Preparedness Grants
WHAT WE DO
The Office of Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness works to ensure the public health and healthcare system are prepared for major or acute threats and emergencies that would impact the health of Utah’s citizens including acts of bioterrorism, outbreaks of infectious disease, other large-scale public health emergencies, and disasters that could result in mass casualties. The EMSP is tasked to lead the mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services in it’s role as the ESF 8 – Public Health and Medical lead for the State of Utah. More information regarding our planning and response resources can be found under the Response Resources page.
HOW WE DO IT
Our efforts are supported by federal funding through the ASPR Healthcare Preparedness Program and CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response. The majority of the funding is dispersed to local jurisdictions to enhance local preparedness and response capabilities and develop resilient public health and healthcare systems.
The following guidance informs our efforts at the federal, state, local and tribal level:
Health Care Preparedness and Response Capabilities
Public Health Preparedness Capabilities
OUR PARTNERS
Utah Tribes and Local Health Departments are responsible for their jurisdictional public health and medical preparedness efforts in partnership with community stakeholders.
Utah has seven Regional Healthcare Coalitions to facilitate collaborative all-hazard planning, training, and exercising to support effective and efficient response and recovery to an event that could impact a community’s health. The coalitions comprise of hospitals, EMS, emergency management, local health departments, clinics, long term care facilities, as well as other health care system stakeholders.
The Office of EMS and Preparedness has also partnered with the following agencies to support their members’ preparedness efforts:
- Utah Hospital Association (Utah Disaster Advisory Committee) – hospitals
- Utah Health Care Association – long term care/skilled nursing facility
- Utah Office of Substance Use and Mental Health (Crisis Counselors) – behavioral health
- Association for Utah Community Health – community health centers
- Homecare and Hospice Association of Utah – home health and hospice agencies
The Office of EMS and Preparedness supports the Intermountain Center for Disaster Preparedness – a unique education facility that provides diverse course offerings, including FEMA courses and National Disaster Life Support Foundation’s BDLS and ADLS, as well as drills and exercises for healthcare personnel.