VTPEH 6132 - Public Health Emergency Management

Fall. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

L. Francis.

This course examines the basic principles of public health emergency management; various types of disasters and emergencies including infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters and bioterrorism; and how emergency management principles can be applied to public health incidents. Students will be introduced to domestic and international public health emergency preparedness planning, common concepts and processes used such as the Incident Command System (ICS), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the National Response Framework, and the Strategic Framework for Emergency Preparedness. Legal and ethical considerations relevant to public health emergency management will also be covered. Past incidents, emergencies and disasters will be reviewed, and lessons learned to inform future preparation and response will be discussed. Students will participate in small groups for in-class scenarios and exercises and prepare a press statement regarding a potential public health emergency threat.