Strategic Function: To establish temporary inpatient care areas to handle a surge in patient volume arising from an incident, acknowledging that due to limited resources and infrastructure, the most reasonable location is within existing healthcare facilities or in temporary structures near existing facilities.
The subject matter expert for this function is:
Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management,
Response & Recovery Bureau
Evonne Gantz
(505) 476-9684 office
(505) 471-5922 fax
evonne.gantz@state.nm.us
Why: A coordinated, systematic response to an emergency or disaster is required using a common organizational structure, language and personnel.
Who: The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management coordinates statewide emergency activities during a disaster through its Emergency Operations Center. Local emergency management oversees local response and additional resources through the state. The New Mexico Emergency Operations System provides the structure for organizing, coordinating and mobilizing resources utilizing the concepts and principles of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), including the Incident Command System (ICS) and Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC). This command structure is based on ICS principles, including unified command (UC). Under this structure, the Incident Commander oversees all aspects of the multi-agency incident response. The ICS separates responsibilities into four well-defined sections: 1) Planning, 2) Operations, 3) Logistics, and 4) Administration and Finance. Typically, the Operations Section contains a Medical Branch, which coordinates incident-related health and medical services.
When: Response to all emergencies or disasters begin locally. When local resources are overwhelmed, state resources can be requested through the local emergency manager and county officials.
Where: NIMS and the Incident Command System is the state- and federally- mandated response mechanism for all emergencies or disasters in New Mexico.
How: Planning Assumptions:- An incident with overwhelming patient surge will surpass any local institution or jurisdictional capacity.
- NIMS is the overriding principle in organizing the response, support, and coordination at the local, state, interstate, and national levels.
- At both the local and state level, there will be multi-agency coordination of operations.
- NM MEMS operations will be NIMS-compliant.
- How does your community respond to an emergency or disaster?
- Who is in charge?*
- Do they use the Incident Command System? How would you operate, function and/or respond in any particular incident?
- Do you know if your community’s emergency operations plan is NIMS compliant? What does that mean?
- Does your local responders’ emergency response plan and standard operating procedures and/or guidelines incorporate ICS and is their plan integrated with the local EOP?
- Is your community’s chief elected official involved in emergency operations
planning?
A sample tool for understanding Incident Command System (ICS):
Summary
The incident management section frames the incident as local response, and multi-agency coordination and support.
Defining Medical Command and Control within NIMS
Description of medical control and command within NIMS including how to build on a community’s existing emergency response mechanisms.
Iowa
Department of Public Health: Guidelines for Management of Surge Capacity in
Medical Clinics May 2006 
