May 2025 Newsletter
Welcome to the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition Newsletter
As a valued partner of the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition (VHEPC), you will receive this quarterly newsletter highlighting coalition business, upcoming events and preparedness resources. As a reminder, we recommend that you bookmark the VHEPC website calendar and check it often. We are continually curating the calendar with meetings, trainings and exercises.
Our Mission
Our coalition is a multi-disciplinary partnership collaborating with our members, stakeholders, and surrounding communities to improve and expand emergency preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities. The VHEPC works with healthcare entities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies in the state of Vermont.
Upcoming VHEPC Events
VHEPC Mini Conference- June 11th, 2025
We're excited to share the agenda for our upcoming June 11th conference at Stoweflake Conference Center and look forward to seeing many of you there. We’ve put together a great variety of speakers and presentations that we think will keep you engaged throughout the day. Please be sure to register now to reserve your spot!
VHEPC Announcements
Welcome Kristopher Pickens, New VHEPC Readiness and Response Coordinator!
Kristopher joined All Clear Emergency Management Group in April to begin his support role of the coalition. He brings valuable experience from his previous position with the Emerald Coast Healthcare Coalition, where he spent three years leading efforts in training, planning, and exercise coordination throughout Northwest Florida. Kristopher began his professional journey in public health preparedness with the State of Florida, where he led COVID-19 and hurricane response initiatives in Okaloosa and Escambia counties.
Kris holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Troy University and a master's degree in Public Health with a concentration in Emergency Preparedness from the University of South Florida. He also holds multiple FEMA certifications. Kris currently lives in the Florida panhandle where he spends most of his free time golfing, enjoying the beach, and spending time with his wife and their two golden retrievers.
You can reach Kris by emailing vhepcoalition.org or by phone at 919-717-3355.
Annual Vermont Department of Health Satellite Phone Exercise
Attention All Hospital Emergency Managers and Health Department Emergency Preparedness Specialists:
The annual VDH satellite phone exercise will be held May 29 starting at 11:00 am and conclude around 1:00 pm. The exercise will continue with the ‘binary blizzard’ theme. VDH would like you to answer the following three questions:
What is your operational status (RED, YELLOW or GREEN)?
Do you have staffing issues?
Any other concerns you want to pass along to the HOC (Hospital Operation Center).
These questions can be answered ‘as of that day’ or ‘related to the event’ you can choice how you answer them. VDH will develop a call log for you to call in at a specific time but there will be time at the end to also call.
Exercise materials:
NOW OPEN:
Attendee Registration
Call for Speakers
Call for Exhibitors
2025 Local Emergency Management Director of the Year Nominations
Accommodations: Special conference rates available by visiting Killington Resort to book your room.
EMS clinicians: Join our EMSC Day webinar
Part of National EMS Week (May 19–24), EMS for Children Day on Wednesday, May 21, is an annual opportunity to thank EMS clinicians for their dedication to meeting children's unique health needs and to spotlight the work of the federal EMSC Program. As part of the celebration, on May 21 from 4 to 5 pm CT, EMSC will offer a webinar: “Pediatric Prehospital Seizures: Evidence-Based Practice and Future Directions.” The webinar will feature presentations from Manish I. Shah, MD, MS, and Joseph Finney, MD. Free CE will be available for EMS clinicians who attend live.
Help spread the word: EMSC has a full toolkit of promotional resources to help facilitate sharing this webinar and celebrating EMSC clinicians in your community, including graphics, sample text, thank-you templates, kids activities, and more.
Join NAMI’s Mental Health Awareness Month Campaign This May
Theme: “In Every Story, There’s Strength”
This May, take action, raise your voice, and help change the conversation around mental health! Since 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been a driving force in addressing the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions. Now, more than ever, NAMI needs you to be part of this movement. Whether by sharing your story, spreading awareness, or advocating for change, every action helps break the stigma and build a more supportive world for all.
"In Every Story, There’s Strength" highlights the resilience and diverse experiences that shape mental health journeys within our community. This initiative celebrates the power of storytelling as a means to foster connection, understanding, and hope.
emPOWER Program Overview
Program Development and Coverage- The emPOWER program, developed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), serves approximately 4.2 million Medicare beneficiaries. Of these, 2.6 million have claims for electricity-dependent durable medical equipment (DME), and 2.8 million have claims for one or more critical healthcare service
Necessity of emPOWER- The emPOWER program addresses urgent needs during emergencies. Disruptions caused by local incidents, such as prolonged power outages, or large-scale events like pandemics, can quickly escalate into life-threatening situations for at-risk individuals. These individuals may:
Overwhelm emergency medical services (EMS) and hospitals while seeking care or power sources.
Face severe risks if they shelter in place without the ability to evacuate safely.
Such scenarios result in surges in healthcare demand, which stress public health systems, emergency management, and first responders, potentially leading to adverse health outcomes for the affected populations.
New Training Opportunities
Pacific ADA Center: Upcoming Trainings
Now available to watch on our YouTube Channel: Your Rights As A Person with A Disability Under the ADA in Health Care!
Pacific ADA Center staff members explain your rights as a person with a disability in health care. Topics covered in this webinar include accessibility of hospitals and doctors' offices, medical equipment accessibility, transfer assistance, effective communication, and telehealth visit accessibility.
Making these videos was a collaborative effort from all the ADA Centers. Watch and learn more about the ADA and people with disabilities in videos tailored for Spanish-speaking communities. This six-video series reviews concepts relating to the law, rights, and disability. They discuss the ADA and its connection to other rights that protect people with disabilities. These videos can help you understand your role as a community member in supporting people with disabilities! All of the videos are available in English and in Spanish.
Free UAS (Drone) Training for Emergency Responders at UVM - Summer 2025
ASSUREd Safe and the University of Vermont are pleased to announce continued first responder training for public safety agencies to safely integrate Unoccupied Aircraft Systems to support emergency response operations. UAS (drone) technology has already proven to have significant benefits in our region for emergency management and disaster response, with value demonstrated during Vermont’s severe floods in summer 2023 and 2024.
UVM will be hosting 11 days of FEMA-funded training courses on campus in Burlington, VT this upcoming summer. The courses and materials are provided for FREE and no pre-requisites required to register. Thanks to the tremendous interest and full registrations of the courses in 2022, 2023 and 2024, we have expanded the course offerings to now include an advanced “Level II” Flight Operations. Details on each course from FEMA’s National Training and Education Division being offered below can be found HERE.
AWR-422: Intro to UAS Flight Operations for Emergency Response (Level I) – one day
PER-421: UAS Flight Operations for Emergency Response (Level II) – one day
PER-434: UAS Data Analytics for Emergency Response (Level II) – one day
We encourage you to visit assuredsafe.org to view the training offerings and register for courses summer 2025. The direct link to these FEMA courses in Vermont can be found here (note: account registration required). You may contact uas@uvm.edu with questions about course materials and training@assuredsafe.org with any questions about the registration process.
New Web-Based Courses on Pandemic Planning, Mass Care
Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) has launched several new web-based courses on pandemic preparedness and response and mass care community sheltering and relocation assistance. These trainings highlight best practices and lessons learned, with a specific focus on the needs of society’s most vulnerable. They can assist the public health workforce, and other practitioners and community organizations, to prepare for and bounce back from catastrophic events.
The following self-study courses are available on TRAIN:
Effective Facilitation
Vermont Emergency Management is pleased to announce they are bringing the 2.5 day Effective Facilitation Training back! This course will provide students with instruction and practice on facilitation techniques and meeting design, with a specific focus on facilitating Emergency Management meetings, trainings, and emergency exercises in both a physical and virtual environment. This class will first be opened to locals. If you are State of Vermont employee you will be waitlisted until two weeks out from the event.
LOCATION: DPS Headquarters, Waterbury, VT
DATE/TIME: May 28-29, 2025, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. & May 30, 2025, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
You will automatically be put on a waitlist when registering. Please follow the steps below to register:
Register: via State Learning Management System
Go to the lower right hand of the screen where it say "View Details"
hit the down arrow
select: "Add to Waitlist"
You will receive an email stating you are the waitlist
You will receive another email once you are taken off the waitlist and registered for the class
We will be hosting another Effective Facilitation Class in Windham County in June. Stand by for details.
Public Information Officer (PIO) Basics
This three-day class will equip the participants with the skills needed to be full or part-time PIOs, including oral and written communications; understanding and working with the media; and basic tools and techniques to perform effectively as a PIO, both in the proactive/ advocacy times and crisis/ emergency response. This is the replacement for the old G290 and G291. This course will be offered on the following dates in 2025. Registration information below.
Prerequisites: IS-29 Public Information Officer Awareness.
Course Dates: June 3-5, 2025
Location: Concord, NH
Ongoing Training Options
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency: Homeland Security - Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) Upcoming Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILTS) Awareness Courses
The Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) leads the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to implement the National Policy for Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (PDF) (National Counter-IED policy) and enhance the nation’s ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and mitigate the use of explosives against critical infrastructure; the private sector; and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities.
Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT) courses provide general awareness level counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) information to a broad audience through an on-line virtual training experience with a live instructor. These courses enhance participants’ awareness and capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and mitigate attacks that use IEDs against people, critical infrastructure, and other soft targets. Perfect for participants with time availability constraints, they can be taken as stand-alone courses or serve as prerequisites for many of the instructor-led courses provided by the Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP).
Vermont EMS for Children 2025 Case Review and PECC Open Forum
Join the Vermont Emergency Medical Services for Children every month for a Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator (PECC) open forum followed by a case review:
Next Meeting: May 28th, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm - Case Review
Register Via Zoom, Meeting ID: 973 7212 2032, Passcode: EMSC
HHS/ASPR Project ECHO Clinical Readiness Rounds Sessions
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Project ECHO have launched this program designed to create peer-to-peer learning networks where clinicians who have more experience treating patients in emergency situations share their challenges and successes with clinicians across the U.S. and around the world with a wide variety of experience of these situations. Topics for sessions are based on new and emergent information around emergency preparedness, as well as topics requested by participants.
Next Clinical Readiness Rounds: May 20th, 2025
Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm EDT
Topic: Supporting Clinicians Caring for Measles Patients
National Incident Management System Training
FEMA provides free emergency response trainings for those wishing to improve their training and knowledge in National Incident Management System (NIMS). The FEMA website provides more detail stating “The Emergency Management Institute works in collaboration with the whole community to provide training in support of the NIMS Training Program. The Preparedness Branch coordinates EMI’s NIMS training efforts with the National Integration Center (NIC) to integrate NIMS doctrine and training with whole community needs.
See link below for more information and to view available trainings.
REAC/TS Provides Accredited Continuing Medical Education in All Aspects of Radiation Emergency Medicine
REAC/TS, as part of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, offers accredited continuing medical education courses in radiation emergency medicine. Many types of professionals can benefit from the lectures, discussions, hands-on activities and role-playing exercises as they learn about the different aspects of the medical management of a radiological/nuclear incident.
Courses are scheduled throughout the year at the REAC/TS facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, or these courses can be customized and taught at locations worldwide, such as hospitals, nuclear facilities and first responder agencies.
Regional Disaster Health Response System- Regional Webinars
The Regional Disaster Health Response System (RDHRS) envisions a coordinated, resilient and seamless system of partners working together to ensure the healthcare needs of the public can be met in times of disaster. At all levels of the RDHRS, activities aim to optimize clinical surge capacity and, provide appropriate clinical and healthcare operational expertise to support healthcare disaster response planning. Within the Regional Webinars, specific topics including Family Reunification, the Ebola Outbreak, Pediatric Respiratory Illness and much more have been recorded for healthcare education!
New Hampshire Emergency Management Courses
These training courses, developed and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are available to officials from all levels of government, emergency services personnel, representatives from private sector organizations, representatives of business and industry, and others with responsibility for response to or management of resources related to emergency preparedness activities of government.
Partner Resources
Pacific ADA Center Updates
May 2025 Highlights
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, and National Mobility Awareness Month.
Mental Health Awareness Month began in 1949 to raise understanding about mental health conditions and reduce stigma. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with mental health disabilities have the right to reasonable accommodations at work, protection from discrimination, and equal access to public programs and services.
National Speech-Language-Hearing Month recognizes people with speech, language, and hearing disabilities, and the professionals who support them. Communication access, including captioning, sign language interpretation, and assistive technology, is protected under the ADA and essential for full participation in schools, workplaces, and public life.
National Mobility Awareness Month raises awareness about the importance of accessible transportation, adaptive devices, and inclusive design for people with mobility disabilities. From curb cuts to accessible restrooms, the ADA requires that people with mobility disabilities can navigate their communities safely and independently.
The ADA plays a critical role in protecting the rights of individuals with mental health, communication, and mobility disabilities.
To learn more, visit:
We’re here to help! If you have any questions about these items or any other ADA-related inquiries, please contact us. The Pacific ADA Center’s website is also full of up-to-date, useful information and resources.
National Emerging Special Pathogens Training & Education Center Podcast:
Transmission Interrupted
In this episode, host Jill Morgan explores essential steps for a safe vacation, highlighting the risks of unexpected illnesses while traveling. She’s joined by Dr. Henry Wu, associate professor of infectious diseases at Emory University and director of the Emory TravelWell Center, and Dr. Laura Dickson, assistant professor in UTMB’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Together, they discuss key health precautions—from vaccinations to mosquito repellents—to help you stay healthy and make the most of your next travel adventure.
Whether you’re heading to a tropical destination or just want to stay informed about travel health, this episode provides expert advice and practical tips to ensure you return home with great memories—not an unwanted illness. Tune in now for Spring Break Fever: Travel Health Tips for a Safe Trip on Transmission Interrupted.
ASPR Health Care Readiness Bulletin
Week of May 12, 2025
Federal Emergency Management Agency: Hurricane Preparedness Week- Last week was Hurricane Preparedness Week, a reminder of the importance of planning for inclement weather events. Hurricane season starts May 15 for the Eastern Pacific and June 1 for the Atlantic and Central Pacific. Access the full blog post for simple steps to prepare for hurricane season and additional resources here.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Federal Partners Issue Joint Advisory on Cyber Threats to Operational Technology- CISA, FBI, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Energy have issued a joint warning to critical infrastructure organizations in the United States regarding increasing cyber incidents targeting operational technology and industrial control systems. These federal agencies are urging immediate action to strengthen cybersecurity defenses, particularly for systems connected to the public internet. Access the fact sheet here.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Confirmed Measles Cases Surpass 1,000- As of May 8, 2025, a total of 1,001 confirmed measles cases were reported by 31 jurisdictions. There have been 14 outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) reported in 2025, and 93% of confirmed cases (928 of 1,001) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated. Access the full report here.
EMSC Pulse
May 2025 Edition
Raising the Bar for Pediatric Readiness Recognition Programs- EMSC State Partnership program managers worked together throughout the Pediatric Readiness Recognition Program Collaborative (PRRPC) to establish criteria aimed at creating more consistent pediatric readiness recognition programs for EDs and EMS agencies across the United States. Minimum consensus criteria were agreed upon by all participants as well as stretch criteria goals. Learn more about the criteria through the new “Criteria Considerations” Report. Or learn about the overall collaborative and its impact via the PRRPC 2023 Cohort webpage.
Improving pediatric emergency care: New insights from PECARN
From bedside interventions to cutting-edge diagnostics, PECARN is advancing pediatric emergency care across the board with multiple papers published this spring. Recent highlights include piloting the use of IV magnesium sulfate for asthma in children, establishing national priorities for pediatric pain management research, and exploring early indicators of severe illness—from kidney injury biomarkers in sepsis to gut microbiome patterns in febrile infants.
Read the studies:
The ASPR TRACIE
The Express: April Highlights
Many of our stakeholders are responding to or recovering from flooding and other effects of strong storms. Our Hurricane Resources Page houses helpful resources like After the Flood: Mold-Specific Resources, Tips for Retaining and Caring for Staff after a Disaster, our Utility Failures in Health Care Toolkit, and our recently updated Natural Disasters Topic Collection. Please reach out to ASPR TRACIE if you need technical assistance.
Hospital Wildfire Evacuation Considerations (New)- Much of the U.S. is vulnerable to wildfires. In recent years, numerous hospitals have had to consider or complete evacuations of patients and staff due to wildfire activity in their communities, due not only to direct fire threats but also because of poor air quality from smoke and ash, or the indirect effects of public safety power shutoffs. Hospital Wildfire Evacuation Considerations is based on lessons learned from recent incidents and can inform hospital evacuation planning.
Crisis Standards of Care Topic Collection (Updated)- The recently updated Crisis Standards of Care Topic Collection was reviewed by subject matter experts and includes resources on understanding and planning for crisis standards of care, education and training resources; lessons learned; plans, tools, and templates; and studies and reports. Find this and related information on our Crisis Standards of Care Resources Page.
Hospital Readiness and Response: An Online Guidebook (Pilot)- ASPR TRACIE developed several pilot chapters for our new Hospital Readiness and Response: An Online Guidebook (HRROG), designed for emergency managers, medical directors, and others in leadership positions within the hospital emergency management structure—particularly those new to their positions or who have been recruited to serve on a multidisciplinary team—charged with developing and maintaining an emergency management program. HRROG focuses on operational aspects of preparedness, response, and recovery from a hospital lens across a variety of domains. Links to tools, templates, and other resources for additional information are included in each HRROG chapter. Share your feedback on the pilot chapters to help us build future chapters!
Vermont Emergency Management Newsletter
Vermont Emergency Management (VEM) sends out a monthly newsletter that informs Emergency Preparedness workers about statewide trainings, exercises, conferences and other activities. To sign up for their monthly newsletter, please click here or view the most recent VEM Newsletter below.
New Hampshire Monthly Training Newsletter
State of New Hampshire
Most of the classes are tuition free and help prepare the responders, citizens, volunteers, and decision makers to prepare, prevent, mitigate, respond and recover from emergencies. You can get the most updated list of training for HSEM at here.
To view the most recent State of New Hampshire Department of Safety Regional Training Opportunities Bulletin, please click on the button below.
Region 1 Regional Disaster Health Response System (RDHRS)
The Region 1 Disaster Health Response System (R1 RDHRS) exists to develop innovative mechanisms that link experts in healthcare disaster response with other key healthcare, governmental and community partners and stakeholders to improve coordination of planning and response activities and support optimal patient care during disasters.
For more information on their resources and services, visit the site linked on the button below.
IPRO QIN-QIO Upcoming Events
QIN-QIO
The IPRO QIN-QIO works to ensure high-quality, safe health care in New England, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
To become involved with their trainings and resources, enroll with them below
VHEPC Event Calendar
Contact Us
VHEPC Staff
Hannah James
Readiness and Response Coordinator
T: (207)-747-9318
Kristopher Pickens
Readiness and Response Coordinator
T: (919)-717-3355
Mary Beth Skarote
Healthcare Coalition Division Manager
T: (919)-819-5369
