The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded more than $352 million in grants to continue improving disaster preparedness of hospitals and health care systems within every state, and three large metropolitan areas. These Hospital Preparedness Program  grants support preparedness activities for hospitals and health care facilities, including the medical surge capability in communities across the nation.

“We want every community to be prepared and resilient when faced with any type of health hazard and we’ve seen preparedness steps pay off this year across the country with severe storms, floods, and tornados,” said Dr. Nicole Lurie, assistant secretary for preparedness and response whose agency oversees the Hospital Preparedness Program.

Many state health officials have attributed their ability to respond as well as they have to disasters because of the Hospital Preparedness Program, Lurie said. After a tornado demolished a hospital in Joplin, Mo., the state’s disaster medical assistance team and hospital staff set up a mobile medical unit, purchased from Hospital Preparedness Program funds, at the hospital site.

Grant recipients use the funds to employ experts who have developed and maintained preparedness plans and to purchase equipment, including mobile medical units and equipment to communicate with local emergency responders, according to HHS. Funds have also been used to train and educate staff on disaster response, including the National Incident Management System, which provides a standardized management structure for disaster response. Grant recipients are required to test this capability through disaster exercises.

The Hospital Preparedness Program encourages grant recipients to develop health care coalitions with other hospitals and health care systems, community businesses and non-government organizations which can support a facility in caring for patients.