Disaster Response Collaborative (DRC)

The DRC runs from September 2024 through June 2026

Recent Updates

The DRC Focus Area sessions will be held on January 6, 2026:

  • Pediatric Surge Capacity: 1:00-2:15 pm CT – Register 
  • Triage/Infection Control/Decontamination: 1:00-to 2:15pm CT – Register 
  • Evacuation: 2:30-3:45 pm CT – Register 
  • Pediatric Patient Tracking & Family Reunification: 2:30-3:45 pm – Register 

View session recordings and slides for DRC events and register for upcoming sessions on the DRC Collaborative Sessions Page. See Fireside Chats page.

Drill Materials

Drill materials to help DRC teams conduct pre- and post-intervention drills in their own facility are available on the Tabletop Exercises and Drills page. These documents are 100% adaptable to meet each facility’s needs. Use of these materials is optional, but limited to DRC-related activities.

DRC Spotlight Series

Explore PPN’s Stories of Impact to see how collaboration within the DRC is helping participants improve pediatric emergency outcomes in their communities.

Learn about the DRC

The Disaster Response Collaborative (DRC) continues the work of the Disaster Networking Collaborative (DNC), and both are initiatives of the Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN). These initiatives support ongoing efforts to form a network of children’s hospitals that are (individually and collectively) prepared to respond to disasters and pandemics. The goal of the DRC is to improve pediatric disaster response capability and capacity among children’s hospitals.

This collaborative focuses on four pediatric priority areas: evacuation, reunification, surge, and triage/infection control/decontamination.  The DRC will provide guidance and resources to support participants to implement improvements and to use tabletop exercises and drills to monitor and track improvements in disaster response.

Quality Improvement

The DRC is a Quality Improvement (QI) collaborative. Learn about QI science, collaboratives, framework, and tools and resources here.

For more information, see About the DRC or email DNCPPN@austin.utexas.edu.