Emergency Management (EM) is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. The UVA Health EM program takes an all-hazards, full-spectrum (preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation) approach to emergency management, while maintaining normal operations with minimal negative impact on patient care and visitor safety.
Emergency Management's Mission
Virginia is vulnerable to a variety of natural, technological and human-caused emergencies and disasters. A planned and coordinated response by UVA Health can save lives, protect assets and more quickly restore essential services. Our mission is to provide a measured and graduated response to emergencies of increasing levels of complexity by building upon daily operating concepts to ensure resources are matched to the needs of the patient, our facilities, and the community from which we operate.
Management & Oversight
The Emergency Management Program is managed by the director of EM and the Emergency Management Workgroup. The Safety and Security Sub-Committee provides programmatic oversight, policy direction, and the synchronization of EM Program efforts with other committee and sub-committee staff actions.
What We Do
The Program works to:
Organize and implement disaster tabletops, drills, and full-scale exercises necessary to prepare our staff and partners to carry out their identified roles and responsibilities.
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Provide direction and subject matter expertise in the field of emergency management and business continuity to heighten our state of disaster resiliency.
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Create a “culture of preparedness” within the UVA Health community by improving awareness and comprehension of what to do before, during, and after emergencies and disasters.
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Reduce loss of life and property due to disasters by employing an integrated all-hazards, risk-based approach to mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
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Conduct annual hazard vulnerability assessments (HVAs) to identify potential emergencies within the organization and community that could affect the demand for and/or ability to provide healthcare services.
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Develop and maintain a variety of emergency plans, policies, and procedures. These include comprehensive Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs), Incident Action Plans (IAPs), and Continuity of Operations Plans (COOPs).
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Provide educational opportunities for employees at all levels in order to establish and sustain emergency management competencies.
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Partnering with UVA Health Public Affairs, to notify team members, patients, visitors, partners, and the local community of emergency events that may affect public safety.
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Maintain a comprehensive emergency equipment cache to provide supplemental resources to our organization and the region in times of emergency or disaster.
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Support UVA Health's response to emergencies and disasters through the use of the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS), mobilization of Incident Management Teams (IMTs), and activation of the Hospital Command Center (HCC).
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Conduct After Action Reviews (AARs) and develop Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) following an emergency or disaster to facilitate enhancements to our emergency response capabilities.
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Develop and maintain partnerships with city, county, regional, state, private, and voluntary organizations that share a vested interest in the enrichment of healthcare emergency management.