EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE RESOURCES
Last updated 08/17/2018
WILDFIRE RESOURCES
CAL FIRE
CAL FIRE provides statewide fire updates and information on their website and social media platforms. Visit the CAL FIRE website and Twitter @CALFIRE for the latest updates on California wildfires.
ReadyforWildfire.org
CAL FIRE's ReadyforWildfire Website offers useful tips and resources for preventing, preparing for, and responding to wildfires.
California OES—Statewide Wildfire Recovery Resources
The state’s Office of Emergency Services website provides statewide information on wildfire recovery services and resources. Here, you can find important dates and deadlines to receive state wildfire recovery assistance.
NLM – Fires and Wildfires Health Information Guide
The National Library of Medicine’s website provides a wide variety of resources related to fires and wildfires. Included is information on smoke inhalation, burns, responder safety, recovery, coping, and multilingual resources.
KEY CONTACTS IN DISASTER ASSISTANCE
Licensing & Certification District Office
Call your respective L&C District Office within 24 hours to notify of clinic operation status. See the regulation for additional information.
Medical Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC)
If you have an emergency/disaster incident or health resources request, contact your county’s Medical Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC) immediately. The MHOAC coordinates disaster medical and health resources to include healthcare personnel.
Regional Disaster Medical and Health Coordinator (RDMHC)
If your request cannot be filled with the local MHOAC, the request may be directed to the Regional Disaster Medical and Health Coordinator (RDMHC). The RDMHC is responsible for supporting the mutual aid requests of the MHOAC for disaster response within the region.
PARTNERSHIPS
Disaster-Specific Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed a toolkit to guide health agencies in preparing for and writing disaster-specific MOUs for coordination during disaster response and recovery. MOUs should be prepared in order to increase communication, collaboration, and transparency among agencies participating in disaster response and recovery.
DISASTER RELIEF RESOURCES
Medical Reserve Corps
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national network of volunteers organized locally to strengthen public health, improve emergency response capabilities and build community resiliency. Visit their website for more information on how to partner or volunteer with your local MRC.
Direct Relief
Direct Relief provides targeted assistance to help safety net providers prepare for and respond to emergencies. Response efforts—which include distribution of N-95 masks, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, personal care items, equipment, and cash—are swift, involve local partners, and are coordinated with other nonprofit organizations and public health authorities to ensure the most effective use of resources.
Visit the Direct Relief Website to find out how your organization can benefit from a partnership with Direct Relief.
Contact Information:
Senior Program Manager, Katie Lewis: Cell= 805-440-2948 and KLewis@directrelief.org
Director, U.S. Programs, Damon Taugher: Cell= 805-403-3345 and DTaugher@DirectRelief.org
AmeriCares
AmeriCares delivers medicines, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid to a trusted network of clinics, hospitals and health care providers.
Disaster Recovery Resources from Capital Link
To assist health centers in obtaining FEMA funding for damaged or destroyed facilities, Capital Link has developed a series of resources supported by HRSA. Please note, FEMA resources can be used for any area where disaster is declared, such as areas affected by California wildfires.
National Health Care for the Homeless Council offers emergency preparedness resources to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness.
Disaster Assistance for Veterans
The US Department of Veteran Affairs created this brochure to specifically assist veterans following a disaster.
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Program
Here you will find California Emergency Medical Services Authority’s online registration system for healthcare volunteers interested in disaster service.
Red Cross
You can make a difference, and help people affected by disasters big and small. Blood donations help millions of patients in need. Register to donate blood today.
Salvation Army
Visit the Salvation Army’s national website to donate, sign up to volunteer, and find other ways to help. Find your local Salvation Army branch here.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DISASTER RESOURCES
NLM – Coping with Disasters: Health Information Guide
The US National Library of Medicine’s website provides a wide range of resources from various sources related to coping with disaster and includes guides, toolkits, training courses, links to other key organizations, mobile apps, and multilingual resources.
SAMHSA – Traumatic Events and Disasters
Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) website to learn about who is most at-risk for emotional distress from incidents of mass violence and where to find disaster-related resources.
The Disaster Distress Helpline
The 24/7 helpline offers emotional support after natural or human-caused disasters, by text or phone, in English and Spanish.
SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions: Trauma
Providing care in a trauma-informed manner promotes positive health outcomes. Learn more about trauma-informed care here.
ATSDR – Helping Families Deal with Stress of Relocation after a Disaster
Unplanned evacuations during a disaster can cause great stress on a community and on the individuals in that community. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry offers Helping Families Deal with the Stress of Relocation after a Disaster—a handy guide for practitioners to offer patients in need of behavioral health support.
STATE RESOURCES
Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA)
The California Emergency Medical Services Authority is responsible for developing standards for and administering an effective statewide coordinated system of quality emergency medical care and disaster medical response.
Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES)
Cal OES provides information on preparedness programming, state emergency plans, emergency training, and information on available grants for emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.
CDPH Emergency Preparedness Office
The Emergency Preparedness Office coordinates overall planning and preparedness efforts for the California Department of Public Health including collaboration with partners to develop the Statewide Medical and Health Exercise Program.
NATIONAL RESOURCES
National Association of Community Clinics and Health Centers (NACHC)
NACHC’s Emergency Management page provides federal tools and resources for health centers preparing for and experiencing emergencies.
CDC Emergency Preparedness & Response Site
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a variety of resources for emergency health professionals to prepare and respond to public health emergencies.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
The Office of the ASPR provides federal public health and medical services support, legal guidance for preparedness and response, resources for responders and clinicians, and federal, state and local planning resources.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA provides help to people impacted by disasters working with state, local, and tribal governments. Their webpage has information on current and potential national disasters, the national preparedness system, and specific information for California's regional FEMA agency, Region IX.
The New Health Center Resource Clearinghouse
A targeted search page for Emergency Preparedness and currently has NCA-produced, technical assistance documents, which is cross reference on the NACHC EM page.
Emergencies Happen: What Health Centers Need to Know - HRSA
Health centers and Primary Care Associations (PCAs) play a critical role in providing services and resources before, during, and after emergency events. HRSA may request that PCAs gather critical health center information and report the status of service delivery sites, depending on the severity of the emergency. When your health center is impacted by an emergency event, your PCA will contact you, and we ask that you be prepared to report site-level operational status as soon as you are able.
Please also review the HRSA Health Center Program Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Resources.