Key Updates
- On Dec. 3, Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency was put in place on Nov. 30 in Alaska due to earthquakes.
- Presidential Major Disaster Declaration on Nov. 30
- A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck seven miles north of Anchorage, Ala. on Nov. 30. Hundreds of aftershocks have occurred since the initial earthquake, with several greater than 5.0 magnitude.
- Healthcare facilities in the greater Anchorage area, including hospitals, assisted living centers, dialysis centers, and nursing homes sustained limited structural damage but are operational.
- Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility asked customers to boil water before consumption as a precaution.
- Alaska transportation:
- Glenn Highway was significantly damaged; the highway is open and has detours around damaged sections.
- All airports are operational.
- The Port of Anchorage is open; inbound commercial traffic pending completed damage assessments.
- Several oil transmission pipelines in the area are shutdown as a precaution pending safety checks.
- Blanket 1135 waivers have been approved and are being posted to www.cms.gov/emergency.The CMS Region 10 office can provide assistance to facilities seeking additional info or needing to apply for additional waivers.
Requests for Information
Please contact Critical Infrastructure Protection at [email protected] with any questions, concerns, or additional information.
Links and Resources
- www.cms.gov/emergency
- www.phe.gov/emergency. These sites contain examples of the most recently approved 1135 waivers.
- https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/cmsrule . The HHS ASPR Technical Resources Assistance Center and Information Exchange (TRACIE) link has various emergency preparedness checklists and action plans that may be of interest as well.
- https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertEmergPrep/1135-Waivers.html
- Provider Survey and Certification FAQs