About CBERS

Each year the Virginia Department of Health coordinates a Community Based Emergency Response Series (CBERS).  The CBERS was begun in 2004 as a way to bring public health preparedness and planning efforts directly to communities through Virginia from state agencies and local emergency response representatives.  The content is planned at the state level and delivered in multiple sessions throughout the Commonwealth using subject matter experts as presenters.  It has proven to be a successful way to deliver a clear and uniform message to diverse populations and increase the response readiness of communities throughout the Commonwealth. 

Since 2004, a wide variety of topics have been covered at CBERS to include: strategies to support people with dementia during emergencies in congregate care facilities, emergency planning for congregate care facilities, food facility emergency planning, communicating effectively in a crisis, psychological first aid, crisis standards of care and medical surge in a disaster, and emergency planning for home care support providers.