8:00−8:10   Welcome/Opening Remarks

Speaker:
Connor Rittwage, MPH, CHEC, CHES
Infection Prevention/Control & Emergency Preparedness Program
Jones Memorial Hospital
WRHEPC Workgroup/Seminar Committee Chair

8:10−8:55   NYS Thruway MCI Regional Response

In August 2025, a tour bus crash on the New York State Thruway (I-90) in Genesee County resulted in a large-scale mass casualty incident (MCI) involving dozens of patients and a complex, multi-agency response. This session will review the incident, discuss key operational lessons learned, and examine how regional planning, partnerships, and operational readiness can strengthen the response to future large-scale highway incidents.

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Describe the operational response and key lessons learned from the August 2025 NYS Thruway bus mass casualty incident

• Identify the roles of regional response partners involved in large-scale highway MCIs, including EMS, fire, law enforcement, hospitals, and emergency management

• Evaluate how regional planning, coordination, and operational readiness improve the effectiveness of multi-agency response to transportation-related MCIs and support patient care and resource management

Presenter:
Yaeger-Bio-Pic.pdf
Director
Genesee County Office of Emergency Management

8:55−9:00   Break

9:00−9:45   Building a Connected Coalition: Advancing Communication & Situational Awareness

The Central New York Healthcare Coalition’s Communication & Situational Awareness Workgroup modernized its approach over the past year, shifting from static annual surveys to a real-time communication system. Key accomplishments include an interactive GIS mapping tool for live updates, a dedicated Slack channel for daily coordination and incident response, and enhanced exercise support with HAM radio communication injects. Overall, these efforts improve situational awareness, readiness, and collaboration across coalition partners.  

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Describe how communication tools (GIS contact map & Slack workspace) can enhance real‑time situational awareness and inter‑facility collaboration
• Identify the operational benefits of transitioning from annual static contact surveys to dynamic, regularly updated communication platforms
• Explain how the workgroup’s initiatives, including HAM radio-based exercise injects, contribute to improved emergency preparedness and regional response coordination

Presenter:
Haley Donhauser, MPH
Emergency Management Coordinator
Department of Emergency Medicine
SUNY Upstate Medical University

9:45−9:50   Break

9:50−10:35   The Pebble in the Pond - The Ripple Effect of Our Profession on Our Lives

There is a personal cost involved in caring for our patient population including secondary traumatic stress, PTSD, compassion fatigue and burn out which can affect all parts of our well-being. How to manage these personal costs is not learned in training.  

By the end of the presentation, attendees will be better able to:

• Identify warning signs in themselves and others when they are in distress
• Identify strategies to help cultivate more healthy responses to stress

Presenter:
Nicole Stassen, MD, FACS, FCCM
Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics
Director - Kessler Family Burn Trauma Intensive Care Unit
Director - Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
University of Rochester Medical Center

10:35−10:45   Break

10:45−11:30   Family Assistance Center and Family Reunification

When a mass casualty incident (MCI) occurs, the immediate focus is on life-saving medical care, but the disaster doesn't end there.  There is often much chaos surrounding the desperate needs of friends & families seeking information.  This presentation provides a deep dive into Erie County's journey of creating and enacting an Incident Family Assistance Operations plan.  We will explore the collaborative multi-agency framework required to staff these operations. Participants will gain actionable insights into the practical considerations and steps for establishing these operations.  

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between the primary purposes, operational timelines and service scopes of the three phases of Incident Family Assistance Operations
• Identify the key multi-disciplinary organizations and community partners essential for staffing and supporting Incident Family Assistance Operations
• Analyze critical planning considerations for establishing operations, including site selection, victim identification support and integration of virtual assistance services

Presenters:
Melissa J. Calhoun
Special Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner of EMS-PHEP
Erie County Dept. of Health

Samantha Thomas
Regional Coordinator - PH Emergency Preparedness
Erie County Dept. of Health

11:30−11:35   Break

11:35−12:20   Fatality Management and NYS DOH Mortuary Response Resources

This presentation provides an overview of fatality management operations and the mortuary response resources available through the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH). Participants will review the structure, capabilities, and deployment processes of state mortuary assets, along with case studies from real-world incidents where these resources were activated. The session will highlight coordination between state and local partners and reinforce the importance of preparedness in managing mass fatality incidents

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) and a Mass Fatality Incident (MFI) and explain how response priorities differ in each scenario
• Identify the mortuary response resources available through the NYS DOH, including capabilities, activation procedures, and support functions
• Describe how and when state mortuary resources have been utilized in real-world incidents, and extract key lessons learned
• Identify questions or planning considerations to strengthen preparedness within jurisdictions when evaluating local-level mortuary response readiness

Presenters:
Vince Fargione
Logistics Manager
New York State Department of Health, Office of Health Emergency Preparedness

Jenesse Murray
Planning and Deliverables Coordinator
New York State Department of Health, Office of Health Emergency Preparedness

12:20−12:30   Closing Remarks/Evaluations/Certificates

Speaker:
Anne D’Angelo, MS, RN
Program Director, Western Region Health Emergency Preparedness Training Center
University of Rochester Medical Center
WRHEPC Workgroup/Seminar Committee Co-Chair