California hospitals are a critical element within the disaster medical response system and work collaboratively with local government, other health care providers and other agencies to plan, prepare for and respond to the needs of victims of natural or man-made disasters, bioterrorism, and other public health emergencies. Hospital emergency preparedness is a priority for government at all levels, as well as a key focus of regulatory and accrediting agencies.
This is a funding opportunity with a focus on how to prepare for a surge on a clinical level through the creation and development of a Regional Disaster Health Response System (RDHRS).
Key Dates
Pre-Application Conference Call: June 22, 2018: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Dial In Number: 800-857-5236. Passcode 2894826
Letter of intent due: July 5, 2018: 11:59 PM ET
Technical Assistance Call: July 10, 2018: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET
September 24-26, 2018
Sacramento Convention Center and Hyatt Regency
Unprecedented. Record-breaking. Historic. From hurricanes and wildfires to floods and mass shootings, the nation saw no shortage of disasters in 2017. But with every disaster we confront, more knowledge is gained and wisdom gathered. And we carry those experiences forward into the future, strengthening our planning and fortifying our readiness.
This year the 2018 Statewide Medical and Health Exercise (SWMHE) will take place during the third week of November.
The SWMHE Program consists of objective driven exercise templates and generic exercise templates to assist jurisdictions, organizations and facilities participate in the yearly exercise. The program utilizes the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) and aligns with Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)/Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) grant requirements.
The SWMHE Website has background information, exercise templates, references, resources, and more.
Learn more about Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) in a one-hour webinar (link to watch under “call materials”) from the CDC. The webinar will help emergency responders and health professional communicate more effectively during emergencies.
The CDC warns there is an increasing threat with limited capacity to respond. To learn more about how to protect yourself, read the full background and information on the CDC Vital Signs Web page.
