Disaster Preparedness

Disaster EMSC Stakeholders
disaster

Although not an EMSC performance measure, disaster preparedness can be an important aspect of your EMSC State Partnership Program. While attention has been focused on disaster preparedness since September 11, 2001, resource allocations have been mostly focused on protecting and securing the nation’s infrastructure, and fewer resources have been devoted to improving the readiness of the emergency care system (National Advisory Committee on Children and Terrorism, 2003; Sears, 2005). The Institute of Medicine (now the Academies of Medicine) report Emergency Care for Children: Growing Pains recognized that Hurricane Katrina and other disasters have shown us that improved pediatric planning for disasters is necessary.

Included in this section are resources to help guide your State Partnership Program in disaster preparedness planning.

This session was presented during the 2021 EMSC All Grantee Meeting.

Click here to watch the recorded session (presented by Brent Kaziny, Sarita Chung, Deanna Dahl-Grove, Michelle Moegling, Meredith Rodriguez, Laura Aird, Heather Fitzpatrick, Evelyn Lyons, Susan Fuchs, Natalie Lane, Norma Campbell).

(46 minutes)

Objectives include:

  • Review disaster response
  • Share resources for families & healthcare facilities
  • National pediatric preparedness initiatives
  • Highlight examples of State Partnership disaster activities

This section include toolkits created by both the EIIC and other national partners.

In September 2019, the U.S. HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) awarded two cooperative agreements to pilot the creation of Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence to improve disaster response capabilities for children in the United States.

Eastern Great Lakes Pediatric Consortium (EGLPCDR)

The mission of the Eastern Great Lakes Pediatric Consortium for Disaster Response is to build on existing foundations in pediatric clinical care and emergency response by enhancing coordination mechanisms and incorporating relevant capabilities at the local, state and regional levels.

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Western Regional Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Management (WRAP-EM)

WRAP-EM will develop a model for improving emergency pediatric disaster response capabilities throughout the region. Its goal is to examine pediatric disaster care needs, address weaknesses in emergency communication or access and uncover unknown challenges that could be detrimental in a crisis.

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The Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN), a national network of children’s hospitals and partners dedicated to improving pediatric disaster readiness and response, launched in 2021 with funding from HRSA. This network and its pediatric experts will support the nation to better care for the unique needs of children in emergencies.

This work will enhance our health care system to:

  • Strengthen partnerships in their communities and in existing emergency preparedness systems
  • Improve and expand pediatric readiness of the emergency care system, inpatient settings, and out-of-hospital care settings
  • Adopt best practices, policies, and research-informed pediatric care
  • These children’s hospitals will serve as hubs in their communities and regions to improve the overall management and care for children during emergencies.

Learn more about the PPN.