Coalition News

2026 EP HCC Hazard Vulnerability Analysis

Each year, the Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA) gives EP HCC a shared picture of the risks most likely to disrupt emergency medical response. By bringing our healthcare partners together in this process, the coalition can better align training, target resources, and shape practical planning tools that support real-world readiness.

One notable trend this year is the continued rise of cybersecurity risk. For the fifth consecutive year, cybersecurity has moved up in the rankings and now sits among the top three threats. At the same time, perhaps focused preparedness efforts around inclement weather in Nevada County have helped reduce its relative risk, shifting it from third to fourth place.

Cyber threats continue to evolve rapidly, with increasingly sophisticated phishing attempts and the growing use of artificial intelligence. In response, EP HCC is actively developing new plans and trainings to help members stay prepared for this expanding challenge.

The coalition-wide HVA is available to all EP HCC members and can be used to inform local planning and preparedness efforts. The full report can be downloaded using the link below.

We Continue to Anticipate Severe Winter Storms

Weather events sneak up on us at the most inconvenient times. Case in point: several EP HCC members reported power outages at 3:00 am on Christmas morning. It’s a timely reminder that even though the sun has been shining recently, those bad weather storms can develop quickly!

If you need further situational awareness tools, below are links to the National Weather Service pages showing seven-day forecasts and relevant emergency alerts. It’s a great tool to anticipate weather-related impacts before they escalate:

NWS Page: Grass Valley

NWS Page: Truckee

If your facility does run into power outages, leaking roofs, or other major issues, please remember to reach out to Nevada County Public Health. While we may not be able to resolve the issue directly, early awareness allows us to monitor conditions and prepare for potential regional or state support should the situation develop into a larger emergency.

Health Officer’s Corner

West Coast Health Alliance

Familiar to many of you, and in the news recently, was the introduction of the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) - a recent collaboration between California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii to support scientific integrity in public health. This comes as changes to our nation’s healthcare systems threaten the health of the United States.

Since its founding, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been central to protecting Americans from disease. But recent leadership changes, reduced transparency, and the sidelining of long-trusted advisory bodies have impaired the agency’s capacity to prepare the nation for respiratory virus season and other public health challenges. In a vacuum of clear, evidence-based vaccine guidance, manufacturers lack reliable information to plan production, health care providers struggle to provide consistent plans of care, and families face uncertainty about access and coverage.

Announced in September 2025, the WCHA aims to build shared principles for public health, with a specific focus on strengthening public confidence in vaccines and public health measures. Each state will develop its own strategies based on their specific laws and needs, but they will all be founded on the shared principles of the alliance. The alliance also recognizes and respects Tribal sovereignty in the area of vaccine services. WCHA will work together to ensure health recommendations are guided by safety, efficacy, transparency, access and trust, and develop medical guidance from subject matter experts, national medical organizations and others based on science and evidence-based research.

Vaccine Recommendations for Californians

Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 144, which authorizes vaccinations to be provided based on recommendations of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). These recommendations are formulated based on review of trusted national medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The establishment of the West Coast Health Alliance and the passage of California Assembly Bill 144 will ensure that Californians will have access to immunizations based on the best medical evidence from trusted professional medical organizations. As a result, California providers are immediately able to provide vaccinations based on the recommendations below, ensuring that COVID-19, Influenza and RSV vaccines remain accessible regardless of the policies of the Federal Government and Centers for Disease Control.

As a result of the new AB 144 and the creation of the new WCHA, CDPH released vaccine recommendations for the COVID-19, influenza, and RSV for the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season.   Please refer to the chart below (link to CDPH guidance included) for the overview of current recommendations.

Check with your local pharmacy or health care provider to check availability for this year’s vaccines for respiratory viruses.

Partner Spotlight

As we move into the new year, we’re excited to spotlight a partner that’s doing all the right things to prepare for the worst. Using lessons learned from past snow and fire events, the team at Golden Empire Nursing and Rehab Center are helping to keep their patients and staff safe, ready and educated!

We had a great visit with the change makers at Golden Empire in early December - they even let Tara join in their team picture! Featured below is Sherri, their Infection Control Nurse, Leeland, their Maintenance Supervisor and Sara Wilson, their Quality Assurance Nurse.

Staff support is an important piece in keeping their patients safe during disasters, and as such, they’ve made staff training and education a main tenet of their health and safety planning.  New hire orientation includes a fire safety video, which outlines fire exits, supports during an evacuation and various routes – made by leadership, using real staff and the actual building they work in! This is part of a multitiered on-boarding process that includes other safety supports, like emergency numbers, color-coded alert system and backup power procedures (including safety off switches).

With a vision to be more self-sufficient, the team at Golden Empire have been focusing on upgrading their phone systems to all cellular phone, as opposed to land lines… and upgrading their water systems to be more efficient. Additionally, with extended power outages in mind – they have collaborated with their propone carrier to keep their propane tank (which fuels their generator) always at 70% full. This is a huge step in keeping their team and patients safe during the inevitable power outages that come with our heavy snowstorms.

The team has worked with their local fire department to have a digital map available for their facility, so responders have quick and accurate access to an emergency event they might be attending.  Leeland, their Maintenance Supervisor, has worked to upgrade their fire alarm system to decrease, and hopefully prevent, the number of false alarms that occur.     

We loved to tour the facility and admire the hard work this team has done to be a model of preparedness. They tell us they’re not done… and are currently upgrading their continuity plans, to include sharing emergency numbers and plans with key staff so they can always be ready for whatever emergency comes their way!

Future Happenings

• Do you have a preparedness event that you’d like to share with the coalition? Just send us a quick email and we’ll share it in our next newsletter: [email protected]