Bryon Backenson

New York State Department of Health

*NYSDOH Response to Hurricane Sandy New York State Department of Health Extreme Weather Planning & Response

NYSDOH currently maintains an All Hazards based Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, which includes the Department’s Incident Management System (IMS) Plan

IMS is the Department’s adaptation of Incident Command and establishes the methods, roles and responsibilities for the department in ALL emergencies

– Command & Control

– Operations

• Subject Matter Experts: Epidemiology, Environmental, Laboratories, Healthcare Facilities, etc…

– Planning

• Agency situation reporting, Incident Action Plans (IAPs)

* How Do We Plan for Extremes?

The IMS Group uses Department plans and operating guides such as the Incident Management System Annex to manage any and all incidents within New York State

– 2009 H1N1

– 2011 Hurricane Irene & Tropical Storm Lee

– 2012 Hurricane Sandy

The Extreme Weather Planning & Response Guide sits as an Appendix in the IMS Annex, this document:

– Defines Extreme Weather Events in New York State

– Identifies the Department’s role in a defined weather event

– Outlines the Department’s actions

* How Do We Plan for Extremes?

*Hurricane Sandy

Oct 29th, 2012

*Preparedness Phase

*State and Local Government Action*Issued States of Emergency

*Used Traditional News Media and Social Media to Communicate with Population

*NYC Mayor ordered evacuation of 400,000 people

*NYS Governor ordered shutdown of NYC subway system

*Public Action

*Most people obeyed order to evacuate when told to do so

*Even if not ordered to evacuate

*Listened to news media about warnings

*Bought bottled water and non-perishable foods, batteries and flashlights and lanterns

*Purchased drugs and other medical supplies

*Charged mobile phones and filled automobiles with gasoline

*Purchased generators for back-up power if needed

*Schools and businesses closed to prevent travelling during storm

*Preparedness Phase

*Press releases, risk communication messages,

newspaper articles, and social media sites….

*NYSDOH IMS

48 Situation Reports & Daily IMS Coordination Calls

Issued - 61 Boil Water Orders (BWO)Co-lead for State Mass Care Support Group and supported mass care efforts in the affected jurisdictions.

Disaster Recovery Centers – provided Staff for 61 locations

IHANS Notifications over 600,000

Healthcare Facility Evacuations During Sandy:– 6,001 Patients and residents were evacuated from

NYC Healthcare Facilities

– 56 Facilities evacuated in NYC, Nassau, Westchester and Suffolk Counties

Primary plans used for response were the NYC Coastal Storm Plan and the NYS Response and Recovery Annexes– The Extreme Weather Planning & Response

Guide was not formally implemented, the public messaging included in the plan is a primary response role

*Plan Activation

Multiple areas of NYSDOH all participate in Sandy response

Regional staff impacted personally

NYSDOH acting as county health departments at varying times.

Need to relay that information to pertinent agencies

• Hospitals, commercial labs, residents, etc.

Relay of electronic laboratory reports with power compromised

Implement novel surveillance mechanisms earlier than anticipated

• Computer-assisted surveillance for multiple illnesses

• GI list expanded, but impacted by power and reporting issues?

Have different areas/facilities to monitor

• Multiple shelters, run by multiple organizations

* Activation—Communicable Disease

In 2010 - Local Health Departments within New York State used a similar format to develop local All Hazards Public Health Emergency Response (PHEPR) Plans

The NYSDOH Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HEPR) Plan is formally updated every 4 years, however, portions are updated as needed

Future updated guidance will include a use-able template for Local Health Departments to include in future iterations of their local plans

*Moving Forward

*Acknowledgements

Office of Health Emergency Preparedness - Plan Coordinator - Sarah-Anne Roberts Kate Butler-Azzopardi & Michael Perillo

Office of Public Health Practice

Dr. Millicent Eidson & Kathleen Clancy

Division of EpidemiologyHwa-Gan H. Chang

Center for Environmental Health (CEH)Dr. Wanda Lizak-Welles & Eileen Franko

Public Affairs Group & Crisis Emergency Risk CommunicationsJohn Emery

Public Health Emergency Epidemiology (PHEEP)Dr. Daniel Kuhles, Lynn Couey

Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (BEMS)James Soto

Office of Health Systems Management (OHSM)Deborah Sottolano

*Questions ?

For More Information Please Contact:

Office of Heath Emergency Preparedness518.474.2893