HERC Background
HERC is a network of acute and sub-acute care hospitals, county emergency response agencies, and community disaster partners. The Coalition collaborates on planning, training and exercising for an area-wide health and/or medical response to a disaster or incident.
After the events of 9/11 and the anthrax incident in Palm Beach County the following month, the County enacted a mock drill to determine what the capabilities and gaps were in the community’s emergency response system. The drill brought together 15 hospitals, municipal and county law enforcement, EMS/fire rescue, HAZMAT, The American Red Cross, and other regional responders. The outcome revealed that individual agencies could not act alone to effectively address a disaster or public health emergency. In 2001, with support from Palm Healthcare Foundation, HERC was formed.
Operationally, HERC has a formal structure, with bylaws, specific strategic planning goals, regular meetings and scheduled activities that are planned and managed.
2017 HERC Officers
Chair: Lisa Andrews, Delray Medical Center
Vice-Chair: Lisa Vreeland, Florida Department of Health PBC
Treasurer: Brenda Atkins, Wellington Regional Medical Center
Secretary: Sabra Henry, Good Samaritan Medical Center
Past HERC Chairs
Brenda Atkins, Wellington Regional Medical Center
Michael Self, VA Medical Center
Rebecca Creighton, Delray Medical Center
Mary Russell, Boca Raton Regional Hospital
Robbin Lee, JFK Medical Center
Bill Farrell, St. Mary’s Medical Center
American Medical Response
American Red Cross
Bethesda Health
Boca Raton Regional Hospital
Caridad Center
Community Health Center of West Palm Beach
Delray Medical Center
Florida Health in Palm Beach County
Good Samaritan Medical Center
Health Care District of Palm Beach County
JFK Medical Center
Jupiter Medical Center
Kindred Hospital
Lakeside Medical Center
MyClinic of Jupiter
NuVista Living
MorseLife Geriatic Center
Palm Beach County Association of EMS Providers
Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue
Palm Beach County Medical Society Services
Palm Beach County Sheriff Office
Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center
Palms West Hospital
Select Specialty Hospital
St. Mary’s Medical Center
VA Medical Center
Wellington Regional Medical Center
West Boca Medical Center
West Palm Hospital
Special Thanks to our Funding Partners

