U.S. Federal regulations require that Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes have written emergency plans and provide employees with emergency preparedness training. In a 2006 report about nursing homes that experienced hurricanes, emergency plans lacked many provisions recommended by experts. In response, guidance checklists were issued for emergency planning of health care facilities, long-term care (LTC) ombudsman programs, and State survey agencies (SA). This study was conducted to assess emergency preparedness and response of nursing homes that experienced more recent disasters.

Continue reading Gaps Continue To Exist in Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness and Response During Disasters: 2007-2010

Tags: Department of Health & Human Services, emergency preparedness, nursing homes, Office of the Inspector General

By sharing ideas and experiences, university emergency management teams are making sure they’re as prepared as possible for an on-campus disaster.

Continue reading University Disaster Preparedness Requires Communication, Community Involvement

Tags: college, disaster resilience, emergency preparedness, university

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, PRIVATE SECTOR OFFICE

COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS UPDATE #15 MAY 15, 2009, 4:00 PM

Continue reading U.S. Department of Homeland Security Private Sector Office Community Preparedness Update #15

Tags: CDC, Centers for Disease Control, Citizens Corps, community preparedness, DHS, emergency preparedness, Federal Emergency, FEMA, homeland security

The Disaster Preparedness Summit is a one-day program appearing in several cities that addresses key issues in responding to and managing the effects of disasters.

Continue reading Events: Upcoming Dates, Venues for Disaster Preparedness Summit

Tags: conferences, disaster preparedness, Disaster Recovery, emergency preparedness

For the millions of Americans who have physical, medical, sensory or cognitive disabilities, emergencies such as fires, floods and acts of terrorism may present special challenges. The same challenge also applies to the elderly and other special needs populations. Officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Washington Emergency Management Division (WEMD) are urging residents of Washington state to be prepared.

Continue reading FEMA Encourages People with Special Needs to Prepare

Tags: disabilities, Disaster Recovery, emergency preparedness, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, people with special needs, special needs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coordinating Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response recently released a report, Public Health Preparedness: Strengthening CDC’s Emergency Response.

Continue reading Report: CDC Highlights Challenges Preparing for Public Health Emergencies

Tags: emergency preparedness, pandemic planning, public health preparedness, research

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently opened its newly constructed National Exercise Simulation Center (NESC) at FEMA Headquarters.   The NESC provides a state-of-the-art facility to serve the all-hazards preparedness and response mission through pooling resources, maximizing efficiency and providing sustained exercise and training support to all stakeholders.

Continue reading National Exercise Simulation Center Opens at FEMA

Tags: emergency management, emergency preparedness, Emergency Response, exercise, simulation

The Third National Emergency Management Summit will be held March 4-6, 2009 at the Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel.  The event is billed a response to many events, both environmental and geopolitical, which has  created both a heightened risk and a heightened awareness of natural disasters, epidemics and terrorism in the US.

Continue reading Event: Third National Emergency Management Summit

Tags: emergency management, emergency preparedness, Emergency Response, Events

Advanced government organizations are leading the way by embracing new technologies, capabilities, and ideas that improve emergency response communication.   Here are five useful practices that are emerging.

Continue reading Emergency Response: Five Useful Practices

Tags: Disaster Recovery, emergency preparedness, Emergency Response

A new study examining the after effects of a chlorine gas disaster in a South Carolina town gives larger metropolitan areas important insights into what to expect and how to prepare emergency response systems for an accidental or terrorist release of the potentially deadly gas.  The study is now available in the January, 2009 issue of the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

Continue reading Study: Impact of Chlorine Gas Release in Metro Areas

Tags: disaster preparedness, emergency preparedness

WASHINGTON — The economic crisis is jeopardizing the nation’s ability to handle public-health emergencies and possible bioterrorist attacks, according to government leaders and a new report.

Continue reading Report: Emergency response imperiled by economic crisis

Tags: emergency preparedness, government emergency management