ABOUT US

Mission:

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

Purpose:

Provide a forum for the healthcare community to interact with one another and other response agencies at the 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.

HERC is a program of:

HERC Background:

HERC is a network of acute and sub-acute care hospitals, county emergency response agencies, and community disaster partners. The Coalition collaborates on planning, training and exercising for an area-wide health and/or medical response to a disaster or incident.

After the events of 9/11 and the anthrax incident in Palm Beach County the following month, the County enacted a mock drill to determine what the capabilities and gaps were in the community’s emergency response system. The drill brought together 15 hospitals, municipal and county law enforcement, EMS/fire rescue, HAZMAT, The American Red Cross, and other regional responders. The outcome revealed that individual agencies could not act alone to effectively address a disaster or public health emergency. In 2001, with support from Palm Healthcare Foundation, HERC was formed.

Operationally, HERC has a formal structure, with bylaws, specific strategic planning goals, regular meetings and scheduled activities that are planned and managed.