Using the State Health Preparedness Infrastructure for Internal Disasters

1. Using the State Health Preparedness Infrastructure for Internal Disasters Lou Saadi, Ph.D. Kansas Innovations NAPHSIS Annual Meeting, 2011 New Orleans, Louisiana

2. It all started when KDHE experienced a computer meltdown • August 5, 2010, none of our computers communicated with the outside world • A disaster was declared for vital records when it was determined the public could not be served---at all • KDHE/VS established an incident command structure. The health preparedness program assisted us during the crisis.

3. Kansas’ Center for Health Preparedness provided assistance • Logistics personnel were assigned to help locate and secure any and all equipment, transportation and other needs for the crisis • Operations manager acquired secure transport of all original records needed • Volunteers were mobilized to staff a phone bank to answer and triage irate phone callers—this helped OVS staff reserve emotions and stress of the disaster

4. Kansas’ Center for Health Preparedness provided assistance • Communications expertise to create messaging for the public • Planning staff captured summary information and crafted all after action reports and improvement plan documents • Phone bank development

5. Reporting capacity • Situation reports, help with external communications, after-action reports and statistics of process and outcome measures • COOP planning • Logistical planning for COOP needs—go Kits, special equipment, documentation of needs.

6. Phone bank process • Phone stations established in the Disaster Operations Center (Mini command center) • Volunteers were acquired from agency—Just in time training for standard messaging and crisis calls—52 volunteers for 11 days with 250 person hours—146 calls taken and managed • Possible expedited handling for high profile/high priority needs. These requests were sent to OVS. • Uncontrollable customers handed off to a supervisor who may have handed the person the director or deputy director of health. Even leadership participated.

7. Phone bank pros –not too many cons • At first, there was this belief that we could handle everything and didn’t need intrusion from “outsiders” • Sometime misinformation was given to the public but not frequently • Significantly relieved the staff from burdensome calls to focus on the work at hand

8. Phone bank pros –not too many cons • Core group of people now trained in the agency to help in any future events • DOH management and KDHE leadership participated—excellent teachable moment • All leadership learned how difficult jobs were in OVS—dealing with the public—this appreciation has helped us now as layoff and state employee staff reductions are being considered

9. Take advantage---Don’t deal with it alone • Preparedness program principles can help all of us with disaster planning and preparation—good foundation from which to turn in need • They can be a source of non-emotional, objective personnel that can help keep heads level in a crisis • Can mobilize volunteers from other parts of your agency in the event of a crisis • Has access to law enforcement and security personnel

10. BACK UP BACK UP BACK UP • Think hard about what you need to access your records and find them—copy these and put them in your go-Kit More to be shared at the 1:30 plenary and round table Thank You!