KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — In response to Hurricane Sandy, the National Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NH-ISAC) has activated the National Healthcare and Public Health Cyber Response System, 24/7 emergency response protocols supporting all-hazards (physical/cyber) healthcare critical infrastructure protection, mitigation, response and recovery. Response resources are addressing situational awareness, information sharing, and incident response support working in coordination with federal, state and private sector organizations. NH-ISAC response protocols support and complement both national, state, and private sector-established emergency operations, business continuity and disaster recovery plans.

As we work together as a nation to support response and recovery from the impacts of Hurricane Sandy, healthcare-critical infrastructure owners/operators (hospitals, clinics, healthcare facilities, ambulatory care, pharmaceutical/medical device) and organizations supporting the health sector that have been impacted by the storm are encouraged to contact the National Health ISAC to share situational awareness information and advise of any unmet needs in order for NH-ISAC to help support communication to the proper authorities. Especially for those organizations that can provide support services or resources, please contact NH-ISAC to communicate any resources that can be made available to impacted areas.

As emergency first responder recovery teams work to restore power, transportation, and physical infrastructures to resume facilities’ operations and services; as technology infrastructures, systems and networks are brought back online, proactive cybersecurity situational awareness information sharing is critical to support NH-ISAC threat and vulnerability monitoring, mitigation and response to protect healthcare and public health critical infrastructure.

As needed, NH-ISAC’s Emergency Response Resources comprised of technology and cybersecurity experts from NH-ISAC and national security and technology organizations are available to impacted areas. “As NH-ISAC continues to work in close response coordination with national healthcare and public health critical infrastructure owners and operators, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, and Emergency First Responders, this is the time for the nation to come together to support recovery efforts,” said Deborah Kobza, NH-ISAC Executive Director/CEO. “NH-ISAC has issued a call out to organizations nationwide to be on stand-by to offer infrastructure, technology and security services and support.”

In addition to contacting the NH-ISAC Response Operations (904-476-7858, 850-251-0745, 407-506-4183), to help support situational awareness two-way information sharing and response support, NH-ISAC has launched hurricane response social media tools leveraging Facebook and Twitter.