Special Medical Support Shelters Concept of Operations –Provides safe refuge to evacuated medically fragile individuals who require medical services that: cannot be handled by Mass Care Shelters do not require hospitalization. –Primarily individuals under Home Health care or being cared for by family –Aids in “decompressing” Hospitals

Special Medical Support Shelters Functional Needs Support vs. SMSS –Mass Care Support/Medical Staff Augmented General Population Shelter Community College vs. SMSS –Community College Plan reserved for catastrophic level events

Special Medical Support Shelters What is an SMSS appropriate patient? –Many variables/considerations –Patient Matrix (WebEOC-File Library, SMSS) –Goal is three-fold Allows General Population shelters to operate at full capability Keeps Hospital bed-space available for critical needs Provide best/most appropriate care to fragile population

Special Medical Support Shelters Special Medical Support Shelter Packages –Type IV SMSS 10 bed –Type III SMSS 25 bed –Type II SMSS 50 bed – Type I SMSS 100 bed 12 hours from Activation to 100% Operation

Special Medical Support Shelters SMSS Components –Evaluation/Triage –Acute Care –Skilled Care (General Holding) –Hospice –Pediatrics –Memory Unit –Isolation

Special Medical Support Shelters SMSS Support Internal Services –Site Security, Logistics/Medical Resupply, Medical Staff, Pharmacy, Morgue Contracted Services –Feeding –Waste Management

Special Medical Support Shelters Special Medical Support Shelters established by NCEM/OEMS are State Paid/Supported –Concerted effort to identify support services prior to shelter activation –Limited expense to Host –Liaison for Social Services, Animal Control, Public Health, EMS, Hospital, Emergency Management

Special Medical Support Shelters Current Sites with SMSS site plans –Walter B. Jones ADATC- Greenville, Pitt County –Smith Rec. Center- Fayetteville, Cumberland County –Robeson Community College, Lumberton –Lenoir Community College, Kinston

Risk County Considerations Re-entry Inspection Risk vs. Benefit Companion Animals Pharmaceuticals & DME Transportation Liaison

Special Medical Support Shelters System expansion –Goal is at least one shelter per county –Submit site recommendations to Area Coordinators 6,000+ square feet Food Service Kitchen or nearby special diet services Generator or Transfer Switch Close proximity to a Hospital Ease of access to major transport routes Outside Floodplain –Site Survey (WebEOC-File Library, SMSS)

Special Medical Support Shelters Questions? NCEM ESF-8 Coordinator Todd Brown, Emergency Services Group Supervisor Office: Mobile: