Preparing for & Responding to Emergencies

The Health Department can help make sure you and your facility have the resources and tools to meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Emergency Preparedness Rule.

For tips and resources, read the Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE), created by the Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

The four core elements of the CMS emergency preparedness rule for all 17 provider types include:

1. Emergency Plan – Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) Tools and Templates, Hazard Vulnerability/ Risk Assessments, Continuity of Operations

2. Policies and Procedures – Incident Management

3. Communications Plan – Information Sharing, Communication Systems, Vermont Health Alert Network (VTHAN)

4. Training and Testing – Incident Command System Training Course for Healthcare/Hospital, Exercise Program

For questions or concerns about the CMS regulatory process please email the Division of Licensing and Protection Survey and Certification Group at surveyandcertification@vermont.gov. 

The Vermont Crisis Standards of Care (CSC) Plan is intended to provide an ethical and operational framework for the development of statewide resource allocation and clinical guidelines in the context of a catastrophic disaster or massive public health emergency in which prolonged critical shortages of staffing, medical equipment and/or supplies exist. 

Learn more about the Vermont Crisis Standards of Care Plan.

During an emergency, health care professionals can contact Public Health and Medical Services staff through the State Emergency Operations Center if activated, or through the Watch Officer Program at Vermont Emergency Management by calling 1-800-347-0488. Please ensure that this information is in your response plans.

Health Department staff deploy to the State Emergency Operations Center to work in conjunction with other state support functions activated during an emergency.

The Public Health and Medical Services support partner function assists with coordinated state response to supplement local resources in response to public health and medical disasters.

Services cover the medical needs of people in the “at risk” or “special needs” populations described in the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013 and in the National Response Framework Glossary, respectively. It includes a population whose members may have medical and other functional needs before, during, and after an incident.