Who We Are
The North Carolina Healthcare Preparedness Program (NC HPP) began in 2002, in response to the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. The program was initially designed to focus on bioterrorism preparedness and response for hospitals, utilizing federal grants to fund operations. Over the years, the program worked to create its own identity, independent of the federal Hospital Preparedness Program grant, and has shifted focus to a more all-hazards approach for all of our healthcare partners, as we work towards our vision of Building a Prepared, Resilient, and Sustainable Healthcare Community.
What We Do
The North Carolina Healthcare Preparedness Program (NC HPP) serves as the lead agency for Disaster Medical Services under Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF-8) in North Carolina. These responsibilities are outlined in the North Carolina State Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) as part of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT). This role involves coordinating additional support for local and state governments, as well as the broader healthcare system, across all phases of emergency management — planning, response, mitigation, and recovery — during major emergencies or disasters. This is done by leveraging the capabilities of our partners within the State Medical Response System (SMRS).
Key NC HPP responsibilities include:
- Supporting the healthcare system during incidents that cause medical surge conditions, where patient needs exceed normal capacity;
- Assessing the overall status and functionality of the healthcare system during emergencies;
- Providing medical personnel, equipment, and supplies, as well as establishing alternate care sites when existing facilities are overwhelmed;
- Coordinating patient movement at the state level when local systems are unable to meet demand — including organizing regional, state, or federal medical evacuations of healthcare facilities if needed;
- Promoting health and safety for emergency responders throughout response operations.
How We Do It
The State Medical Response System (SMRS) is a network of local and regional emergency response and healthcare partners, coordinated at the state level, to provide equipment, supplies, and personnel to support healthcare organizations when local resources are overwhelmed. These coordinated efforts ensure that the state is equipped to respond to medical emergencies and large-scale disasters with trained personnel, specialized equipment, and rapid deployment capacity. The State Medical Response System consists of State Medical Assistance Teams, Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) Units, EMS Agencies, and other specialty teams, including our Statewide Patient Coordination Team and our Healthcare Support Team.
Federal & State Partnerships
The NC Healthcare Preparedness Program coordinates Federal ESF8 response through the Administration of Strategic Preparedness & Response (ASPR), under the US Department of Health & Human Services.
We also work closely with many of our other state partners involved with emergency preparedness and response programs. This includes the NC Division of Public Health, Public Health Preparedness and Response (PHP&R) who coordinates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NC Emergency Management who works with the US Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.
