Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies
Formed in 2007 in response to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21: Public Health and Medical Preparedness, the Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies convenes and engages leaders at federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels representing government, non-profit, and for-profit sectors to improve the nation’s medical and public health preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and emergencies, including emerging threats. Since then, the Forum has served as a vital space for sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices; and for facilitating the discussion of key issues, policy review, and collaborative assessments of national readiness.
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News and Updates
Protecting Health Before, During, and After Wildfires
Program News
Recognizing wildfires as an increasingly complex public health and health care challenge, the National Academies’ Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies convened a webinar series this summer on wildfire preparedness, response, and recovery. The series brought together experts from health care, emergency management, environmental science, engineering, academia, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and affected communities.
A Workshop Series on Data and Situational Awareness for Medical and Public Health Preparedness and Response: Recordings and Presentations Available
Update
The workshop series will examine how medical, public health, emergency management, and critical infrastructure data are collected, integrated, analyzed, and translated into real-time situational awareness to support timely, coordinated decision-making across jurisdictions and sectors.
Webinar Series on Critical Resource Continuity: Recordings and Presentations Available
Update
This webinar series will examine shared risks, system dependencies, and resilience challenges across these resources; and foster cross-sector dialogue to surface insights, lessons learned, and priorities for strengthening preparedness and informing future efforts.
Featured publication
Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies: 2025 Annual Report
Annual Report
·2026
The Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies convenes public- and private-sector leaders to improve the nation's preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters, public health emergencies, and emerging threats. The forum fosters in-depth policy discuss...
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