Healthcare Emergency Response Coalition

HERC Mission

To develop and promote the healthcare emergency preparedness, response and recovery capability of Palm Beach County, Florida.

HERC Purpose

• Provide a forum for the healthcare community to interact with one another and other response agencies at county, regional, and state levels to promote emergency preparedness.
• Coordinate and improve the delivery of healthcare emergency response services.
• Foster communication between local, regional, and state entities on community-wide emergency planning, response and recovery.
• Ensure overall readiness through coordination of community-wide training and exercises.
• Promote preparedness in the healthcare community through standardized practices and integration with other response partners.

Key activities of HERC:

• Joint Hazardous Vulnerability Analysis 
• Multidisciplinary Training
• HSEEP Compliant Exercises 
• Syndromic Surveillance
• Standardized Response Guidelines
• Interoperable Communications
• Mutual Aid Agreements

For more information click here

HERC Book

Establishing a Healthcare Emergency Response Coalition by Jay Lee, Thomas W. Cleare, and Mary Russell now available for purchase on the Government Institutes website. If you have any questions or concerns please contact John James at [email protected].

The book is dedicated to Benjamin (“Jay”) Youngblood Lee. As director of disaster services at the Palm Beach County Medical Society, Jay Lee contributed to the development of this book, but sadly passed away on February 4, 2010.  His professionalism, dedication, and sense of humor are dearly missed by all who worked with him at the local, regional, state, and national level.