title: The National Response Plan: Health and Human Services the lead for Emergency Support Function #8.
abstract: On January 6, 2005, the National Response Plan (NRP) was introduced to standardize a national approach for responding to natural or man-made threats. The underlying structure for the NRP is the National Incident Management System, which establishes standardized training, organization, and communications procedures that can be used by multiple jurisdictions to interact in a disaster. The NRP clearly identifies authority and leadership responsibilities. The NRP organizes the government's emergency operations into 15 emergency support functions, of which Emergency Support Function #8 pertains to public health and medical services. The United States Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States, and PHS officers can be deployed to help meet urgent public health needs when traditional mechanisms and resources are overwhelmed. The role of PHS nurses is presented.
authors.affiliation: United States Public Health Service, Rockville, MD 20857, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Pat
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Couig
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: Roberta Proffitt
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Lavin
mesh_terms: D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004631:Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems / Q000458:organization & administration; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006285:Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007857:Leadership; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D014481:United States; D014483:United States Dept. of Health and Human Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014492:United States Public Health Service / Q000458:organization & administration*