Introduction

The Greater Portsmouth Area Emergency Planning Team (PAEPT) seeks to improve the health of the community through the collaborative efforts of our partners. The network provides a vehicle to improve communication and foster joint efforts in the area of emergency and pandemic preparedness and response. The PAEPT's goals include developing and maintaining a cohesive regional response to regional public health emergencies and pandemics.

Service Area

The Greater Portsmouth service area includes the following six towns of Rockingham County: Portsmouth, New Castle, North Hampton, Rye, Newington, and Greenland. The six towns have a combined base population of 35,605 people spanning over 94.9 square miles. In addition, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services estimates the population increases by approximately 28,000 transient visitors during the summer

Partners

The Network has joined an advisory committee to provide leadership from various organizations within the community. Avid partners within the network include: local government officials, health and human service providers, schools, businesses, as well as fire, safety, and emergency personnel. The following organizations are also active participants in achieving the network's goals: Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Portsmouth Schools, American Red Cross Great Bay Chapter, Foundation for Seacoast Health, Community Resource Network, United Way Greater Seacoast, and Families First Health and Support Center.

Priorities for Action

The Portsmouth Area Emergency Planning Team carries out planning, response, and exercises to support our goal of increasing public health emergency and pandemic response.

Goal#1: Increase the region's service area capacity to diagnose and investiage health problems and hazards.

Goal #3: Mobilize community partnerships to increase area capacity to respond to public health emergencies, pandemics, and disasters. The PAEPT has formed a local Greater Portsmouth Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) to assist with the needs of area residents during public health emergencies.

Goal #4: Assure a competent public health and personal health care workforce. Through development and training of our MRC, we are developing competencies in teh areas of mass casualty, sheltering, and environmental health.