CT HCC July 2026 Newsletter

Summer Preparedness: Be Ready for Heat, Hurricanes, and Tropical Storms

Summer brings opportunities for outdoor activities, travel, and community events, but it also introduces seasonal hazards that can impact individuals, families, health care organizations, and communities. Extreme heat, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tropical storms can develop quickly and place significant strain on health care systems and emergency services.

Now is the time to review emergency plans and ensure preparedness measures are in place before an incident occurs.

Preparing for Extreme Heat

Heat-related illnesses can affect anyone, particularly older adults, young children, individuals with chronic medical conditions, and outdoor workers. Stay hydrated, limit strenuous outdoor activity during peak heat hours, and ensure access to air-conditioned environments. Health care facilities and community organizations should review plans for managing increased patient volumes associated with heat-related emergencies and power outages.

Get Ready for Hurricane and Tropical Storm Season

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, with activity often increasing during late summer and early fall. Even areas that do not experience direct landfall can be affected by flooding, power outages, transportation disruptions, and supply chain interruptions.

Consider the following preparedness actions:

Review family and organizational emergency plans.
Update emergency contact information.
Assemble or refresh emergency supply kits.
Ensure medications and critical medical supplies are readily available.
Identify alternate communication methods if cellular or internet service is disrupted.
Monitor forecasts and local emergency management notifications.
Know evacuation routes and sheltering options in your area.

Health Care and Community Preparedness

Health care organizations should review continuity plans, backup power capabilities, staffing contingencies, and communication procedures. Regional partners are encouraged to verify contact information, test communication systems, and coordinate preparedness activities with coalition and emergency management partners.

Preparedness is most effective when completed before a storm is approaching. Taking a few simple steps now can help protect lives, maintain continuity of operations, and support a faster recovery when severe weather occurs.

Save the Date: CT HCC August Bimonthly Meeting

Please save the date for our next CT HCC Bimonthly meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, August 12, from 11:00-1:00PM. We are currently exploring options for hosting this as a hybrid meeting and will provide updates as soon as we have further information. Calendar invites to hold the date and time will be sent out to all coalition members this month.

Join the Functional Exercise Planning Workgroup

The CT HCC Functional Exercise Planning Workgroup will soon begin planning efforts for our functional exercise for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. If you are interested in being a part of this workgroup, please email our team at coordinator@cthcc.org. Calendar invites will be sent to all workgroup members soon.

Operation Vital Signs - An HPH Sector Exercise

The Health Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC) Cyber Working Group (CWG) and Health-ISAC will be hosting “Operation Vital Signs,” a two-day cyber incident response and recovery exercise for the Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) Sector. The exercise will take place on July 21st and 22ndfrom 12:00 - 4:00 PM. For more information, answers to common questions, and to register for a free ticket for the event, please visit the event page .

CT HCC in Action: Evacuation Summit Trainings

The Connecticut Health Care Coalition offered four evacuation training sessions in May and June of 2026, with each session hosting up to 30 trainees. Participants from hospitals, EMS, long term care facilities, and more learned about evacuation planning best practices from Jensen Hughes staff and then got hands-on experience sending volunteers down a stairwell using evacuation equipment used for non-ambulatory patients, such as med sleds and stair chairs. You can see some of the trainees in action below:

A compilation of photos of volunteers going down a stairwell on med sleds and stair chairs

Thank you to our partners at Hartford HealthCare for allowing the coalition to use their training facilities and stairwell for this training.

This training was funded by the CT HCC in response to feedback from our members about the need for evacuation training. If you have a request for a certain type of training, please contact us.

Orienting to the New Coalition Website

CT HCC's new website launched on June 1, 2026 and includes new features that will allow members to more easily navigate the site, including all of the coalition plans, events, and materials that we have to offer. In addition, members now have more ability to add their own trainings and events directly to the CT HCC calendar on their own time. Click the image above to learn more about creating an account, adding a calendar event, navigating the file explorer, and more!

Are you a CT HCC Member and still need to sign up for an account?

Click here to learn more about setting up your account and accessing the members only portal.

On-Demand Course: Application of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)

A picture of a man in a phone screen participating in virtual learning with books and web pages around him. The image reads "Application of the National Incident Management System (NIMS): Complete Guide to IS 100, 200, & 700"

Unlock the key to mastering the essential elements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) courses with our comprehensive on-demand program. This meticulously crafted course covers the critical components of IS 100, 200, 700, and 800, offering a deep dive into the core concepts and practical applications of emergency management as outlined by FEMA.

Course Highlights:

IS 100, 200, 700 & 800 Course Content: Gain a practical understanding of key incident management elements.
Expert Instruction: Benefit from the expertise of industry professionals with years of experience in healthcare incident management.
Course Certification: Receive a prestigious certificate upon course completion, showcasing your commitment to excellence in incident management.

Who Should Enroll: This course is ideal for healthcare emergency management professionals, administrators, and incident response team members who are looking to learn the foundations of incident management.

Register for free here

Check out the Pediatric Pandemic Network Podcast: Ready, Prep, Go!

Be sure to check out the engaging Ready Prep Go Podcast offered by the Pediatric Pandemic Network.

Through conversations with frontline experts and leaders, listeners gain insight into communication, coordination, resilience-building, and the unique needs of children during emergencies.

Whether you’re a clinician, emergency manager, educator, or community leader, the Pediatric Pandemic Network and Ready Prep Go Podcast serve as a trusted source of knowledge and inspiration. They provide practical ideas you can adapt to your own setting, empowering you to strengthen preparedness efforts and better protect the communities you serve.