Skip to content

The Mohawk Area Public Health Coalition (MAPHCO) is the designated Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Coalition for 24 Franklin County towns and one Hampshire County town to address and continually improve public health emergency preparedness.  Fully funded by a federal grant managed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, PHEP Coalitions are designed to further preparedness planning by strategically addressing several Public Health Emergency Preparedness Capabilities as outlined by the federal government. PHEP capabilities are addressed through planning, training, and exercises to build capacity to respond to public health emergencies, such as natural disasters and outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.

MEETS: Second Monday of the month

MAPHCO, the Franklin County PHEP Coalition, exists to align planning, training, and exercises amongst our region’s public health leaders while coordinating closely with the Franklin Regional Emergency Planning Committee (REPC).

FRCOG staff work to ensure municipal Boards of Health are aware of the protocols and procedures for statewide public health emergency response, including use the of Massachusetts Health and Homeland Alert Network (HHAN), and WebEOC, the Commonwealth’s virtual messaging board used to ensure situational awareness during emergencies. Staff partner with DPH to offer trainings to local boards on these tools, as well as trainings on “Introduction to the Incident Management System” (ICS), the system used by public agencies to manage emergencies in the Commonwealth.

The full coalition, consisting of Local boards of Health from each member town, meets annually in June.  Its Steering Committee, a 5-12 member subset of the full coalition, meets monthly to advise FRCOG staff on planning and training needs, and to work collaboratively to enhance public health preparedness in the region.

COVID-19 After Action Report

The primary driver of PHEP Coalition grant funding has been the development and maintenance of Emergency Dispensing Site plans. These plans informed the operation of regional COVID-19 vaccination clinics in 2020.

In 2022, the Coalition completed an After-Action Report to take stock of EDS planning in light of COVID-19 activities, and hired a consultant to develop recommendations to move forward in light of the After-Action Report. Final recommendations were issued in December of 2022, and will inform Coalition activities moving forward in 2023.

Coalition Contacts
STAFF
BOARD/COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Dan Nietsche Headshot.

Dan Nietsche

Emergency Preparedness Planner

x110

Xander Sylvain Headshot.

Xander Sylvain

Emergency Preparedness Program Manager

x135

  • Randy Crochier
    Pioneer EDS
  • Donna Gibson
    Williamsburg
  • John Hillman
    Leverett
  • Mike Archbald
    Deerfield (co-chair)
  • Carmela Lanza-Weil
    Mohawk EDS
  • Norene Pease
    Shutesbury (co-chair)
  • Mae Tanner
    Hawlemont
  • Ryan Paxton
    Montague
  • Megan Tudryn
    Greenfield
Resources
Meeting Minutes

Note: Meeting agendas are posted on the Meetings & Events calendar on the date of the meeting.

Back To Top