The Division of Protective Medicine was created in 2006 as a contract and grant supported Division within the Department of Emergency Medicine. When first started the Division focused efforts on training and exercise activities for health and public safety officials at the local, state, and federal levels. Today, the Division has extended its services to also provide planning, research and development, and IT infrastructure support.

The DPM clientele includes public health, hospitals, first responder agencies, and volunteer citizen organizations focused on disaster preparedness.

Director's Corner

What an important time in the life of the Division of Protective Medicine. With the recent and ongoing public health crisis of the H1N1 Flu, ever increasing threats to our nation’s security, and the ever-present threat of numerous natural and man-made disasters around the world, the DPM has a lot of work ahead.

We are taking steps to become more of an asset to the Commonwealth, the nation and the international community.

1. As a first step, in recent months our Division partnered with the American Medical Association’s National Disaster Foundation to become a Disaster Medicine Preparedness Center. Our goal is to continue to bring cutting edge, innovative education to healthcare providers, first responders, first receivers and the increasing numbers of disaster response volunteers/citizens.
2. Secondly, we have partnered with scientists, engineers and medical providers to research and develop the latest and greatest education resources in serious gaming and simulation training for use in disaster preparedness education. We have focused our efforts on grant work related to intelligent tutoring, knowledge warehouse development and serious gaming in order to have a good mix of didactic, hands-on and electronic media for our customers/students.
3. Lastly, we have worked hard to develop a service component to our Division so that we can now assist with response to disasters. Our staff is trained and experienced in vector/CBRNE recognition, epidemiologic investigations, incident command, operations center management, shelter management and tactical medical operations. We are proud to be a part of Louisville Metro Police Department’s Joint Emergency Services Unit when increased medical presence is requested.

The DPM’s work in education, research, planning and protocol development and service to our local, state, national and international community continues to increase. Please continue to call on us for your Disaster Medicine preparedness and response needs.