What It Takes to Be Emergency Ready with Chris Murtha and Samantha Berman

When disaster strikes, most people see the response after the fact. What they don't always see is the preparation that happens long before an emergency occurs.

While many emergencies can feel sudden, the people who specialize in emergency management are working constantly to avert worst-case scenarios. To find out what that means in terms of a health system, we sit down with Chris Murtha, Emergency Management Program Manager, and Samantha Berman, Senior Emergency Management Planner, who share how they prepare for everything from severe weather and power outages to disease outbreaks. 

We get into the practical side of hospital preparedness and business continuity - how a tiny team supports readiness for 15,000 caregivers across multiple campuses and more than 184 care sites; why training and tabletop exercises matter; and how coordination with EMS and city, county, state, and federal partners keeps responses from turning into first-time introductions. 

Then we bring it home with clear, realistic steps for family emergency preparedness during situations like severe weather. You’ll hear a simple framework you can actually remember, what “stay informed” means in real life, where to get credible alerts, and how to build a 72-hour emergency kit without spending a fortune or trying to do it all at once.

Don't wait for an emergency to happen to realize you could have been better prepared. Listen now to find out how ChristianaCare is getting ready for all contingencies, and what you can do to be ready yourself.