I. Statewide Inventory Assessment Project

DHMH, OP&R will be undertaking a statewide inventory assessment of all supplies and materials purchased with Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) funds. This will involve visiting every facility that has purchased or received items funded by HPP. In preparation for the assessment, OP&R staff will review Inventory Management Forms submitted with End of Year Reports dated from FY08 to FY12 (BP1). Data collected from these reports will serve as the minimal items that will be captured during the inventory process.

Over the next few weeks we will be making contact with facilities to follow up on missing or incomplete Inventory Management Forms.

Integrated Public Health and Medical Preparedness Forum (IPHMPF)

Healthcare coalition partners are encouraged to join us for the next Integrated Preparedness Forum, to be held on February 24, 2014. The featured presenters will be Lisa Skolnick and Reanee Murriell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They will be speaking on the FBI Office of Victim Assistance's Response to Criminal Mass Casualty Events.

Save the Date: HPP Budget Period 3 Pre-Application Meeting

The Pre-Application Meeting for HPP Budget Period (BP) 3 has been scheduled for May 21, 2014 at the Maritime Institute Conference Center. A meeting agenda will be provided in the coming months.

Reminder: New Bimonthly Schedule for HPP Healthcare Systems Conference Calls

The HPP Healthcare Systems Partner Conference Calls have moved to a new bimonthly schedule. The first call of the year was held on January 16, 2014. Going forward, these calls will still be held on third Thursdays at 10:30am; however, they will take place on a bimonthly basis. Additional conference calls are scheduled for March 20, May 15, July 17, September 18, and November 20. Appointment notices will be sent out by Bonita Winchester-Bey.

II. Program Updates and Deliverables

National Healthcare Coalition Resource Center (NHCRC) Monthly Follow Up for Strategic Planning

NHCRC faculty will continue to engage in monthly follow-up to support healthcare coalitions with implementation of the priorities identified in the workshops. Partners are encouraged to attend and actively participate in these follow-up sessions in order to meet their coalition's goals and objectives. Contact your respective HPP Regional Coordinator

for

information about

scheduled

 meeting times for your regional coalition.

III. Preparedness News

Proposed Rule: Emergency Preparedness Requirements for End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Facilities

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a new rule that would establish national emergency preparedness requirements for Medicare- and Medicaid-participating providers and suppliers. This would include hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, hospices, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, critical access hospitals, organ procurement organizations, and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) facilities, among others. The intent of the rule is to ensure that these organizations adequately plan for both natural and man-made disasters, and coordinate with federal, state, tribal, regional, and local emergency preparedness systems. It would also ensure that they are adequately prepared to meet the needs of patients, residents, clients, and participants during disasters and emergency situations.

The proposed rule would add additional requirements to the Conditions for Coverage for ESRD facilities and relocate the emergency preparedness Conditions for Coverage requirement established in the April 2008 Final Rule "Conditions for Coverage for End-Stage Renal Disease Facilities; Final Rule." An overview of the proposed rule's requirements is available athttp://bit.ly/1dSWZon. Comments on the proposed rule are due by 2/25/2014.

IV. Preparedness Trainings, Exercises and Events

DHMH MSAT G2 Satellite Phone Webinar Training and Drill Schedule

DHMH OP&R has scheduled two webinars to provide preparedness partners with up-to-date, hands-on training before quarterly MSAT testing begins in March. See the attached announcement for specific information regarding the training.

Webinar Schedule:

Regions I, II & V: February 18, 10:30-11:30am  [Calendar appointments have been sent to designated primary healthcare emergency planners.]

Regions III & IV: March 6, 1:30-2:30pm  [Calendar appointments have been sent to designated primary healthcare emergency planners.]

DHMH, in partnership with local health departments, state facilities and acute care hospitals, will begin quarterly testing of the MSAT wall-mounted satellite phones in March 2014. The objective of quarterly tests is to ensure that all agencies equipped with an MSAT are familiar with the use and functionality of the device.

March MSAT Drill Schedule: 

Regions I-II: March 11 (1-2pm)  

Region III: March 17 (10-11am)

Region IV: March 19 (2-3pm)

Region V: March 12 (11am-12pm)

A full testing schedule that includes test times has been posted to the HAN website and can be accessed by logging in to HAN, clicking the Documents tab, and selecting Communications folder/Appendix A/Statewide Quarterly Testing Calendar. For specific questions regarding testing of the MSAT satellite phone, please contact your HPP Regional Coordinator or Alicia McClelland at DHMH Communications [W: 410-767-4493].

Region III Alternate Care Site Cache Deployment Tabletop Exercise

Date: March 6, 2014

Time: 8:30am - 12:30pm

Location: MedStar Harbor Hospital [3001 S. Hanover Street, Baltimore, MD 21225]

The purpose of this exercise is to test the newly drafted Region III Maryland Alternate Care Site (ACS) Equipment and Supply Cache Activation Plan, which impacts hospitals, public health and other responders across Region III. The Plan outlines the process for activation, deployment and return of cache equipment and supplies located at the USAR warehouse. The exercise will provide participants an overview of the Plan and address stakeholder roles and responsibilities. For more information and to register, see the attached flyer.

Preparedness Trainings   -------------

ICS 400: Advanced ICS.

In coordination with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Active Learning and Exercise Branch invites you to participate in the ICS 400: Advanced ICS training course.

Dates: February 19-20, 2014

Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm

Location: Baltimore Public Safety Training Academy, Room 200 (3500 W. Northern Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21215)

Registration closes on February 12, 2014. For additional information and registration instructions, see the attached flyer.

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MEMA Community Cybersecurity Courses

AWR 136: Essentials of Community Cybersecurity. This course provides individuals, community leaders, and first responders with information on how cyber attacks can impact, prevent, and/or stop operations and emergency responses in a community. The course also provides a cursory introduction to cybersecurity vulnerabilities, risks, threats, and countermeasures. It explains vulnerabilities of computer systems and networks and how these vulnerabilities can affect communities, organizations, and daily workplace operations.

Date: March 4, 2014

Time: 8:00am - 12:00pm

Location: James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center, 2200 Scott Wheeler Drive, Marriottsville, MD 21104

To register:http://bit.ly/1lxsChq

MGT 384: The EOC's Role in Community Cybersecurity. This course provides an awareness of how cyber events can impact communities. Participants will learn (1) the roles and responsibilities needed to detect, prevent and respond to cybersecurity incidents; (2) how the EOC and community can plan for and manage information needed for a cyber event; and (3) how cyber attacks can be used to affect, disrupt and/or complicate emergency responses.

Dates: March 4-5, 2014

Times: 1:00pm - 5:00pm (March 4), 8:00am - 5:00pm (March 5)

Location: James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center, 2200 Scott Wheeler Drive, Marriottsville, MD 21104

To register: http://bit.ly/1akV69b

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Active Shooter in a Healthcare Setting.

In coordination with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Active Learning and Exercise Branch invites you to participate in the Active Shooter in a Healthcare Setting training course.

Date: March 25, 2014

Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm

Location: Springfield Hospital Center, Central Conference Room, 6655 Sykesville Road, Sykesville, MD 21784

Overview: Active Shooter training for healthcare professionals which will give strategies for responding to a shooting situation. Guest speakers from Johns Hopkins will discuss a shooting incident that occurred at their facility. MEMA/MSP staff will provide training on developing plans within facilities.

Register: Registration closes on March 18, 2014, at 8:30am. To register, visit https://memamaryland.csod.com.

For more information, see the attached flyer.

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Free CDC Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) Training on March 27

Who: You!

What:CDC Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Training [sponsored by Fairfax County and the National Public Health Information Coalition]

Where: Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035

When: Thursday, March 27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: Free!

Register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CDC-CERC-Fairfax

About This Training: CERC training is a fast-paced, interactive course that gives participants essential knowledge and tools to navigate the harsh realities of communicating to the public, media, partners and stakeholders during an intense public health emergency. CERC sessions are presented across the U.S. and internationally to offer helpful guidance for communicating with people when the unthinkable happens to them, their family, their community or the nation. This rare in-person CERC training is the first to be conducted in the National Capital Region in several years. This session will be taught by Richard Sheehe, National Public Health Information Coalition CERC Project Manager and Senior Research Fellow at George Mason University's Center for Health and Risk Communication. More CERC information is available at: http://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/  and  http://www.nphic.org/training/cerc

Target Audience: Public information officers; federal, state, and local public health professionals; health care professionals; emergency medical services professionals; preparedness partners; and civic and community leaders 

Training Goals: Share communication strategies that will help to effectively prepare for and respond to public health emergencies; review and disseminate current crisis and emergency risk communication training curricula and tools; and train communicators in how to systematically plan, develop, implement, and evaluate crisis and emergency risk communication training activities.

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Emergency Management of Radiation Accident Victims (REAC/TS) Training Course Rescheduled

The course has been successfully rescheduled for April 22-23, 2014.  For more information and to register, see the attached flyer. 

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The United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) are advertising the following training opportunities for 2014.

Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties (MCBC) Course.  Dates: multiple dates in 2014

Field Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties (FCBC) Course.  Dates: multiple dates in 2014

CE, CME, CEH credits are available for these courses. See the attached flyers for additional details and registration information.