HAP Blog

A simple fact that’s true for all emergency managers: how we use our time between emergencies determines our success during the next one.

Emergency Management, just as other professional jobs in the U.S., is experiencing resource and talent shortages. The perceived value of emergency management has never been higher, which may be adding to the potential resource shortage as is the fact that many facilities are looking to build new or augment existing capabilities. 

We’re always thinking about the worst-case scenarios, whether it’s the generator system that won’t come back online or the wildfire that’s creeping closer to our facility. Part of our job as emergency management professionals is to prepare for situations we hope never come to pass. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our health care system in many ways, but it also has reinforced important lessons about supply chains.

Whether accommodating additional attendance at a regularly scheduled event or responding to new events that are popping up, it’s important for hospital emergency managers to be tuned in to mass gathering events in their community and plan accordingly. More than ever—as we carefully monitor the spread of the Delta variant—we know that we need to prepare for these events, and that our emergency managers will play an important role to make sure our communities are ready.

The summer is upon us, and with that comes the increasing likelihood of severe weather. As storms swirl this summer, we know that our hospitals will remain open—and that we need to prepare for a host of weather-related emergencies.