Office of Public Health Preparedness

The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) works to protect and improve the health and environment for all people in Hawaii. The Office of Public Health Preparedness (OPHP) coordinates DOH emergency preparedness activities to protect public health and safety during emergencies and disasters, and works with the community to help the public prepare. Roles of the OPHP team:

Plan, prevent, mitigate, respond, and recover from:

• Natural or human-caused disasters
• Emerging infectious disease threats, epidemics, and pandemics
• Terrorism, spills, and accidents that impact human health
• Other public health emergencies or disasters

Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) – distribute emergency pharmaceuticals and other supplies in case of public health emergencies.

Department Operations Center (DOC) – the Hawaii DOH’s hub for planning, conducting exercises, and coordinating resources during emergencies that impact public health.

Develop and implement state and local response plans with:

• Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA)
• Hawaii Healthcare Emergency Management (HHEM)
• City/county departments of emergency management (DEM) and civil defense agencies
• Additional partners and stakeholders

Coordinate Hawaii’s smallpox vaccination program.

Funded by cooperative agreement: Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP)-Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

Visit our public-facing website | PrepareNOWHawaii.org

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Last reviewed November 2023