Emergency Preparedness Plans

There are five sections in this course:

1. Section 1: Introduction and Overview
2. Section 2: Requesting SNS Assets
3. Section 3: SNS Assets
4. Section 4: Receipt, Allocation, and Distribution of Medical Assets
5. Section 5: Points of Dispensing (PODs)

There are review questions at the end of each section. These review questions will provide you with an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills presented in these sections. There is also a post-test at the end of the course. For a full description of requirements for receiving a Certificate of Completion, please go to the next page.

Intended Audience

Persons at both the state and local level who may be involved in the state's operational plan for the receipt, allocation and/or distribution of medical assets during a public health emergency  

Learning Objectives:

Section 1: Introduction and Overview

• Describe the mission of the federal SNS program.
• List the goals of the Iowa SNS program.
• Identify the 5-tiered response developed for Iowa's SNS program.
• Identify the 3 main phases of the Iowa SNS program.

Section 2: Requesting SNS Assets

• Define the established process for requesting SNS assets.
• Identify who has authority to request deployment of SNS assets.

Section 3: SNS Assets

• Define the 12-Hour Push Package and application during a public health emergency.
• Define Managed Inventory and application during a public health emergency.

Section 4: Receipt, Allocation, and Distribution of Medical Assets

• Review the State's operational plan for the receipt, allocation and distribution of medical assets.

Section 5: Points of Dispensing (PODs)

• Identify mass dispensing and mass vaccination goals.
• Identify general POD operational process.
• Discuss components of a local POD plan.

Pre-requisites/Learning Level

No Pre-requisites

Competencies addressed

• 1.1 Solve problems under emergency conditions.
• 1.1.1 Recognize emergency conditions and the resulting problems.
• 1.1.2 Evaluate the level of hazard or risk.
• 1.1.3 Prioritize problems based on level of hazard and degree of risk.
• 1.1.9 Implement action to solve the problem(s) in a timely fashion.
• 1.1.17 Refer problems that fall outside his or her scope of authority to the appropriate person in the chain of command.

• 1.3: Facilitate collaboration with internal and external emergency response partners.
• 1.3.2 Develop partnerships among internal and external emergency response partners. 
• 1.3.3 Develop collaborative emergency response plans and/or policies with appropriate internal and external emergency response partners. 
• 1.3.5 Maintain agreements (e.g., MAAs, EMACs, MOUs) with external emergency response partners to secure and provide assistance and other resources in all phases of emergency preparedness and response.

• 1.4:  Maintain situational awareness.
• 1.4.3 Use information and resources to identify changes in the situation and/or response.
• 1.4.5 Classify key resources that could be used for problem solving in the specific type of incident and the immediate needs of victims.
• 1.4.10 Communicate methods for aligning response actions to leaders and team.
• 1.4.12 Cooperate with others to resolve discrepancies or misperceptions regarding elements impacting situational awareness.

• 1.5: Demonstrate respect for all persons and culture
• 1.5.3 Develop partnerships with key stakeholders from diverse populations.
• 1.5.5 Develop cross cultural strategies to address emergency situations and disseminate information.
• 1.5.6 Assess the needs of vulnerable populations into all levels of emergency preparedness and response.

• 1.6: Act within the scope of one’s legal authority.
• 1.6.2 Apply appropriate public health authority to minimize adverse outcomes (e.g., persons, property, etc.)
• 1.6.4 Respond legally and consistently within the values and mission of the public health organization.
• 1.6.5 Document appropriate information relative to the application of the law.

• 2.3 Report information potentially relevant to the identification and control of an emergency through the chain of command. 
• 2.3.2 Communicate within the organization’s defined command structure (i.e. report up, communicate down).
• 2.3.3 Assess relevant emergency situational information coming into the agency.
• 2.3.5 Communicate relevant information with to personnel in a timely fashion.

•  3.3 Participate in improving the organization’s capacities (including, but not limited to programs, plans, policies, laws and workforce training).
• 3.3.4 Apply knowledge and skills gained through participation in emergency preparedness and response activities to improve organization’s capacities.
• 3.3.5 Apply organizational policies and plans during an emergency response.
• 3.3.7 Apply mitigation strategies during an emergency response.

CEUs Offered

None

Cost

Free

Modality/format

Online Self-Pace

Length

1 hour

Presenter(s) and/or Content Experts

Steve Mercer

Technical requirements

• Adobe Acrobat Reader 
• Flash Player 
• Speakers

Registration requirements

Register a free account

Creation and/or update

January 17, 2015

Course Summary

There are five sections in this course:

• Section 1: Types of Volunteers
• Section 2: Important Considerations When Using Volunteers
• Section 3: VOLAGs, MRC, DMATs
• Section 4: Developing a Volunteer Program
• Section 5: Orientation, Training, and Deployment

There are review questions at the end of modules. These review questions will provide you with an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills presented in these modules.

Intended Audience

public health agencies in Iowa who may need to utilize volunteers in both emergency and non-emergency situations

Learning Objectives:

After successfully completing this course, you will be able to:

• Listactivities that can potentially utilize public health volunteers in both emergency and non-emergency situations
• Listhow volunteers can potentially be used in each of the 4 phases of an emergency management cycle of a public health emergency
• Describethe difference between affiliated volunteers, non-affiliated volunteers and spontaneous volunteers
• Describethe challenge of spontaneous volunteers and strategies for dealing with them
• Describehow the issues of licensure and privileging may impact volunteers and their use
• Describethe Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals and its advantages
• Describeliability laws protecting volunteers in Iowa
• Explainhow to minimize risk of liability when using volunteers
• Describeresources that can provide volunteers in a public health emergency (i.e., VOLAG’s, Medical Reserve Corps, DMATs)
• Communicateeffectively with public and professional community to provide information about volunteer opportunities, both before and during an emergency
• Maximizevolunteer retention, throughout all phases of an emergency management cycle, and in terms of availability for future events
• Performnecessary administrative tasks when preparing to deploy volunteers in a public health emergency (i.e., training, orientation, matching volunteers to tasks)
• Recognizepossible adverse effects of working in disaster areas on mental health; take steps to minimize volunteers’ risk of developing these problems
• Describestrategies to maximize volunteer retention

Pre-requisites/Learning Level

No pre-requisites

Competencies addressed

Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals identified

Domain 2: Policy Development/Program Planning Skills

• 2B3. Contributes to development of organization strategic plan (e.g., includes measureable objectives and targets; incorporates community health improvement plan, workforce development plan, quality improvement plan, and other plans)

CEUs Offered

None

Cost

Free

Modality/format

Online Self-Pace

Length

1 hour

Presenter(s) and/or Content Experts

Technical requirements:

• Adobe Acrobat Reader 
• Flash Player 
• Speakers

Registration requirements

Register a free account

Creation and/or update

October 21, 2014

This webcast originally took place on: Thursday, July 9, 2009 and is now presented in archived format Program Goal Misha Goodman, director of Iowa City Animal Services, will discuss the steps emergency responders and concerned citizens can take to care for pets during a disaster. Learning Objectives * Learn what pet supplies are essential. * Understand techniques to reduce the stress on pets during an evacuation or the aftermath of a disaster. * Learn what resources are available, such as special animal response teams, to support pets in a disaster. * Discuss lessons learned, such as the Cedar Rapids Pet Shelter or other large-scale animal-specific responses during the 2008 Iowa floods. Speaker Misha Goodman is the director for the Iowa City Animal Services and Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center. She has been in working in animal services as an animal control officer and shelter director for 26 years. She has worked many disasters including fires, floods, earthquakes, and large-scale impoundment situations in California and Iowa. She serves as president of the National Animal Control Association, is a representative serving on the National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition, sits on Johnson County’s Pandemic Flu Steering Committee, and is the Johnson County contact for animal disaster and emergency sheltering operations. Misha directed the emergency sheltering operations during the 2008 Iowa floods and has made presentations with regard to the flooding on both the national and federal levels.

This course is provided by North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness. They require a registration on their site in order to give access to courses. Click on the course name to launch to the course page at North Carolina. Click the register link and complete the registration. You will then be forwarded to the course. When you complete the course and have received a certificate from North Carolina, return to the LMS, go to your Learning Plan in your Workspace, and choose Mark Complete from the action menu to show complete in your Heartland Centers LMS Transcript. This presentation by Pam Dickens, MPH, gives you an overview of how to assist persons with disabilities during an emergency. Target Audience These learning modules are applicable to all public health, medical, veterinary, pharmacy, emergency management, hospital and other professionals interested in public health preparedness. These modules are created by faculty and guest lecturers at the UNC-CH School of Public Health and are equivalent to graduate level content. Educational Objectives Identify issues to consider when assisting persons with disabilities, including those with hearing loss, vision loss, intellectual disabilities, communication disabilities, and mobility disabilities. Discuss means of transporting individuals with mobility disabilities during times of emergency.

This webcast originally occurred live on: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 and is now presented in archived format. 

Related Websites: FEMA - Are You Ready? | Be Ready Iowa 

Program Goal Bret Voorhees, chief of the Communications and Technology Bureau in the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, will discuss emergency management at the state level and how individuals can prepare for emergencies. 

Learning Objectives 

• Learn the four phases of emergency management 
• Understand steps taken at the state level to support local responders 
• Learn how Iowans can prepare for emergencies 

Speaker 

For the past eight years, Bret Voorhees has been a member of the management team for the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division. In his current role as bureau chief for Communications and Technology, he leads a team of public relations and IT specialists who support the other parts of the division. His previous experience includes seven years in news, over ten years as the communications coordinator for the Iowa Lottery, and three years as the marketing director for Iowa Workforce Development. His education background includes an M.S. in Journalism and Mass Communications and an M.B. A., both from Iowa State University. He has an undergraduate degree from The University of Iowa.

This course is provided by the North Carolina Public Health Preparedness Center. You will need to complete a separate registration to have access to this course. Click the course title, then choose register on the course page. When you have finished, print off your certificate from North Carolina, then return to the LMS and choose Mark Complete from the action menu in the Learning Plan in your Workspace. These presentations by William Service, MSPH, NC Division of Public Health Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response gives you an overview of widespread catastrophic flooding in eastern North Carolina and its effects on environmental health, biological building contamination, Public Health, and morbidity and mortality surveillance. Target Audience These learning modules are applicable to all public health, medical, veterinary, pharmacy, emergency management, hospital and other professionals interested in public health preparedness. These modules are created by faculty and guest lecturers at the UNC-CH School of Public Health and are equivalent to graduate level content. Educational Objectives To understand the role of surveillance in assessing the impact of a natural disaster on the environment, and subsequently on human morbidity and mortality. To understand how to use surveillance data to prepare for and respond to natural disasters. To understand public misperception of environmental risk issues following a natural disaster and how to redirect attention and energy toward more significant environmental health risk. To understand the public health and environmental health challenges presented by the need to verify safe re-entry into flooded buildings, and methods used to address those challenges.

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