IAEP Works with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Create Emergency Response Guidelines for Terrorist Attacks and Natural Disasters
February 14, 2008
The IAEP, joined by other national associations, recently worked with the U.S. Department of Human Health and Human Services to develop Public Health Emergency Response: A Guide for Leaders and Responders. The guide is intended for state and local officials and first responders.
“We are proud to have taken part in establishing comprehensive national guidelines for responding to public health emergencies,” said IAEP National Director Matthew Levy. “These guidelines were established with the input of the rank and file EMS professionals who deal with medical emergencies every day. Their perspective is absolutely necessary to establishing effective national procedures.”
The IAEP worked closely with DHHS to help establish emergency guidelines that specifically highlight the public health implications of emergencies—mass casualties, widepsread illness, debilitating injuries, and intense psychological trauma—present in almost every terrorist-created emergency and in natural disasters. These guidelines are designed to help agencies work together efficiently to provide a focused and comprehensive response during an emergency.
“We are focused on improving the EMS field as a whole, and these guidelines will help leaders work more effectively with their first responders,” said Levy. “Our members are often the first people at the scene of an accident, national disaster, or medical emergency, and their experiences helped create realistic guidelines that address the actual issues that can arise in an emergency on any level.”
Learn more about Public Health Emergency Response: A Guide for Leaders and Responders, and find out how you can download a copy of the guidelines.