Office of Health & Medical Preparedness

The Division of Public Health has been actively involved in public health emergency preparedness planning since 2002, when the City became a Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) jurisdiction under the auspices of the then Department of Public Health.

In 2008, the City's Division of Public Health established an Office of Health & Medical Preparedness (OHMP). This branch directs regional health and medical emergency preparedness initiatives. The Office of Health & Medical Preparedness oversees the following:

Worcester Regional Medical Reserve Corps (WRMRC)
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program
The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness Response (ASPR) Hospital Preparedness Program

These programs integrate public health and medical programming and surveillance into the healthcare network of the regional hospitals, community health centers and emergency response service in the event of a disaster. This collaboration creates an increased level of awareness, unification and communication among the major medical preparedness initiatives both locally and nationally. The OHMP continues to assess the health and medical needs of the community and build the capacity to respond to natural and/or manmade disasters.

Worcester's OHMP is integral in connecting agencies to develop regional emergency preparedness partnerships. Since 2002, the Worcester Division of Public Health has motivated collaboration between emergency management agencies, police departments, fire departments, emergency medical services, health departments, hospitals, health clinics, Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), American Red Cross (ARC), emergency dispatch centers and the Central Massachusetts Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council. These partnerships enhance planning, communication and inter-agency response in emergency preparedness initiatives and managing a local emergency or regional disaster.