Time-Sensitive Emergency Preparedness Changes, Due Dates, and Resources
Below is an important message from the Department of Health (DOH) Office of Health Emergency Preparedness (OHEP) about upcoming drills and webinars, as well as some reminders of resources and upcoming due dates.
IOC Drills and Webinars
DOH 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.
DOH was planning to hold two informational webinars to discuss the drill and answer questions from providers tomorrow, Jan. 29, 2020. The morning webinar scheduled from 10 to 11 a.m. has been cancelled due to OHEP’s need to focus on the fast-evolving novel coronavirus event. OHEP will proceed, however, with the webinar scheduled from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. If you are unable to participate at that time, you may view OHEP's recording of the session, which we will share with the provider community upon receipt.
There is no registration to participate in the webinar; you may access it using this link on the day of the program, approximately 15 minutes before the 2:30 p.m. start time.
Critical Asset Survey Must Be Reviewed and Updated
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.
FEPA Application
Nursing homes, ACFs, and hospitals in any of the five boroughs of New York City (NYC) must also review and update the Facility Evacuation Planning Application (FEPA). Click here to view the Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) that was sent to ACFs, nursing homes, and hospitals in NYC 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.
Training Resources
Also, as a reminder, below are additional resources that are available to you to enhance your ability to respond to emergencies. DOH's January 2020 issue of Aware Prepare provides a comprehensive listing of training resources.
eFINDS
OHEP is offering training for the use of the Evacuation of Facilities in Disasters System (eFINDS) at various locations in the state. eFINDS is a tracking system/application on the HCS that should be used by an ACF in the event of an emergent, urgent, or planned evacuation. The application captures minimal amounts of data and allows facilities to track evacuee movement to other facilities, facility types, or temporary shelters. The training is a Train-the-Trainer format, open to all providers utilizing eFINDS. The dates and locations of the training are available on the HCS. The training announcement provides additional registration information. Additionally, if you want to go directly to the Learning Management System (LMS), please use the RTC-EFINDSTTT-HPP4 course here.
CEMP Training
OHEP is offering Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) training online for ACFs and nursing homes. Click here for more information regarding how to access the training and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
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.