Emergency Preparedness

Massachusetts has an extremely reliable web of emergency preparedness agencies. The state’s six Health and Medical Coordinating Coalitions (HMCCs) cover every city and town in the state. The HMCCs are a formal collaboration between public health and healthcare organizations in Massachusetts to coordinate regional health and medical planning, response, recovery, and mitigation activities. They work hand-in- hand with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and maintain a 24/7 emergency response capability through their various emergency response units, such as Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), MA Responds, and various mutual aid systems. The HMCCs work through supporting sponsoring agencies that employ full-time dedicated emergency preparedness staffing.

The materials in this chapter will guide you to the proper resources for overseeing a health department’s relationship with its corresponding HMCC. Also included are resources on MRC and emergency management.