Healthcare Preparedness Planning Partnership - HP3

Healthcare Preparedness Planning Partnership - HP3 updated their phone number.

With the COVID-19 global pandemic entering its third year, coupled with several other major natural disasters (fires, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes), seasoned disaster responders and planners are feeling emotional fatigue. There are many terms to describe the response, but they are often referred to as disaster and compassion fatigue and both lead to burnout. Disaster and compassion fatigue manifest themselves as a general feeling of being out of control and in a myriad of other behavioral and emotional symptoms....

https://hp3sbc.org/disaster-and-compassion-fatigue/

Disaster and Compassion Fatigue With the COVID-19 global pandemic entering its third year, coupled with several other major natural disasters (fires, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes), seasoned disaster responders and planners are…

HUGE shout out to MRC!!! These volunteers have been working with us to help get our field treatment site trailers up and running. Their skill and expertise has been so valuable! Thanks team!

Help spread the word! You can help promote the conference by sharing the event poster with coalition colleagues, using our social media graphics or by adding a conference link on your coalition website. Be sure to visit our Media Page to download our promotional material. We appreciate your support! https://bit.ly/3vb3cvW

Don’t forget we have a coalition meeting tomorrow!
1:00 on zoom.
See you there!

Don’t forget to submit your nominations for a new chair/ co chair.

Non-hospital healthcare providers such as long term care, skilled nursing, dialysis centers, home health agencies, and clinics, play an integral role in the management of patient surge during or immediately following a disaster. Some may receive patients directly while others as transfers or referrals from hospitals as they decompress. Advance all-hazard planning and recognition of the role of these facilities is necessary to ensure their continued operations. [ 256 more words ]
http://hp3sbc.org/patient-surge-non-hospital-providers/

Patient Surge – Non-Hospital Providers Non-hospital healthcare providers such as long term care, skilled nursing, dialysis centers, home health agencies, and clinics, play an integral role in the management of patient surge during or im…

Alternate care sites (ACS) are the last resort in addressing patient surge and are created to address a severe shortage of beds in a geographical region when Other solutions to address the surge have not worked The patient surge is extraordinarily large or protracted The hospital infrastructure is damaged or unusable ACS provide a temporary site for inpatient and outpatient assessment, care, and recovery. [ 535 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/patient-surge-alternate-care-sites/

Patient Surge – Alternate Care Sites Alternate care sites (ACS) are the last resort in addressing patient surge and are created to address a severe shortage of beds in a geographical region when Other solutions to address the surge ha…

The response of hospitals to medical surge takes many forms. Typically, hospitals address any increased demand by implementing rapid triage solutions for rapid assessments, staff unused licensed beds, open unused patient treatment areas, or create additional capacity using one or more of the following strategies. Activate surge plans and establish command centers Delay or cancel elective surgeries Streamline hospital processes… [ 219 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/patient-surge-hospital-solutions/

Patient Surge – Hospital Solutions The response of hospitals to medical surge takes many forms. Typically, hospitals address any increased demand by implementing rapid triage solutions for rapid assessments, staff unused licensed be…

Healthcare service providers are bound by a myriad of local, state, and federal statutes and regulations that control what healthcare providers can and can not do during an emergency and describes processes that must be in place for the care and safety of patients under their care. Standards such as patient privacy, consent, and appropriate care are addressed under statutes and by various accreditation and licensing organizations. [ 150 more words ]
http://hp3sbc.org/patient-surge-regulatory-solutions/

Patient Surge – Regulatory Solutions Healthcare service providers are bound by a  myriad of local, state, and federal statutes and regulations that control what healthcare providers can and can not do during an emergency and desc…

The value of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is often underestimated during a disaster as hospitals and other facilities struggle to address a high surge of patients. On the contrary, however, EMS is well-suited for response and recovery roles within the community and other services that help to defuse the impact of the patient surge in the community. The greatest value EMS provides occurs when it is integrated into the healthcare system and asked to use the specialized and highly trained skills in leadership, education, and community response. [ 245 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/patient-surge-ems-solutions/

Patient Surge – EMS Solutions The value of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is often underestimated during a disaster as hospitals and other facilities struggle to address a high surge of patients. On the contrary, however, EMS …

Please share. We are all in this together.

Symptoms appear 2-14 days after exposure
Symptoms include:
-Fever
-Cough
-Shortness of breath

Call your doctor if you develop symptoms, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19
OR
if you have recently traveled from an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of COVID-19

The San Bernardino County Public Health Officer and the Board of Supervisors today declared a local health emergency to help ensure county government and the public are prepared for the possibility that COVID-19 will appear within the county.

No local cases have been reported in the county, although cases have been identified in neighboring Riverside, Los Angeles and Orange counties.

“The purpose of this declaration is not to alarm people but to increase the focus on preparedness for both the public and county government departments and agencies,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “The health risk to the general public in San Bernardino County remains low at this time.” http://wp.sbcounty.gov/cao/countywire/ http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus/

Nobody in healthcare wants to hear the dreaded "E" word. As administrators, practitioners, and planners we are taught to avoid evacuation at all costs up until we have no other choice. At that point, however, the care and safety of the patient takes precedence and evacuation commences. Following the Northridge earthquake, eight of the 91 general acute care hospitals (9 percent) suffered structural damage or were unusable. [ 404 more words ]
http://hp3sbc.org/7190-2/

Earthquake – Healthcare Facility Evacuation Nobody in healthcare wants to hear the dreaded “E” word. As administrators, practitioners, and planners we are taught to avoid evacuation at all costs up until we have no other choice. …

We discussed this survey a little bit in yesterday’s meeting.

Get Ready for 2020! • EMSC • EIIC The mission of the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Innovation and Improvement Center is to reduce child and youth mortality and morbidity resulting from severe illness or trauma.

Conditions leading to a surge of patients often occurs following a major mass casualty incident or disaster. In response, the healthcare system must rapidly expand to meet the increased demand for personnel and medical care. This represents a significant challenge to healthcare providers as the normal levels of service and patient loads must be maintained in addition to the levels that must be expanded due to the surge. [ 348 more words ]
http://hp3sbc.org/earthquake-medical-surge/

Earthquake – Medical Surge Conditions leading to a surge of patients often occurs following a major mass casualty incident or disaster. In response, the healthcare system must rapidly expand to meet the increased demand for …

The Sylmar earthquake of 1971 was responsible for the unreinforced walls of the nearby hospital to collapse killing 44 people. Similar construction existed in other facilities leading to the passing of the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Seismic Safety Act in 1973. A later study found that 83% of the state’s hospitals beds were still in noncompliant facilities. The Northridge earthquake, that followed in 1994, [ 228 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/earthquake-seismic-compliance/

Earthquake – Seismic Compliance The Sylmar earthquake of 1971 was responsible for the unreinforced walls of the nearby hospital to collapse killing 44 people. Similar construction existed in other facilities leading to the passin…

Fourteen (14) HP3 coalition members completed the HAM Radio Class last week and passed their Amateur Radio Licensing test (100%). These coalition members become the newest members of a growing number who understand the rules and regulations of the amateur service and who now have an basic understanding of the technology behind the radio. We look forward to hearing your stories and how you're using HAM radio. [ 33 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/ham-class/

HAM Class Fourteen (14) HP3 coalition members completed the HAM Radio Class last week and passed their Amateur Radio Licensing test (100%). These coalition members become the newest members of a growing numb…

A quote from Chuck Yeager came to mind on a recent flight over the holidays when I decided to take a scenic route along the coast and bypass an area of turbulence I had encountered on the trip out. The flight over Malibu and Santa Monica was uneventful and I was enjoying the smooth air, clear sky, and a wonderfully beautiful landscape below. [ 580 more words ]
http://hp3sbc.org/confirmation-bias-in-preparedness-and-response/

Confirmation Bias in Preparedness and Response A quote from Chuck Yeager came to mind on a recent flight over the holidays when I decided to take a scenic route along the coast and bypass an area of turbulence I had encountered on the trip out.…

The number of patients seeking medical attention following a catastrophic earthquake or other major disaster could easily exceed the capacity of the local and surrounding hospitals and overwhelm local resources. Planning for these events is not a one size fits all and each disaster must be evaluated considering a number of variables to determine the best solutions for response and mitigation. [ 292 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/earthquakes-healthcare-surge-surge-capacity-and-medical-surge/

Earthquakes – Healthcare Surge, Surge Capacity and Medical Surge The number of patients seeking medical attention following a catastrophic earthquake or other major disaster could easily exceed the capacity of the local and surrounding hospitals and overwhelm lo…

Dear Partners and Stakeholders,

Save-the-date for the 4th Annual Southern California Preparedness Summit! Hear from expert speakers on preparedness topics and gain valuable insight on disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation for all emergency management professionals.
The Southern California Preparedness Summit is scheduled all day on April 15 at the Riverside Convention Center. The event is free to attend. Parking, continental breakfast, and lunch will be provided. Please forward this save-the-date to anyone within your organization who may have an interest in attending. Invitation with additional details to come. Registration will open in March.
View the agenda and speaker bios, as they become available, at Southern California Preparedness Summit.

Thank you,

Southern California Preparedness Summit Planning Team

Austere care or crisis standards of care describe the shift in the standards of care that occur following a catastrophic medical event in which the infrastructure and resources are severely damaged or unavailable. Crisis standards of care does not imply that care is substandard but rather that it is contingent upon the limitations that occur because of the lack of resources such as providers, equipment, and supplies to handle a marked increase in the number of injured or ill. [ 228 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/patient-care-in-disasters/

Patient Care in Disasters Austere care or crisis standards of care describe the shift in the standards of care that occur following a catastrophic medical event in which the infrastructure and resources are severely damaged…

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health considers novel coronavirus to be an issue of serious public health concern. However the immediate health risk to the general public in California remains low at this time. There have been six cases confirmed in the United States, with 2 of these cases in California. There have no cases in San Bernardino County. Interim Guidance for Healthcare Professionals suspected of having coronavirus is found here.
https://hp3sbc.org/novel-coronavirus/

Novel-Coronavirus The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health considers novel coronavirus to be an issue of serious public health concern.  However the immediate health risk to the general public in C…

What are the signs and symptoms of coronavirus? How does it spread? What is the California Department of Public Health doing to protect your health? Learn more with our FAQ: https://bit.ly/36CjxNg

This post examines the effect a magnitude-7.8 earthquake would have on healthcare services in San Bernardino County. It is safe to assume that an earthquake of this magnitude would cause major damage to the infrastructure and depending on where it occurred along the fault, major injuries and loss of life. Estimates of damages, according to the Southern California Catastrophic Earthquake Response Plan… [ 597 more words ]
http://hp3sbc.org/earthquake-overview-of-medical-health-resources/

Earthquake – Overview of Medical Health Resources This post examines the effect a magnitude-7.8 earthquake would have on healthcare services in San Bernardino County. It is safe to assume that an earthquake of this magnitude would cause major dama…

The earthquake that occurred in the San Fernando Valley city of Northridge on January 17, 1994 was a wake up call. It occurred on an unidentified fault at 4:31 am and was a magnitude-6.7. Damage to the infrastructure and other buildings was in the billions. It set into motion a cascade of efforts to prepare for and mitigate the effects of a much larger earthquake along the San Andres fault that continue into today. [ 288 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/earthquake-planning-considerations/

Earthquake – Planning Considerations The earthquake that occurred in the San Fernando Valley city of Northridge on January 17, 1994 was a wake up call. It occurred on an unidentified fault at 4:31 am and was a magnitude-6.7. Damage to…

Today is the twenty-sixth (26) anniversary of the Northridge earthquake. It occurred at 4:31 am just before dawn on a normal Monday in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles. The earthquake measured a magnitude-6.7 and was felt as far away as Las Vegas and San Diego. I arrived in Northridge just before midnight and was surprised with the number of people that were still up and even more surprised at the number of people camped alongside the road of just about every street we traveled on. [ 264 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/northridge-earthquake/

Northridge Earthquake Today is the twenty-sixth (26) anniversary of the Northridge earthquake. It occurred at 4:31 am just before dawn on a normal Monday in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles. The earthquake m…

In San Bernardino County, the responsibilities of the Medical Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC)are provided by the Public Health Officer and/or the EMS Administrator. The MHOAC is responsible for the following medical and health roles. Assessment of immediate medical needs Coordination of disaster medical and health resources Coordination of patient distribution and medical evaluations Coordination with inpatient and emergency care providers… [ 95 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/17-roles-of-the-mhoac/

Roles of the MHOAC In San Bernardino County, the responsibilities of the Medical Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC)are provided by the Public Health Officer and/or the EMS Administrator. The MHOAC is respons…

Thank you to everyone who attended the first coalition meeting of the year! Judging from the comments we received after the meeting, many coalition partners like the sharing of best practices, compliance reviews, events and drills. This is a regular part of HP3 meetings and invaluable to others that are awaiting their accreditation surveys or the next disaster event. Seeing how others have… [ 239 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/coalition-meeting/

Coalition Meeting Thank you to everyone who attended the first coalition meeting of the year!  Judging from the comments we received after the meeting, many coalition partners like the sharing of best practices…

Now it's easier to contact Healthcare Preparedness Planning Partnership - HP3.

The following is from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is being forwarded to HP3 members at the request of San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services. Please read. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is sharing the following information with the cybersecurity community as a primer for assisting in the protection of our Nation’s critical infrastructure in light of the current tensions between… [ 259 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/dhs-psa-security/

DHS PSA – Security The following is from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is being forwarded to HP3 members at the request of San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services. Please read. The Cybersecu…

On a back-country off-road trip in the mountains surrounding Death Valley many years ago, I was reminded of the power that perception has in shaping my reality. While descending a steep section of the road, I caught a patch of ice and began to swerve uncontrollably coming precariously close to the edge. My passenger and off-road mentor was calmly telling me to take my foot off the brakes and use the engine to slow my descent instead. [ 383 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/risk-perception-in-disaster-preparedness/

Risk Perception in Disaster Preparedness On a back-country off-road trip in the mountains surrounding Death Valley many years ago, I was reminded of the power that perception has in shaping my reality. While descending a steep section of …

Following many disasters, a common issue is the number of volunteers that show up to help. In health care, this presents a significant problem if authorities are unable to verify their licenses and certifications. Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, for example, tens of thousands of people traveled to ground zero to volunteer and provide medical assistance but were turned away because there was no process in place to verify credentials. [ 82 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/disaster-healthcare-volunteers-dhv/

Disaster Healthcare Volunteers (DHV) Following many disasters, a common issue is the number of volunteers that show up to help. In Healthcare, this presents a significant problem if authorities are unable to verify their licenses and …

Out with the old and in with the new is a New Year’s mantra that often suggests a boundary between what has happened and what will happen. It usually includes the mistaken belief that everything that has happened will be replaced by something that will be better. In the disaster world, we know that this is never the case and just as one disaster is over, another one looms on the horizon. [ 280 more words ]
https://hp3sbc.org/new-year-message/

New Year Message Out with the old and in with the new is a New Year’s mantra that often suggests a boundary between what has happened and what will happen. It usually includes the mistaken belief that everything th…