In This Issue 
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Call for Poster Abstract Presentations
The Joint Commission and the Joint Commission Resources, in collaboration with the Yale New Haven Health System Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response, invite interested participants to submit poster abstract presentations for exhibit at the Annual
Emergency Preparedness Conference
April 30 - May 1, 2014 in Lake Buena Vista, FL.
Poster abstract submissions are due no later than 5 PM EST January 9, 2015. Click here to submit an abstract today!
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YNHHS-CEPDR Program and Services
YNHHS-CEPDR offers the following additional services to hospitals, other healthcare delivery organizations, emergency management professionals, the business community and others.
- Assessments/Evaluations
- Emergency Management Operations/Outsourcing of Services
- Business Continuity Planning
- Exercises
- Situational Awareness/Analysis
- Planning
- Education and Training
- Affordable Care Act/Healthcare Reform
- Program Management
- Incident Response Support
For additional information about our services, please call us at
Visit us on social media for our latest messages.
   
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Stay Informed with our Other Publications!
The Readiness Dispatch
Read about recent MRC, ECP and RPVP volunteer activities in CT.
Solutions
Solutions is a quarterly newsletter that provide practical and cost-efficient solutions to today's healthcare challenges.
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 The Yale New Haven Health System Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response would like to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
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Graphic Courtesy of CDC
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As shown in the above map, the flu is now widespread in all but seven states. According to an article in the January 5, 2015 New York Times, some health officials "fear that this will be an unusually bad year"; it may be too soon to tell. The CDC Flu report of the week ending December 27, 2014, showed that the flu is following a similar track to the last two years. The report went on to say that reports of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths are elevated. Activity is expected to continue for several weeks, especially in parts of the country that have not yet seen significant activity such as New York and California. The CDC's Dr. Michael Jhung stated that "It's safe to say we have a flu epidemic every year". The Times article noted that the particular flu strain "makes predictions more difficult". The CDC notes that 32 % of flu that is being reported is the H3N2 type. The article went on to say that health officials this year are "urging doctors to treat flu patients promptly with antiviral medications".
The CDC notes that it is not too late to get a flu shot.
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 Hypothermia can set in when temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. For this reason, cold weather poses a threat to those who do not have homes or cannot afford to heat their homes. Warming shelters provide places where homeless individuals and those who cannot afford to heat their homes can seek refuge from the cold and wet winter season. Many communities open warming centers when temperatures get brutally cold during the winter months. Typically, warming centers are set up in community buildings such as schools, libraries, or town halls, and are considered to be similar to emergency shelters. Here are some questions to consider. Has your community planned for this type of shelter? What hours will you be open? Who will staff it? Is it emergency management's responsibility or another department? As we approach the harsh months of winter, it is a good idea to consider these questions and others. Although we were unable to find specific guidance for this topic, many communities have uploaded their information on warming centers to the internet which is a great place to find best practices and lessons learned.Baltimore County is an example.
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Do 1 Thing - An Easy Path to Preparedness
 The non-profit organization, Do 1 Thing, started a web-based, 12-month program intended to facilitate personal and family disaster preparedness. The goal, according to the Do 1 Thing website, is to "build stronger more disaster resilient communities." To this end, each month, the group selects a topic related to preparedness and provides simple, easy-to-do steps to accomplish the topic. For example, January's topic is making a plan. In order to assist individuals in completing this task, Do 1 Thing provides resources on its website, including videos and fact sheets (available in different formats and languages) to guide the development of a personal and family-oriented emergency preparedness plan. Registered users may also sign-up to receive emails that remind them of the monthly topic and use tools on the Do 1 Thing website to keep track of their progress. To learn more about this free program visit www.do1thing.com.
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 YNHHS-CEPDR has extensive experience in developing, facilitating and evaluating exercises. YNHHS-CEPDR can also develop a comprehensive multi-year exercise program tailored for your organization's needs. Our staff includes FEMA Master Exercise Practitioners (MEP), Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) certified individuals, and experts in all fields of emergency preparedness and healthcare. For additional information on how we can help enhance your exercise program, click here.
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