What is Massachusetts doing to prepare for public health threats or emergencies?
The Center for Emergency Preparedness (CEP) at the Department of Public Health was established to coordinate the efforts of local public health agencies, hospitals and health care providers, public safety agencies, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to develop plans to minimize risk to the public and treat those who may become ill. We are continually updating and enhancing capacity at the State Laboratory Institute to detect diseases and other threats, and are training emergency responders to incorporate public health into the Incident Command Structure. One of the most ambitious efforts by the CEP has been the creation and support of 7 Emergency Preparedness Regions across the state. Working at the local level, Regional Coordinators and Health Educators are bringing together community leaders, public safety agencies, hospitals and health care providers to prepare local communities to respond to a variety of potential threats. Both the state and federal government
