Medical Disasters - State Administration - Health & Safety - CA

Section § 1797.150

This law says that when there's a medical disaster, the authorities need to work with the Office of Emergency Services to bring together emergency medical resources to help manage and solve health issues caused by the event.

In cooperation with the Office of Emergency Services, the authority shall respond to any medical disaster by mobilizing and coordinating emergency medical services mutual aid resources to mitigate health problems.

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Section § 1797.151

This law requires the authority to work with local EMS agencies to ensure that medical and hospital disaster preparedness is well-coordinated with other agencies and departments that handle disaster response. The goal is to make sure everyone is ready and able to handle emergencies effectively.

The authority also helps the Office of Emergency Services develop the emergency medical services part of the State Emergency Plan. This plan outlines how medical services will be managed during state emergencies.

The authority shall coordinate, through local EMS agencies, medical and hospital disaster preparedness with other local, state, and federal agencies and departments having a responsibility relating to disaster response, and shall assist the Office of Emergency Services in the preparation of the emergency medical services component of the State Emergency Plan as defined in Section 8560 of the Government Code.

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Section § 1797.152

The California Health and Safety Code allows the director and the State Public Health Officer to appoint a regional disaster medical and health coordinator for each mutual aid region. These coordinators can be local health or emergency services officials. They are chosen by a majority vote of local health officers in the region.

If there's a major disaster and the Governor declares an emergency, these coordinators can help organize medical and health aid from areas unaffected by the disaster. They may also create plans for medical aid among counties in their region.

It's important to note that serving as a coordinator is voluntary and no state salary is guaranteed unless specified and funded by the state.

(a) The director and the State Public Health Officer may jointly appoint a regional disaster medical and health coordinator for each mutual aid region of the state. A regional disaster medical and health coordinator shall be either a county health officer, a county coordinator of emergency services, an administrator of a local EMS agency, or a medical director of a local EMS agency. Appointees shall be chosen from among persons nominated by a majority vote of the local health officers in a mutual aid region.

(b) In the event of a major disaster which results in a proclamation of emergency by the Governor, and in the need to deliver medical or public and environmental health mutual aid to the area affected by the disaster, at the request of the authority, the State Department of Public Health, or the Office of Emergency Services, a regional disaster medical and health coordinator in a region unaffected by the disaster may coordinate the acquisition of requested mutual aid resources from the jurisdictions in the region.

(c) A regional disaster medical and health coordinator may develop plans for the provision of medical or public health mutual aid among the counties in the region.

(d) No person may be required to serve as a regional disaster medical and health coordinator. No state compensation shall be paid for a regional disaster medical and health coordinator position, except as determined appropriate by the state, if funds become available.

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Section § 1797.153

This section outlines the responsibilities of the Medical Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC) in California. The MHOAC, who can be the county health officer, local EMS agency administrator, or an appointed individual, works with various local health and emergency agencies to develop a medical and health disaster plan. This plan must align with state and national emergency management systems and include tasks like assessing medical needs, coordinating medical resources and services, ensuring food and water safety, and managing public health information during emergencies.

In emergency situations, the MHOAC coordinates with different health and emergency agencies to manage disaster resources effectively. The section ensures this role doesn't alter any existing disaster management authority established by state plans and systems.

(a) In each operational area the county health officer and the local EMS agency administrator may act jointly as the medical health operational area coordinator (MHOAC). If the county health officer and the local EMS agency administrator are unable to fulfill the duties of the MHOAC they may jointly appoint another individual to fulfill these responsibilities. If an operational area has a MHOAC, the MHOAC in cooperation with the county office of emergency services, local public health department, the local office of environmental health, the local department of mental health, the local EMS agency, the local fire department, the regional disaster and medical health coordinator (RDMHC), and the regional office of the Office of Emergency Services, shall be responsible for ensuring the development of a medical and health disaster plan for the operational area. The medical and disaster plans shall follow the Standard Emergency Management System and National Incident Management System. The MHOAC shall recommend to the operational area coordinator of the Office of Emergency Services a medical and health disaster plan for the provision of medical and health mutual aid within the operational area.

(b) For purposes of this section, “operational area” has the same meaning as that term is defined in subdivision (b) of Section 8559 of the Government Code.

(c) The medical and health disaster plan shall include preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation functions consistent with the State Emergency Plan, as established under Sections 8559 and 8560 of the Government Code, and, at a minimum, the medical and health disaster plan, policy, and procedures shall include all of the following:

(1) Assessment of immediate medical needs.

(2) Coordination of disaster medical and health resources.

(3) Coordination of patient distribution and medical evaluations.

(4) Coordination with inpatient and emergency care providers.

(5) Coordination of out-of-hospital medical care providers.

(6) Coordination and integration with fire agencies personnel, resources, and emergency fire prehospital medical services.

(7) Coordination of providers of nonfire based prehospital emergency medical services.

(8) Coordination of the establishment of temporary field treatment sites.

(9) Health surveillance and epidemiological analyses of community health status.

(10) Assurance of food safety.

(11) Management of exposure to hazardous agents.

(12) Provision or coordination of mental health services.

(13) Provision of medical and health public information protective action recommendations.

(14) Provision or coordination of vector control services.

(15) Assurance of drinking water safety.

(16) Assurance of the safe management of liquid, solid, and hazardous wastes.

(17) Investigation and control of communicable disease.

(d) In the event of a local, state, or federal declaration of emergency, the MHOAC shall assist the agency operational area coordinator in the coordination of medical and health disaster resources within the operational area, and be the point of contact in that operational area, for coordination with the RDMHC, the agency, the regional office of the agency, the State Department of Public Health, and the authority.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to revoke or alter the current authority for disaster management provided under either of the following:

(1) The State Emergency Plan established pursuant to Section 8560 of the Government Code.

(2) The California standardized emergency management system established pursuant to Section 8607 of the Government Code.

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