Emergency Preparedness

Background – The AH&MRC will work with partner agencies to prepare, prevent, respond to and recover from emergencies and major incidents.

Effective planning and preparation can reduce the impact of public health emergencies on peoples’ health. Such emergencies might include natural disasters, severe weather, man-made emergencies (e.g. a building collapse or major transport accident), infectious diseases, food safety threats and chemical and radiation emergencies. Emergency Preparedness helps a community prepare, prevent, respond to and recover from emergencies and major incidents.

The AH&MRC Emergency Preparedness Program delivers a range of activities including:

• Regional workshops to strengthen local networks, planning and processes
• Increasing understanding of the different stakeholders and their roles and responsibilities during a public health emergency, focusing on what strong partnerships look like
• Offering Member Services the opportunity to participate in mock tabletop exercises that offer the practical experience of how to optimally respond in a public health emergency or other health crises in the region
• Providing cultural expertise and relevant community consultation, input and advice to key stakeholders at the local and state level
• Educating and empowering ACCHS sector workforce about the role they can play in Emergency Preparedness