Emergency Services Unit | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

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Emergency Services Unit

September is National Preparedness Month! Now is the time to prepare yourself and those in your care for an unexpected emergency. This September, please prepare and plan for emergencies of all types that may require you to:

Stay in your home for three days without access to electricity, water, stores, and other local services.
Leave your home quickly.
Connect with your friends and family when communications systems may be down or overloaded.

ReadyNH

The Emergency Services Unit (ESU), which operates under the direction of theCommissioner’s Office, coordinates the NH Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) emergency response efforts under the direction of the Commissioner or designee. ESU is responsible for managing the Department’s emergency supplies, supporting technologies used during disasters, and fulfilling the Health & Medical Services and Mass Care & Sheltering needs of the citizens of NH during a disaster.

The Emergency Services Unit coordinates these efforts with: Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and Department of Safety (DoS).

ESU is comprised of several disaster response areas:

DHHS-Incident Command Center (ICC): Managing any emergency requires a team approach. Assets from the Department of Health and Human Services and it’s Support Agencies can be united and mobilized to respond to any natural or man-made events.
	Evacuation Response Team (ERT): The team’s primary role is to: Track people who are evacuated during a disaster Reunite them with family and/or others. Mobile response capabilities for statewide evacuations. Team is also trained to assist the Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team (DBHRT) in the operation of a Family Assistance Center.
HazMat Team (HST): The team’s primary role is to support the Department’s emergency-response missions as outlined in the State’s Emergency Operations Plan. Trained in all aspects of hazardous materials Specializes in biological and radiological events Supports the Radiological Health Unit of the Division of Public Health Supports local responders with Female/Children decontamination during a radiological event
	Hotline Operations Team (HotOps): The team’s primary role is to staff a State Public Inquiry Line within 4 hours to allow: Public to receive accurate information about: The event itself What actions to take to ensure their safety. and/or Works closely with 211 NH to: Extend support
Inventory Support Team (IST): The team’s primary role is managing the Department’s cache of emergency supplies to ensure successful response to radiological, biological, and man-made events. DHHS inventory: Totals more than one hundred twenty tons of goods More than three hundred fifty different items in four warehouses. Manages and tracks seventeen medical surge trailers positioned throughout State.
In addition, ESU houses three critical Public Health response programs: The Disaster Behavioral Health Response Program, The National Hospital Preparedness Program, and the New Hampshire Metropolitan Medical Response System. If you are an employee of the NH Department of Health and Human Services and interested in volunteering to assist during emergency response or you are looking for more information about the Emergency Services Unit, please call (603) 271-9478 or (800) 852-3345 ext. 9478.