AUCH - Programs & Services - Emergency Preparedness

Community health centers in Utah provide essential primary and preventive health care to over 88,000 Utah residents. In their role as trusted community-based care providers, health centers can play an important role during emergencies and disasters by providing essential communications, assistance, and treatment to existing patients and other community members in need of assistance.

Although the defined roles of health centers are always evolving, some areas in which health centers have provided disaster services include:

	Outreach and communication to vulnerable populations;
	Triage and medical care for impacted populations;
	Assistance to other impacted health centers and populations;
	Serving as dispensing points (PODs) for emergency medication distribution;
	Providing space and resources to coordinated response efforts;
	Operating decontamination tents as needed; and
	Providing preparedness education to staff, patients, and the community.
	Health centers have a natural fit in working with vulnerable populations, those individuals who also happen to be disproportionately affected by disasters.

Health centers have begun to define specific roles and responsibilities based on the needs of the community in which they operate.

The following links provide resources for health center emergency planners and staff, and the general public, to learn about the agencies and efforts that are working to improve the preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery from large and small events that have or could impact communities.

For more information about health centers roles, or assistance with planning for the needs of the special and vulnerable populations, please contact Kevin McCulley, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at 801-716-4612.

Topic Areas
BPHC Guidance – Links to the Federal Guidance that describes the expectations of health centers in emergency management
National Level Agencies and Resources – Links to Federal Agencies and National Associations that have emergency planning and response roles
Utah State Level Resources – Links to Utah departments and agencies with emergency planning and response roles
Business Planning/Recovery Resources – Links to agencies that provide resources for businesses to prepare for and respond to disasters
Preparedness Planning Resources – Links to State PCA and other organizations that have preparedness resources
Clinical Resources – Links to resources to assist medical professionals in developing expertise in preparedness issues and volunteer opportunities
Legal Resources – Links to Utah legislation and other legal issues in disaster management
Pandemic Preparedness Resources – Links to National and Utah Pandemic Flu resources
Personal Preparedness Resources – Links to family and individual preparedness information
Vulnerable Population Preparedness Agencies and Resources – Links to agencies and reports that consider the needs of unique population groups

BPHC Guidance
Health Center Emergency Management PIN 2007-15 - http://bphc.hrsa.gov/policy/pin0715/
Health Center FTCA in Emergencies PIN 2007-16 - http://bphc.hrsa.gov/policy/pin0716/
PAL 2002-02 Health Centers in Emergencies - ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bphc/docs/2002pals/2002-02.pdf

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National Level Agencies and Resources
US Department of Health and Human Services - http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/
CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/
CDC Public Health Information Network - http://www.cdc.gov/phin/
US Department of Homeland Security - http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm
Federal Emergency Management Agency - http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials - http://www.astho.org/index.php?template=preparedness.html
DHHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response - http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/index.html
Environmental Protection Agency - http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/emeremergencypreparedness.html
HRSA ESAR VHP Program - http://www.hrsa.gov/esarvhp/
Medical Reserve Corps - http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/HomePage
American Red Cross - http://www.prepare.org/
National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) - http://www.nemaweb.org/index.cfm
National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) - http://www.nachc.com/disaster/default.asp
World Health Organization Pandemic Flu - http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/index.html
Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters - http://www.nvoad.org/
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - http://www.qualitytools.ahrq.gov/resources/emergency.aspx
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy - http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/
Emergency Management Assistance Compact - http://www.emacweb.org/

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Utah State Level Resources
UDOH Bioterrorism and Emergency Preparedness - http://health.utah.gov/bt/
Utah Notification and Information System - http://health.utah.gov/unis/
Utah Public Health Training Center - http://health.utah.gov/training/
U-Train - http://health.utah.gov/training/utrain.php
Pandemic Flu Information - http://www.pandemicflu.utah.gov/
Utah Healthcare Provider Pandemic Flu Information - http://www.pandemicflu.utah.gov/providers.htm
Be Ready Utah - http://beready.utah.gov/
Utah Bureau of Epidemiology - http://www.health.utah.gov/epi/
Utah Medical Reserve Corps Teams - http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/state.asp? State=52&GO.x=12&GO.y=7
Utah Community Response Teams (CERT) - http://cert.utah.gov/
Utah Department of Homeland Security - http://homelandsecurity.utah.gov/home/
Utah Emergency Management Association - http://www.uema.net/
Salt Lake Local Emergency Planning Committee - http://www.slclepc.net/
Utah Department of Homeland Security Training Schedule - http://homelandsecurity.utah.gov/training/schedule.htm
Utah DHS Hazards Program - http://homelandsecurity.utah.gov/nathaz/
Utah Association of Volunteer Emergency Response Teams - http://www.avertdisasters.org/
Salt Lake County Emergency Resources - http://www.homeland.slco.org/html/sitemap.html
Utah Special Needs Registry - http://www.specialneedsutah.org/

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Business Planning/Recovery Resources
Department of Homeland Security Ready Business - http://www.ready.gov/business/
Be Ready Utah Business - http://beready.utah.gov/business.html
Institute for Business & Home Safety: http://www.ibhs.org
Public Entity Risk Institute: http://www.riskinstitute.org
Utah Association of Contingency Planners - http://www.acputah.org/
Disaster Recovery Institute International - http://www.drii.org/DRII/index.htm
UDOH Pandemic Flu Business Resources - http://www.pandemicflu.utah.gov/buscom.htm
Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters - http://www.firstvictims.org/mission.html
US DHSS Business Planning Resources - http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/discussion/business/index.html
National Center for Crisis and Continuity Coordination - http://www.nc4.us/nc4/index.php
JACHO Preparedness Guide - http://www.jointcommission.org/NR/rdonlyres/FE29E7D3-22AA-4DEB-94B2-5E8D507F92D1/0/planning_guide.pdf

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Clinical Resources
HRSA ESAR VHP Program - http://www.hrsa.gov/esarvhp/
Medical Reserve Corps - http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/HomePage
World Health Organization Pandemic Flu - http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/index.html
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy - http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/
Utah Notification and Information System - http://health.utah.gov/unis/
Utah Public Health Training Center - http://health.utah.gov/training/
Utah Healthcare Provider Pandemic Flu Information - http://www.pandemicflu.utah.gov/providers.htm
Utah Medical Reserve Corps Teams - http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/state.asp?State=52&GO.x=12&GO.y=7
US DHHS Clinical Planning Resources - http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/discussion/responders/index.html

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Legal Resources
HRSA Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals
http://www.hrsa.gov/esarvhp/legregissues/default.htm
CHCANYS Legal Considerations PPT - http://www.chcanys.org/clientuploads/downloads/ep_misc/Liability_Issues_in_CHC_EP.pdf
Utah Legislation Statewide Mutual Aid Act HB103 - http://le.utah.gov/~2007/bills/hbillenr/hb0103.htm
Utah Legislation State Disaster Funding - http://le.utah.gov/~2007/bills/hbillenr/hb0046.htm
Utah Emergency Management Assistance Compact - http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2001/bills/sbillint/SB0118.htm

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Pandemic Preparedness Resources
CDC Pandemic Flu - http://www.pandemicflu.gov/index.html
Utah Pandemic Flu Information - http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/states/utah.html
UDOH Pandemic Flu Information - http://www.pandemicflu.utah.gov/
UDOH Pandemic Flu for Healthcare Providers - http://www.pandemicflu.utah.gov/providers.htm
FEMA Are You Ready Website - http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/index.shtm
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guidance for Healthcare Workers and Employees - http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_pandemic_health.pdf
OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for Pandemic - http://www.osha.gov/Publications/influenza_pandemic.html

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Personal Preparedness Resources
Red Cross Family Preparedness - http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_500_,00.html
Red Cross Prepare.org Web Site - http://www.prepare.org/
Utah Red Cross Family Preparedness - http://www.utahredcross.org/Home/Pages/Preparedness/
Ready.gov Family Resources - http://www.ready.gov/america/index.html
Ready.gov Get A Kit - http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html
Ready.gov Make a Plan - http://www.ready.gov/america/makeaplan/index.html
Ready.gov Get Informed - http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/index.html
Be Ready Utah Family Disaster Planning - http://beready.utah.gov/family.html
FEMA Are You Ready? - http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/
Family Preparedness Utah - http://www.cem.utah.gov/pdf/hazards/famprep_english.pdf
USU Extension Preparedness Information - http://extension.usu.edu/ueden/htm/preparedness
SL Valley Health Department Emergency Preparedness Guide - http://www.slvhealth.org/cs/media/pdf/Family_Emergency_Preparedness.pdf
Multilingual Preparedness Library - http://www.health.utah.gov/cmh/multilinguallibrary/topic/emergency.htm

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Vulnerable Population Preparedness Agencies and Resources
AAPCHO's Emergency Preparedness Resource Guide brings together emergency preparedness information essential to individuals, community health centers and organizations, hospitals, health departments, and other stakeholders serving the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) population. Resources range from links to general emergency preparedness information, to multilingual materials in AAPI languages. http://www.aapcho.org/site/aapcho/content.php?type=1&id=10114

AAPCHO's Emergency Preparedness compendium highlights the successes, challenges, and lessons learned of five AAPI-serving Community Health Centers during emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. http://www.aapcho.org/site/aapcho/content.php?type=6&id=81

San Fran Collaborative Group - http://www.preparenow.org/
Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters - http://www.firstvictims.org/
GAO Report on Preparedness - http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06442t.pdf
EPA Report about Katrina and vulnerable populations - http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/resources/publications/ej/nejac/gulf-coast-recomm-9-27-06.pdf
Vulnerable Populations and Emergency Management PPT - http://www.adph.org/alphtn/510handouts.pdf
CDC Workbook “Define, Locate, and Reach Special, Vulnerable, and at-Risk Populations in an Emergency” - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/workbook/pdf/ph_workbook_draft.pdf
King County, WA Vulnerable Populations Action Team - http://www.metrokc.gov/health/VPAT/

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Kevin McCulley

Data Analyst/Emergency Preparedness Coordinator

Association for Utah Community Health

860 East 4500 South, Suite 206

Salt Lake City, UT 84107

801-716-4612