Planning Assumptions

Community-wide preparedness planning has increased significantly over the past several years. It was essential for our team to identify some planning assumptions with which we would build upon as the planning began. The planning assumptions that reflect the Seattle and King County community include:

• Coordinated action is more effective than multiple individual organizational efforts
• Cooperative agreements and plans promote the most effective use of resources
• Leadership and operational management must come from within the healthcare community
• The Health Officer and the County Executive have emergency powers to preserve the public health
• The use of emergency health powers, if necessary, will be more effective with advance planning and in timely consultation with healthcare leaders
• Public Health's primary role in this context is to support and facilitate the healthcare system's emergency preparedness planning and response
• A county-wide regional disaster plan is already in place. The Incident Command Structure for emergency response is mandated by the County