GNYHA is currently working with its Emergency Preparedness Coordinating Council to develop guidelines on measures hospitals should take within each threat alert level and in response to specific types of threat. The recent elevation of the terrorist threat level from yellow (elevated) to orange (high) by both the Federal government and the State of New York on February 7, and the related threat advisories, prompted area hospitals to review and in some cases operationalize aspects of their disaster plans, both anticipatory to receiving patients as well as with respect to basic security measures. Although the threat alert level has since been reduced by both the Federal government and the State of New York to yellow, concerns of possible terrorist attacks remain and will increase should the United States begin military action in Iraq. In addition, NYC remains on high (orange) alert, which has been its status since the introduction of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's color-coding system.

"Emergency Preparedness for the Community" on GNYHA Web Site

In response to the recent level of community concern with respect to possible terrorist attacks nationwide and in the NYC region in particular, GNYHA has added a new section to its Emergency Preparedness Resource Center that addresses emergency preparedness for the community. The Resource Center, located on GNYHA's Web site at www.gnyha.org/eprc, contains materials to assist providers with both preparedness and response activities. The new section brings together materials created by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the New York City Office of Emergency Management, the American Red Cross, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, all designed to help communities prepare for many types of disasters, including possible terrorist attacks. The new section can be used to help both employees and individuals in the community understand basic disaster preparedness and response activities, and in turn reduce potential panic.

On February 21, 2003, GNYHA held a meeting of its Emergency Preparedness Coordinating Council to review the myriad advisories that law enforcement, security, and public health authorities had asked GNYHA to transmit to members. Taken together, these advisories requested that providers be vigilant with respect to bioterrorism agents, chemical agents, and radiological dispersion devices or "dirty bombs." In addition, alerts also raised concerns about the possibility of explosive events, focusing on both financial and symbolic targets as well as soft targets, such as hotels and apartment buildings. Representatives of the NYS Office of Public Security (OPS) reviewed the alert levels, the security measures OPS recommends to organizations within each level, and the specific recommendations OPS made during the period of heightened alert, which GNYHA had also transmitted to its members. Other agencies spoke about the protocols they follow as alert levels change, and the New York State Department of Health reviewed its general expectations regarding hospital preparedness in relation to differing alerts. At its next meeting, the Council will begin developing specific guidelines for security, preparedness, and other readiness activities, based on alert level and type, and will begin to review models for assessing surge capacity, again related to specific types of events.