Emory Establishes New Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response

April 23, 2007

A new Emory University Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) is expected to further improve the university's ability to deliver a coordinated and effective response to catastrophic events. Alexander P. Isakov, MD, MPH, associate professor of emergency medicine in Emory University School of Medicine, was named CEPAR director on April 12, with an official start date of May 1.

The new office, which will report to Emory President James Wagner and other senior leadership, will integrate all relevant components of the university in an interdisciplinary approach to the challenges of a catastrophe. The office also will partner with the broader community, including local, regional, and federal resources to improve outcomes during and after an event. The new center has a broad scope, addressing all hazards, including natural disasters, human-caused catastrophic events and public health emergencies.

The formation of this new office was a major recommendation last year of Emory's Avian Influenza Task Force, which beginning a year and a half ago examined the capacity of Emory University and Emory Healthcare to respond to pandemic flu or other threats that would severely tax student services and Emory Hospitals' patient capacity at the same time. However, the scope of the new office will go well beyond pandemic flu to include a wide spectrum of possible crises.

Isakov, in a half-time position, will oversee three full-time staff members and two part-time support staff. University funding for the center will begin with the new budget year, starting Sept. 1, 2007. The center will be located in the building recently purchased by Emory from the American Cancer Society on Clifton Rd.

CEPAR also will coordinate and improve Emory's existing activities related to emergency planning, working with Emory's experts to craft novel, multi-disciplinary solutions to help mitigate the harmful effects of an event. The new office will allow the University to communicate with one voice to the community and to local, state and federal agencies.

"Although this announcement is the result of over 18 months of planning, it is increasingly apparent following the tragedy at Virginia Tech that we must be vigilant and remain prepared for a widespread catastrophic event," says Wagner.

"In a large and complex institution such as ours, preparedness and response efforts require a unified strategy that bridges the activities of all components of the University. Emory has always had a number of departments and individuals working to address preparedness and response issues. CEPAR will now serve as the center for coordination and integration of the university's many resources."