# Presentation: 497475

## Emergency Preparedness in Region 2

- Oversight Committee Meeting
- April 9, 2007
- Baltimore, MD

## Before Katrina....

- 2004: Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne hit the region
- Nov 2004: Disaster planning discussion begins at RAC planning meeting
- Dec. 2004: Discussion topic with NLM
- April, 2005: RFP for 2006-2011 contract period“Assist NLM with the implementation of a National Emergency Preparedness Plan” -
- 2005: Rita, Katrina, Wilma....

## A bit later....

- Feb. 2006 SE/A RAC meeting: Disaster preparedness discussion gains momentum
- Presentation by NLM
- Recommended regional task force, developed charge
- June 2006: Start to recruit task force
- 12 members to be appointed – volunteers from state health science library associations
- Charge:
- to provide background information on what plans exist in the state,
- devise or recommend procedures on how Network members notify the RML when disasters or emergencies occur, and
- recommend what information or resources the RML should make available for use by Network members.

## Katrina: RML response

- Contacted Network members in affected area
- Phoned first, then emailed those we couldn’t reach
- 32 members identified
- Coordinated DOCLINE activities
- Before storm hit we turned off DOCLINE service
- Worked with NLM DOCLINE team to discuss other options post storm
- Stayed in touch with Rowland Medical Library and CNN, before, during and after...

## Lesson 1: Look for help

- Partnerships important
- Region 5
- Blog - Helped with communication and information
- VA in DC
- University of Mississippi
- Mississippi Library Commission
- Mississippi Medical Association
- Medical Library Association
- RML isn’t always the first place to turn
- Provided information on libraries, funding, and more
- NLM
- $200,000 funding, DOCLINE activities, 2,450 free ILLs supplied ( 33,533 supplied to 65 libraries)

## Offer Help - Relief Award

- Pulled NLM’s and SE/A’s money
- $45,500 was given
- Funded 11 Katrina Relief Awards in MS and AL
- Libraries, hospitals, medical practices
- $5,000 award to purchase:
- Computer equipment for health professional/librarian use
- Computer equipment for consumer/patient use
- Internet connection
- Membership in the Mississippi Health Sciences Information Network for electronic journal and database access and document delivery
- 5 basic health sciences reference texts

## Lesson 2: Look at what others are doing

- Solinet
- Did a library assessment
- Offered disaster classes
- $25 registration fees throughout their region
- Disaster Preparedness - to plan, organize, and execute a disaster plan and a salvage operation
- Hurricane Preparedness - address the general issues involved in developing a disaster plan
- Do:
- SE/A funded class at joint meeting - Oct. 2006

## Lesson 3: This ain’t easy

- Progress to date
- Few back-up/buddy systems in existence in our region
- Task force activities:
- Meeting of few members in October
- Disaster plan assessment
- Met in MS in February
- Promotion of disaster planning Blog/wiki
- _[http://dtw2t.wordpress.com/](https://webmail.hshsl.umaryland.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://dtw2t.wordpress.com/)_
-  _[http://sea-](http://sea-dp-tf.pbwiki.com/)__[dp-tf.pbwiki.com](http://sea-dp-tf.pbwiki.com/)__[/](http://sea-dp-tf.pbwiki.com/)_
- Encouraging use of training awards for classes on emergency/disaster planning
- Web page of resources under development

## Slide 9

## NN/LM: Collaborative Project

- Selected emergency preparedness
- Scope is across the Network
- RMLs, NLM and some “advisors” on planning team
- Involves that “national plan”
- Held planning meeting - Feb. 2007
- Reviewed goals and strategies
- Next steps discussed
- Teleconferences planned
- Meeting in May

## Collaborative Project

- Goal 1: Ensure continuity of access to knowledge-based information to support health care before, during and after local, regional and/or national disasters.
*Description: Identify and make available information that would be useful to organizations preparing for emergencies and responding to emergencies and their aftermath.*

## Collaborative Project

- Goal 2: Support communication among regions, network members, and NLM in the event of a local, regional, and/or national disaster.
*Description: Develop plans that will allow NLM and RMLs to back up each other and network members during emergencies.*

##  Collaborative Project

- Goal 3: Encourage sharing of knowledge, experience, and training and planning materials to enhance the development of regional and local emergency preparedness plans and expertise throughout the NN/LM.
*Description: Identify, promote, and teach materials that would enhance the emergency preparedness training and emergency response skills of RMLs, network members, and community partners*

## Collaborative Project

- Goal 4: Sustain the national emergency preparedness plan
*Description:  Develop a plan to test the effectiveness of the emergency preparedness plan and to update it periodically.*

## Project: A Few Next Steps

- Investigating electronic means for member notification/communication
- RMLs will set up its “buddy” system
- NLM has a journal vendor committee
- Go Local role
- Investigating DOCLINE as means to recruit “buddy” or volunteers
- Advocacy
- Social networking, stories collection, exhibits, planning resources, training, MLA symposium

## NLM’s Long Range Plan

- Recommendation 1.5: Ensure continuous access to health information and effective use of libraries and librarians when disasters occur.

## NLM’s Long Range Plan

- Recommendation 1.6: Establish a Disaster Information Management Research Center at NLM to make a strong commitment to disaster remediation and to provide a platform for demonstrating how libraries and librarians can be part of the solution to this national problem.
- Dr. Steven Phillips, named head of Center, Feb. 2007