FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2013

Contact: Communications Office
(850) 245-4111

TALLAHASSEE—The 2013 National Health Security Preparedness Index (NHSPI) was released today, providing Florida and other states a current snapshot of health security preparedness. The Index indicates Florida is ready across a wide spectrum of areas including health surveillance, community planning, communications and overall preparedness.

“The Florida Department of Health works with multiple state agencies to ensure Florida is fully prepared for any health-related emergency,” said Bob Eadie, J.D., Interim Director, Division of Emergency Preparedness and Community Support. “We will continue to explore opportunities to support quality improvement, enhance collaboration with our partners and advance Florida’s health security preparedness capabilities.

The Department’s Bureau of Preparedness and Response works daily to provide expertise, leadership and support in the planning, preparation and coordination for potential health-related emergencies. This includes man-made and natural disasters that may affect the health of Floridians. In addition, the Department collaborates with emergency management, response partners and others at the local, state and federal level by conducting ongoing training and practice exercises. This helps to ensure responders are able to effectively deliver necessary health care services where and when they are needed.

The 2013 Index demonstrates Florida is well prepared for health security threats. On a scale of 1-10, Florida was ranked:

• 7.3 for overall Health Security Preparedness, above the national average of 7.2.
• 7.4 for Health Surveillance, above the national average of 7.3.
• 8.4 for Incident and Information Management, well above the national average of 7.8.
• 8.7 for Countermeasure Management, approaching the national average of 9.0.
• 6.1 for Community Planning and Engagement, which is the national average.
• 5.8 for Surge Management, which is also the national average.

The Association of State and Territorial health Officials (ASTHO), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coordinated input from a wide variety of stakeholders to prepare the index. More than 25 organizations and 75 stakeholders contributed to the 2013 Index, including representatives from the Florida Department of Health.

For more information about the National Health Security Preparedness Index, visit www.nhspi.org.

The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, & community efforts.