Emergency preparedness (EP) can be described as a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating, and taking corrective action in an effort to ensure effective coordination during incident response. Louisiana, in close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, has its fair share of hurricanes and weather-related emergencies. Like other parts of the country, Louisiana must also remain vigilant by preparing for disease outbreaks, bio-hazards, terrorism, technological failure, and other emergencies. According to the Trust for America's Health, Louisiana recently scored a 6 out of 10 in key indicators of public health preparedness.

In many cases, Community Health Centers play an enormously significant role in emergency response.

Identifying the appropriate roles for health centers in an emergency can be a challenge because of variations in their size and scope, inherent capabilities, and in the relationships they have with local hospitals and other response partners. However, with the right type of planning, which includes carving out specific emergency management roles based on community needs, health centers are uniquely poised to assist those individuals who are disproportionately affected by disasters.

LPCA’s Emergency Preparedness initiative aims to act as a resource for Louisiana’s FQHCs as they seek emergency management guidance, information on trainings, literature, and resources to assist in the development of an effective EP framework for centers, staff members, patients, and the broader community.