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Emergency Preparedness Planning
The Tippecanoe County Health Department Emergency Preparedness Division engages in emergency preparedness planning and coordination with all divisions of the health department as well as external partnering organizations from the public sector (local, district, state, and federal levels), private sector and community sector.
The foundation to achieve comprehensive emergency preparedness planning for a health department relies on an all-hazards approach, provides consideration to all phases of emergency management, utilizes the principles of the National Incident Management System/Incident Command System (NIMS/ICS) and implements the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Public Health Preparedness Capabilities.
Coordination with all divisions of the health department and external partnering organizations as well as the foundation to achieve comprehensive emergency preparedness planning will ensure that the Tippecanoe County Health Department achieves development of a robust All-Hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).
Public Health Preparedness Capabilities
The Tippecanoe County Health Department implements the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Public Health Preparedness Capabilities: National Standards for State and Local Planning, March 2011. Funding provided by the CDC assist the health department with planning and implementation of the 15 CDC public health preparedness capabilities. Below you will find a brief overview of how the health department is planning and implementing the CDC public health preparedness capabilities.
Community Preparedness
The daily operational functions of the Tippecanoe County Health Department facilitate the health and welfare of the entire community. The health department also engages and coordinates with external partnering organizations from the public sector (local, district, state, and federal levels), private sector and community sector on regular basis to enhance preparedness for public health or other all-hazards emergencies that present public health implications. External partnering organizations the health department engages and coordinates with generally include:
Community Recovery
The Tippecanoe County Health Department is currently collaborating with external partnering organizations to ensure an efficient recovery of the health and medical community systems following public health or other all-hazards emergencies that present public health implications. Complete achievement of efficient recovery of health and medical community systems requires the immediate rebuilding and resupply of public health, medical, and mental/ behavioral health systems to at least a level of functioning comparable to pre-incident levels or enhanced levels, if possible.
Emergency Operations Coordination
Development of the Emergency Operations Coordination capability will ensure comprehensive emergency management and response occurs during emergencies with public health or medical implications. When this capability activated, the Tippecanoe County Health Department’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) will be activated and the Department Operations Center (DOC) will be established. The ERT Command and General Staff will be located at the DOC will direct a standardized, scalable system of oversight, organization and supervision consistent with NIMS/ICS principles. The rest of the ERT personnel will conduct response operations in the field as directed. When needed, pre-identified personnel will serve in rotation as representatives to Emergency Support Function-8 (ESF-8) Health and Medical position in the Tippecanoe County Emergency Operations Center.
Emergency Public Information & Warning
During emergencies with public health implications, the Tippecanoe County Health Department will provide timely, accurate, accessible, and consistent coordinated public information, alerts, warnings and notifications to the entire community and responders through various available methods (media outlets, social media outlets, and this website).
Fatality Management
The Tippecanoe County Health Department will coordinate with the Tippecanoe county Coroner other organizations to ensure the proper recovery, handling, identification, transportation, tracking, storage, and disposal of human remains and personal effects after emergencies. The health department will certify cause of death, issue death certificates and facilitate access to mental/behavioral health services to the family members, responders and survivors of emergencies.
Information & Intelligence Sharing
The Tippecanoe County Health Department routinely tests and improves the ability to share emergency information and intelligence with external partnering organizations before, during and after emergencies. Information and intelligence sharing occurs across a wide variety of communications platforms and systems that have been established.
Mass Care
When emergencies with public health implications occur, the Tippecanoe County Health Department may support and coordinate with lead agencies to address the public health, medical and mental/ behavioral health needs of those impacted by the emergency. This may occur in the immediately impacted area of the emergency or at an established emergency shelter.
Medical Countermeasure Dispensing
When emergencies with public health implications occur, Medical Countermeasure Dispensing may be an appropriate response. The Tippecanoe County Health Department will, as needed, implement a county-wide plan to provide medical countermeasures (vaccines, antiviral drugs, antibiotics, antitoxin, etc…) in support of treatment or prophylaxis to the identified population in accordance with public health guidelines and recommendations. During a public health emergencies or other all-hazards emergencies with public health implications that require medical countermeasure dispensing information will be widely distributed through various available methods (media outlets, social media outlets, and this website).
Medical Material Management & Distribution
The Tippecanoe County has developed a system to acquire, maintain, transport, distribute, and track medical materials, equipment and supplies during an emergency. This system has also been designed to recover unused medical materials, equipment and supplies following an emergency. Whenever possible, the system will ensure that resupply of medical materials, equipment and supplies occurs in an effort to be prepared to respond to future emergencies.
Medical Surge
During incidents with health and medical implications, the Tippecanoe County Health Department can assist with coordination of resources from county-wide organizations to meet medical surge requirements.
Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions
During public health emergencies, the County Health Officer may decide to implement, when applicable, strategies for disease and exposure control. These strategies may include: isolation and quarantine, movement and restrictions, public health advisories/warnings, social distancing and precautionary protective measures. In instances when any of these strategies implemented, information will be widely distributed through various available methods (media outlets, social media outlets, and this website).
Public Health Laboratory Testing
To ensure confirm of emerging or presenting public health threats and hazards the Tippecanoe County Health Department will partner with hospital laboratories and the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) laboratories for public health laboratory testing of samples.
Public Health Surveillance & Epidemiological Investigation
Hospitals and select private practices input data into a state-wide system. The Tippecanoe County Health Department utilizes the state-wide system to conduct local public health surveillance and to provide support to the Indiana State Department of Health’s routine public health surveillance. When periods of increased or unusual reporting occur, the health department will conduct epidemiological investigation or provide support to the Indiana State Department of Health’s epidemiological investigation when the state takes the lead on the investigation.
Responder Safety & Health
The Tippecanoe County Health Department will develop a small stockpile of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) that can be deployed to protect department personnel during emergency response efforts. When needed, Personnel form the health department will wear appropriate levels of PPE and conduct all emergency response activates in a safe and responsible manner. If requested, the health department can also support county-wide responder safety and health needs of hospitals, EMS and other responders.
Volunteer Management
The Tippecanoe County Health Department coordinates the Tippecanoe County Medical Reserve Corps to assist with overall volunteer management of volunteers that want to assist the health department during emergencies. Volunteer management consists of identification, recruitment, registration, credentialing, verification, training, and engagement of volunteers to support the agency’s response to emergencies. The MRC may also develop partnerships with other volunteer organizations to allow for incorporation of multiple volunteer organizations as needed during emergency response. For more information visit the Tippecanoe County Medical Reserve Corps webpage.
Training & Exercise
The Tippecanoe County Health Department Emergency Preparedness Division ensures that the applicable training and exercise occurs to prepare health department personnel and external partnering organizations for public health emergencies and other all-hazards emergencies that present public health implications.
Training
Training allows the health department personnel and external partnering organizations to develop applicable knowledge, skills and capabilities for public health emergencies and other all-hazards emergencies that present public health implications.
NIMS/ICS Training
The Tippecanoe County Health Department encourages all personnel, responders and volunteers to complete NIMS/ICS training as mandated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Recommended NIMS/ICS training courses include:
Just-In-Time-Training
During instances of emergencies where specific training is needed, the Just-In-Time-Training method will be utilized.
Exercise
Exercise provides an opportunity to implement plans, demonstrate the capabilities and accomplish mission activities. Whenever possible, all exercises will involve health department personnel and personnel from external parting organizations from the public (local, district, state, and federal levels), private, volunteer and community sectors. All exercises planned and conducted are compliant with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) model.
The foundation to achieve comprehensive emergency preparedness planning for a health department relies on an all-hazards approach, provides consideration to all phases of emergency management, utilizes the principles of the National Incident Management System/Incident Command System (NIMS/ICS) and implements the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Public Health Preparedness Capabilities.
Coordination with all divisions of the health department and external partnering organizations as well as the foundation to achieve comprehensive emergency preparedness planning will ensure that the Tippecanoe County Health Department achieves development of a robust All-Hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).
Public Health Preparedness Capabilities
The Tippecanoe County Health Department implements the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Public Health Preparedness Capabilities: National Standards for State and Local Planning, March 2011. Funding provided by the CDC assist the health department with planning and implementation of the 15 CDC public health preparedness capabilities. Below you will find a brief overview of how the health department is planning and implementing the CDC public health preparedness capabilities.
Community Preparedness
The daily operational functions of the Tippecanoe County Health Department facilitate the health and welfare of the entire community. The health department also engages and coordinates with external partnering organizations from the public sector (local, district, state, and federal levels), private sector and community sector on regular basis to enhance preparedness for public health or other all-hazards emergencies that present public health implications. External partnering organizations the health department engages and coordinates with generally include:
- Community and faith-based organizations
- Emergency management
- EMS
- Fire departments
- Healthcare organizations
- Mental/behavioral health providers
- Police departments
Community Recovery
The Tippecanoe County Health Department is currently collaborating with external partnering organizations to ensure an efficient recovery of the health and medical community systems following public health or other all-hazards emergencies that present public health implications. Complete achievement of efficient recovery of health and medical community systems requires the immediate rebuilding and resupply of public health, medical, and mental/ behavioral health systems to at least a level of functioning comparable to pre-incident levels or enhanced levels, if possible.
Emergency Operations Coordination
Development of the Emergency Operations Coordination capability will ensure comprehensive emergency management and response occurs during emergencies with public health or medical implications. When this capability activated, the Tippecanoe County Health Department’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) will be activated and the Department Operations Center (DOC) will be established. The ERT Command and General Staff will be located at the DOC will direct a standardized, scalable system of oversight, organization and supervision consistent with NIMS/ICS principles. The rest of the ERT personnel will conduct response operations in the field as directed. When needed, pre-identified personnel will serve in rotation as representatives to Emergency Support Function-8 (ESF-8) Health and Medical position in the Tippecanoe County Emergency Operations Center.
Emergency Public Information & Warning
During emergencies with public health implications, the Tippecanoe County Health Department will provide timely, accurate, accessible, and consistent coordinated public information, alerts, warnings and notifications to the entire community and responders through various available methods (media outlets, social media outlets, and this website).
Fatality Management
The Tippecanoe County Health Department will coordinate with the Tippecanoe county Coroner other organizations to ensure the proper recovery, handling, identification, transportation, tracking, storage, and disposal of human remains and personal effects after emergencies. The health department will certify cause of death, issue death certificates and facilitate access to mental/behavioral health services to the family members, responders and survivors of emergencies.
Information & Intelligence Sharing
The Tippecanoe County Health Department routinely tests and improves the ability to share emergency information and intelligence with external partnering organizations before, during and after emergencies. Information and intelligence sharing occurs across a wide variety of communications platforms and systems that have been established.
Mass Care
When emergencies with public health implications occur, the Tippecanoe County Health Department may support and coordinate with lead agencies to address the public health, medical and mental/ behavioral health needs of those impacted by the emergency. This may occur in the immediately impacted area of the emergency or at an established emergency shelter.
Medical Countermeasure Dispensing
When emergencies with public health implications occur, Medical Countermeasure Dispensing may be an appropriate response. The Tippecanoe County Health Department will, as needed, implement a county-wide plan to provide medical countermeasures (vaccines, antiviral drugs, antibiotics, antitoxin, etc…) in support of treatment or prophylaxis to the identified population in accordance with public health guidelines and recommendations. During a public health emergencies or other all-hazards emergencies with public health implications that require medical countermeasure dispensing information will be widely distributed through various available methods (media outlets, social media outlets, and this website).
Medical Material Management & Distribution
The Tippecanoe County has developed a system to acquire, maintain, transport, distribute, and track medical materials, equipment and supplies during an emergency. This system has also been designed to recover unused medical materials, equipment and supplies following an emergency. Whenever possible, the system will ensure that resupply of medical materials, equipment and supplies occurs in an effort to be prepared to respond to future emergencies.
Medical Surge
During incidents with health and medical implications, the Tippecanoe County Health Department can assist with coordination of resources from county-wide organizations to meet medical surge requirements.
Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions
During public health emergencies, the County Health Officer may decide to implement, when applicable, strategies for disease and exposure control. These strategies may include: isolation and quarantine, movement and restrictions, public health advisories/warnings, social distancing and precautionary protective measures. In instances when any of these strategies implemented, information will be widely distributed through various available methods (media outlets, social media outlets, and this website).
Public Health Laboratory Testing
To ensure confirm of emerging or presenting public health threats and hazards the Tippecanoe County Health Department will partner with hospital laboratories and the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) laboratories for public health laboratory testing of samples.
Public Health Surveillance & Epidemiological Investigation
Hospitals and select private practices input data into a state-wide system. The Tippecanoe County Health Department utilizes the state-wide system to conduct local public health surveillance and to provide support to the Indiana State Department of Health’s routine public health surveillance. When periods of increased or unusual reporting occur, the health department will conduct epidemiological investigation or provide support to the Indiana State Department of Health’s epidemiological investigation when the state takes the lead on the investigation.
Responder Safety & Health
The Tippecanoe County Health Department will develop a small stockpile of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) that can be deployed to protect department personnel during emergency response efforts. When needed, Personnel form the health department will wear appropriate levels of PPE and conduct all emergency response activates in a safe and responsible manner. If requested, the health department can also support county-wide responder safety and health needs of hospitals, EMS and other responders.
Volunteer Management
The Tippecanoe County Health Department coordinates the Tippecanoe County Medical Reserve Corps to assist with overall volunteer management of volunteers that want to assist the health department during emergencies. Volunteer management consists of identification, recruitment, registration, credentialing, verification, training, and engagement of volunteers to support the agency’s response to emergencies. The MRC may also develop partnerships with other volunteer organizations to allow for incorporation of multiple volunteer organizations as needed during emergency response. For more information visit the Tippecanoe County Medical Reserve Corps webpage.
Training & Exercise
The Tippecanoe County Health Department Emergency Preparedness Division ensures that the applicable training and exercise occurs to prepare health department personnel and external partnering organizations for public health emergencies and other all-hazards emergencies that present public health implications.
Training
Training allows the health department personnel and external partnering organizations to develop applicable knowledge, skills and capabilities for public health emergencies and other all-hazards emergencies that present public health implications.
NIMS/ICS Training
The Tippecanoe County Health Department encourages all personnel, responders and volunteers to complete NIMS/ICS training as mandated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Recommended NIMS/ICS training courses include:
- IS-100.a - Introduction to the Incident Command System
- IS-200.b - ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
- IS-700.a - National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction
- IS-701 - NIMS Multiagency Coordination System
- IS-702 - NIMS Public Information Systems
- IS-703.a - NIMS Resource Management
- IS-706 - NIMS Intrastate Mutual Aid, An Introduction
- IS-800.b - National Response Framework, An Introduction
- ICS 300 - Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (Classroom based only)*
- ICS 400 - Advanced ICS (Classroom based only)*
Just-In-Time-Training
During instances of emergencies where specific training is needed, the Just-In-Time-Training method will be utilized.
Exercise
Exercise provides an opportunity to implement plans, demonstrate the capabilities and accomplish mission activities. Whenever possible, all exercises will involve health department personnel and personnel from external parting organizations from the public (local, district, state, and federal levels), private, volunteer and community sectors. All exercises planned and conducted are compliant with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) model.