Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response (CEPR)

2006 Report of Activities

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Office of Management and Administrative Services (OMAS)

While the CEPR prides itself on providing superior products and services to clients and stakeholders, it is the Centre's Office of Management and Administrative Services (OMAS) that makes optimal performance possible thanks to its skilled management of human, financial and material resources.

Maintaining response capacity

OMAS maintains the Centre's emergency preparedness and response capacity by looking after every aspect of the CEPR's dayto- day operations — from administration and human resources to information holdings, information management, information technology and budget management. In 2006, OMAS effective coordination of administrative and support functions contributed significantly to the CEPR's ability to ensure Canadians' safety and health security.

Executive Services

As the focal point for coordination of a broad range of emergency response programs and services, OMAS Executive Services Unit is the CEPR's link to the offices of the Deputy Chief Public Health Officer (DCPHO) and the Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO). Executive Services also coordinates CEPR collaboration with other federal government departments, provincial and territorial governments and non-governmental organizations.

High-volume service and high-quality products

Throughout 2006, Executive Services' combination of highvolume service and high-quality information products allowed the CEPR to enhance its visibility and reputation for excellence within the Public Health Agency of Canada and among key national and international emergency preparedness and response stakeholders.

A key priority for Executive Services has been to communicate the Centre's mandate and broad strategic and operational objectives to colleagues within the Public Health Agency of Canada and to a growing number of emergency preparedness and response partners across the federal government.

This important communication objective is achieved through consistent use of key messages through departmental briefing notes, Cabinet notes and Ministerial speeches.

2006 OMAS highlights

In 2006 OMAS staff provided support to CEPR programs in meeting their respective daily budget, contract and human resource requirements. OMAS staff also provided financial and human resource expertise toward the development of the Agency's Avian and Pandemic Influenza Treasury Board Submission. Other key activities included the preparation of CEPR monthly financial situation reports, the preparation and classification of work descriptions, and ongoing support to CEPR staff for information holdings. The Office also played a significant logistical and coordination role for the CEPR as it co-hosted the highly successful 6^th National Forum on Emergency Preparedness and Response in Vancouver in December 2006.

An important OMAS human resource initiative this past year was the creation of 14 new pandemic positions in areas ranging from quarantine enforcement to federal/provincial/territorial coordination. The distribution of key pandemic positions across the CEPR enhances the Public Health Agency of Canada ability to anticipate, prepare for, and effectively respond to pandemic health threats, and is indicative of OMAS proactive approach to staffing areas of high public health security importance.

Office of Management and Administrative Services (OMAS)

Emergency Operations Centre

The Agency's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is the central command and coordination platform for emergency response for the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada. The EOC has been central to the Health portfolio's response to countless emergencies (such as SARS and Avian Influenza) and is a vital component of important emergency response exercises. In 2006, the EOC successfully supported activations for an Avian influenza outbreak in Turkey (January), a suspected case of Avian influenza in Prince Edward Island (June), and the outbreak of British Columbia wild fires (September). The EOC also activated for training and exercises, including quarterly communications exercises for the Global Health Security Action Group (GHSAG), and a pandemic exercise for the 2006 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) intergovernmental forum.

Emergency response coordination

The Office of Management and Administrative Services coordinates CEPR emergency response by overseeing the pool of PHAC volunteers who participate in EOC emergency response operations. In times of emergency, the OMAS Director, acting as the EOC Chief, Coordination and Logistics Group, brings together experts from the CEPR, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada to help assess the situation and assist in emergency response coordination.

EOC redesign

In 2006 OMAS initiated EOC redesign and upgrade planning aimed at increasing the Centre's capacity to operate as a 24-7 information gathering, risk assessment and risk management hub for the Public Health Agency of Canada. The new design will replace the existing projection system with a video wall arrangement complete with expanded video conferencing functions to increase the Centre's communications capabilities.

Business Planning

In 2006, the OMAS Business Planning Unit stepped up implementation of a fully integrated CEPR business planning model with its continuation of key performance measurement and risk management strategies in a number of program areas, including the National Office of Health Emergency Response Teams (NOHERT), the National Emergency Stockpile System (NESS), Emergency Social Services, Emergency Preparedness, and the Office of Laboratory Security. Implementation of these strategies will assist the CEPR in integrating diverse functions into one seamless decision-making framework which will, in turn, increase the Centre's capacity to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.

Looking ahead

OMAS 2007 priorities include:

• staffing the 14 new pandemic positions;
• finalizing phase 1 of the EOC upgrade and progressing with the development and implementation of phase 2; and
• providing high-quality EOC support and service for any CEPR emergency activation.
• Continuing to improve business planning activities
• Establishing a CEPR wide service for desktop publishing
• More active role on internal communications e.g. environmental scan

 Quarantine Officers

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