Welcome to the Connecticut Health Care Coalition Newsletter
OUR MISSION
The mission of the Connecticut Health Care Coalition (CT HCC) is to promote collaboration, education, and joint exercises during the planning and preparedness phases of emergency management. During real-world operations, the mission of the CT HCC is to help identify resources at the state and sub-state levels, and to collect, analyze, validate, and disseminate essential elements of information (EEIs) to partner agencies.
REGISTER FOR THE MRSE TODAY!
This year's Medical Response and Surge Exercise (MRSE) will take place on November 8, 2023, from 9 AM - 12 PM. The exercise will have a chemical focus and will test hospitals' capacity to manage a surge of 20% above their usual capacity. All member types are encouraged to sign up for this exercise.
A CT HCC workgroup is currently planning the MRSE. To join this or any other workgroup, please fill out this form.
JOIN US FOR OUR COMMS DRILL!
MEET YOUR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR NOMINEES
The CT HCC currently has two volunteer positions outlined in its governance. These positions are the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson. The position of Chair is currently occupied by Jim Hutchinson of Nuvance Health, who will be stepping down from this role in October. The position of Vice-Chair is currently vacant. As a result, both of these positions are up for election. Thank you to all who submitted or accepted a nomination. In addition, the CT HCC staff, members, and guests would like to extend a special thanks to Jim for continuing to support the Coalition during this transition time.
Elections will take place during our next Bi-Monthly meeting, which will take place on October 18, 2023, from 12 to 2 PM. You can register for this meeting here. For more information about the nominees, you can read their bios below.
Chair Nominees
John D’Orazio has over a decade of experience in safety, security, and emergency preparedness work. Within the Connecticut Health Care Coalition, he represents the Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN), where he has been employed for the last 33 years. At ECHN, Mr. D’Orazio served as the Director of Safety and Security for over a decade. He currently serves as the Director of Emergency Preparedness and the Administrative Director of Facilities. His position involves planning and directing disaster response and crisis management activities, providing disaster preparedness training, and preparing emergency plans and procedures for human, technological, and natural events. He maintains current policy and procedures based on regulatory changes, technological changes, or knowledge gained from outcomes of previous emergency situations. Mr. D’Orazio has a certification in the Management of Aggressive Behavior, which provides trainees skills for recognizing, reducing, and managing violent and aggressive behavior both in and out of the workplace. Prior to working at ECHN, Mr. D'Orazio obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Government.
Paul Rabeuf is employed by Hartford HealthCare as a Public Safety and Emergency Management Program Manager. Paul has over 36 years of experience in Healthcare Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, Homecare, Long Term Care, Primary Care, Off-Site Dialysis and Acute Care. Prior roles include Emergency Manager for Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, working under the Hospital Preparedness Program Grant, building on trauma, pediatric, burn, surge, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive decontamination capabilities, and creating the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital HealthCare Coalition, which included community partners from multiple disciplines, such as Long-Term Care, Homecare, Dialysis Centers, EMS, and behavioral health. Paul’s work experience includes Regional Public Health Preparedness (CDC PHEP) Coordinator. During this time, Paul was engaged in the COVID-19 Pandemic response and led the efforts to develop the Region Five Public Health Emergency Response Plan and Regional COVID-19 After Action Report. His Emergency Management experience includes planning, response, mitigation, recovery, training, and community outreach. HSEEP Exercise development and facilitation. His instructor certifications include(d) CT EMS Instructor, CPR, AHA ACLS, PALS, and FEMA Hospital Emergency—Response Team - CBRNE decontamination. Paul is a licensed Paramedic and Registered Respiratory Therapist who works in the respiratory field and as an EMS provider for a volunteer EMS Agency in Region Five.
Jordan Rose Swenson is the manager of disaster preparedness and response for Yale New Haven Hospital. She has been a member of the Connecticut Healthcare Coalition since 2021 and has been an active participant since, including participating in the CT HCC HMAP / PA Work Group as well as recently volunteering to join the 2023 CT HCC MRSE work group. Prior to working for Yale New Haven Hospital, she obtained a Master of Science degree in emergency management with a concentration in healthcare management from the University of New Haven. She was also the emergency management program manager for North Shore University Hospital outside of Queens, which included the initial outbreak of COVID-19.
Vice-Chair Nominees
James Brown is currently the Director of Emergency Preparedness & Planning for UConn Health / John Dempsey Hospital since 2017. He has served as a member of CT HCC for the past four years representing single resource hospitals. He is the Chair of the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) Emergency Management Directors group. He is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM). He had a fire service career for 34 years. This included 28 years in Manchester starting as a firefighter/paramedic, retiring as a Battalion Chief, as well as six years with the State of Connecticut / UConn, Deputy Chief - Operations at Storrs and Chief at UConn Health.
Mr. Pelazza began his career in emergency services in 1975 and became an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in 1978. As he continued his career in Emergency Medical Services (EMS), he was certified as a Paramedic in 1985 and began working in Bridgeport, CT. In 1987, he joined the Stamford EMS Foundation, Stamford, CT. From 1993 - 2002, Mr. Pelazza was employed by American Medical Response (AMR) as a Paramedic Supervisor. From 2002-2010, Mr. Pelazza became the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator as well as the Emergency Medical Services Manager for Bridgeport Hospital. Since then, he has been involved in the development of emergency preparedness programs for hospitals, governmental agencies, municipalities and emergency service providers. He has more than 45 years of experience in the Emergency Medical Services field, including twenty-five years in progressive management positions and twenty-nine years as an adjunct faculty member for state and regional EMS education programs. Mr. Pelazza is instrumental in ensuring that the emergency management planning and preparedness activities at Bridgeport and Greenwich Hospitals, all of Yale New Haven Health System and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) Regions in western and southern Connecticut result in optimal emergency management response capacity and capability.
NATIONAL HEALTHCARE COALITION PREPAREDNESS CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
The 2023 National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference is set to take place on November 28-30, 2023, at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Last Vegas, NV. The theme of this year's conference is A Changing World: Opportunities for Transformation. Professionals in emergency management, healthcare coalitions, volunteer organizations and all levels of government (federal, state and local) will benefit from advancing their individual and collective skill sets by participating in over 40 sessions of content, sharing best practices, building partnerships, and interacting with the latest technology and industry thought leaders in the Exhibit Hall. Early Bird Registration ends on September 29.
CRI REGION 2 XYLAZINE TRAINING
Region 2 of the Connecticut Cities and Readiness Initiative has has been making significant strides in combating the opioid crisis through various prevention and intervention initiatives. However, recent data has shown a worrying trend in confirmed overdoses with Xylazine detection. This alarming upswing highlights the urgent need to expand our efforts to include awareness and education about this substance and include it in our prevention initiatives. By joining forces, we can enhance the impact of our opioid overdose prevention programs.
CRI Region 2 will hold an educational session on Xylazine on October 2, 2023 from 1-2PM
Click here to join the conversation, or use the following Microsoft Teams information:
Meeting ID: 285 548 145 711
Passcode: arUVbD
UPCOMING MILFORD HEALTH DEPARTMENT TRAININGS
SIGN UP FOR CYBER NUTMEG 2023
Cyber Nutmeg 2023 is a one-day event designed to heighten your awareness on cybersecurity threats and defenses you can deploy to protect your organization. Given the current threats posed by various actors across the cyber domain, it is more imperative than ever that we ensure our vigilance and commitment to improving our cybersecurity posture across the state. The Cyber Nutmeg event is an opportunity to share our collective challenges, discuss innovative solutions, and work toward our common goal: securing our state’s networks and protecting our data.
ICS AND CRISIS DECISION MAKING VIRTUAL AWARENESS LEVEL TRAINING
AGINGCT SUMMIT
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER VIRTUAL AWARENESS COURSE
PARTNER TRAININGS AND WEBINARS
ESF-8 Region 5
MGT348: Medical Preparedness and Response for Bombing Incidents
ESF-8 Region 5 is sponsoring a delivery of MGT348: Medical Preparedness and Response for Bombing Incidents. The course is scheduled for delivery on October 18 and 19, 2023 . This course is designed for personnel from any professional background who may become part of a community response to a bombing event. This interactive, instructor-facilitated program employs case studies and research-based information designed to enhance medical preparedness for and response to blast effects. Breakout sessions address considerations and concerns specific both to medical responders and emergency planners.
See the Training Announcement and Registration HERE
Location: Litchfield County Regional Fire School, 606 Burr Mountain Rd., Torrington, CT 06790
Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at 7:00 AM EST
The Center for Rural Development
MGT 433: Isolation and Quarantine for Rural Communities
The Center for Rural Development is offering a virtual delivery of MGT 433: Isolation and Quarantine for Rural Communities. This course is scheduled for delivery on November 7 and 8, 2023. This course is designed to provide small, rural, and tribal jurisdictions with the knowledge necessary to begin planning for situations requiring the isolation and quarantine (I&Q) of
a large portion of a local,rural population. MGT 433 serves as a stand-alone, instructor-led training opportunity for I&Q disciplinespecific areas. This course is also available online as MGT 433-W. Topics include isolation and quarantine introduction, legal preparedness, ethical considerations, roles, and communication strategies.
See the Training Announcement and Registration HERE
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Date: November 7 and 8, 2023, from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM EST
Register By: October 31, 2023
ESF-8 Region 2
Region 2 Pandemic Influenza Tabletop Exercise Registration
Region 2 is offering a Pandemic Influenza tabletop exercise. This exercise is scheduled for delivery on December 8, 2023, and will be held in-person in Branford.
Register HERE
Location: Branford Fire Department, 45 N. Main St Branford, CT 06405
Date: December 8, 2023, from 8:30 AM - 12 PM EST
Register By: November 17, 2023
The Center for Rural Development
AWR 232-V: Mass Fatalities Planning & Response for Rural Communities
The Center for Rural Development is offering a virtual delivery of AWR 232-V: Mass Fatalities Planning & Response for Rural Communities. This course is scheduled for delivery on December 12 and 13, 2023. The instructor-led awareness level course is designed to prepare rural first responders and officials with the basic knowledge, skills and abilities to manage a mass fatality incident impacting their jurisdiction. Target audience includes first responders, coroners/medical examiners, public health officials, and others with responsibilities during a mass fatality incident. Issues addressed include establishing roles and responsibilities, assets management, remains processing and identification, diversity issues and development of a mass fatality plan that affect the construct of a mass fatality response.
See the Training Announcement and Registration HERE
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Date: December 12 and and 13, 2023, from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM EST
Register By: October 31, 2023
All Clear Emergency Management Group has the following upcoming free webinars:
CONTACT US
Email your coalition coordinators at Coordinator@CTHCC.org with questions, comments, or to assist you with any of your preparedness needs.