Public Health Crisis Leadership

Public health leaders are frequently called upon in times of crisis to lead, coordinate or participate in response efforts. Crisis response is incorporated into the training of clinical staff, however, administrators rarely receive formal training in how to manage a crisis. This session will use the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) as a framework for illustrating best practice models that public health leaders can adapt for their use in responding to public health crises. The session will explore the importance of conducting regular and diversified drills (e.g. tabletop, planned, unannounced, etc.), multi-sector collaboration and post-event critique and analysis. Case study examples including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and US Airway Flight 1549 will be used to demonstrate crisis response strategies and to illustrate the role of public health leadership in devising effective responses.