Western Mass Public Health Coalitions Advisory Group
The Western Public Health Advisory Group (WAG) consists of representatives from the four Western Massachusetts Public Health Coalitions from Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties. The WAG has adopted a strategy of leveraging existing resources, applying for regional grants and working together to support its core mission to advance public health preparedness in each county and across the region.
A representative of the WAG sits on the Western Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council. The WAG sends representatives from each of the four health coalitions to the Public Health State and Local Advisory Committee (LSAC).
Working together, the WAG has implemented and supported multiple projects, including:
- All-hazards emergency and pandemic planning for our communities
- Standard Operating Guidelines (SOG) for specific public health emergencies
- Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning
- Personal emergency preparedness (PEP), emergency risk communications
- Regional communications drills
- Medical Reserve Corps activities
- Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD)
- Support for regional Homeland Security projects around sheltering, mass receiving, pandemic planning, critical infrastructure, command and control, situational awareness, disaster recovery, and Disaster Animal Response Teams (DART) and Access and Functional needs planning and response.
The WAG works very closely with the Western Mass Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition (HMCC) and the respective groups within the HMCC: public health, hospitals, long term care, emergency medical services, and community health centers. The WAG has also developed regional relationships with its essential planning and response partners including fire, police, Emergency Management Directors (EMD), MEMA (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency), DPH (Department of Public Health), schools, the Faith Community and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD).
For more information about the WAG, contact Michael Nelson, Western Mass Regional Coordinator from the Mass Dept of Public Health at michael.nelson2@state.ma.us.