OHEP Provides Link to Emergency Preparedness Drills Webinar

As a reminder, the Department of Health (DOH) Office of Health Emergency Preparedness (OHEP) will be conducting five regional Interoperable Communications (IOC) drills between February and April 2020. The drills are being conducted in conjunction with a federal exercise entitled the Coalition Surge Test and are open to hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities (ACFs), home care, and hospice providers. Nursing homes and home care providers can use these drills to fulfill emergency preparedness requirements. OHEP held a webinar last week regarding the drills and has provided a link to the recording here.

Members are also reminded that nursing homes, ACFs, and hospitals must review and update their Critical Asset Survey in the Health Electronic Response Data System (HERDS) on the Health Commerce System (HCS) by March 31, 2020. Additionally, nursing homes, ACFs, and hospitals in any of the five boroughs of New York City (NYC) must review and update the Facility Evacuation Planning Application (FEPA). Click here to view the Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) that was sent to NYC providers on Dec. 20, 2019. The DAL includes useful resources regarding the application, as well as OHEP contacts that can assist you with any questions. Providers outside of NYC are encouraged, but not required, to complete the FEPA application on the HCS.

Lastly, DOH provides various resources for emergency preparedness training, including online Evacuation of Facilities in Disasters System (eFINDS) and Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) training for ACFs and nursing homes. Click here for more information.

Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org; Elliott Frost, efrost@leadingageny.org; or Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org. All can be reached at 518-867-8383.