HAP Blog

As we worked through the COVID-19 pandemic, most facilities were short on needed supplies to combat the growing threat. As a result, universally, different standards of care were enacted to combat the problem. However, when supply shortages affect only a portion of health care facilities, we don’t routinely see those sweeping changes to standards of care that assist with our daily operations.

Water can hydrate, nourish, clean, and soothe us. When boiled, it can cook our food. As ice, it cools our drinks. It’s essential to sanitize, sterilize, and disinfect. It can erode a shoreline, or it can be used to power an electrical grid. But, too much or not enough water can lead to headaches in health care.

As emergency managers and policymakers, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment where the intersection of technology and public safety offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance our disaster response capabilities.

The news from Butler County, Pennsylvania this past weekend was shocking and scary. Many of the residents interviewed after the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump mentioned they could not believe that something like that could happen in their community, an otherwise quiet, rural area that regularly stays out of the national spotlight. 

As we hit the middle of summer, exercises and enhancing our emergency plans are among our top priorities—perhaps only second to vacations and coverage for our teammates who are on vacation.

The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially began on June 1. We typically see peak hurricane season from mid-August to mid-October with the peak date of September 10.