Disasters impact all Mississippians and are particularly difficult for our most vulnerable populations, including those who are challenged whether physically or mentally (vision impaired, cognitive disorders, mobility limited), limited or non-English speaking, geographically or culturally isolated, weakened elderly, pregnant women, and children. The state of Mississippi encompasses an area of 48,432 square miles with 82 counties. The coastline of Mississippi is a short 44 miles across three counties—Hancock, Harrison and Jackson. This area and adjacent inland counties are vulnerable to the threat of tropical depressions, hurricanes, and storm surge and much of the state is vulnerable to other extreme weather, water and climate-related emergencies. The most recent examples of emergency preparation and response are the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, critical disruptions in water plant and water line operations in both the City of Jackson and the City of Vicksburg, massive flooding in the Delta as well as the Pearl River in and around the City of Jackson, severe cold and ice storms across the state, an EF3 tornado in the southeast area of the state, and Hurricane Sandy. Mississippi’s public health preparedness is an excellent model of public-private-volunteer cooperation.

In Mississippi, MSDH is the coordinating agency for ESF-8, the Public Health and Medical Services. MSDH shares this responsibility with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). Mississippi has a written Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), which is reviewed every two years. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program and the Hospital Preparedness Program work with organizations and agencies that represent these vulnerable populations to ensure that they receive information necessary to prepare for their unique needs during a disaster or public health emergency in Mississippi. The MSDH At-Risk Workgroup meets twice a year to review state plans to ensure that the needs of all at-risk groups are considered and addressed.

The MSDH Office of Emergency Planning and Response (OEPR) is responsible for operating state and regional shelters for the medically fragile. MSDH has trained teams, which are MSDH employees, ready to respond in any event. A State Medical Needs Shelter (SMNS) is a shelter of last resort during emergency conditions for persons requiring limited medical and nursing oversight who cannot be accommodated in a general population shelter. A SMNS is designed to care for people with medical needs including: people with minor health or medical conditions that require professional observation, assessment and maintenance who cannot be served by the congregate shelter staff or that exceed the capability of the congregate shelter; people with chronic conditions who require assistance with activities of daily living or more skilled nursing care but do not require hospitalization; people who need medications or vital sign readings who are unable to receive such services without professional assistance; people with physical or cognitive disabilities including those that require the assistance of service animals; and people with other disabilities who cannot be sheltered at a general population shelter. While not specifically listing at-risk and medically vulnerable women, infants, and children, the SMNS sites can and do accommodate at-risk and medically vulnerable women, infants, and children and their families.