues • Transceivers • Antennas • Repeaters • Planning • Frequencies • MOUs between repeater operators and Hospitals and Public Health

  21. Where to start?

  22. 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

  23. 2009 Hospital Exercise Schedule

  24. Questions

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