SMRRC Josh Bio

Regional Emergency Information

Our mission:
To protect the health and lives of people in Maine by strengthening the ability of health agencies and partner organizations in Southern Maine to detect, contain and manage public health threats and emergencies.

Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: Online Education & Training For NIMS, ICS, PPE, Radiological Preparedness and Mental HealthEmergency Management Courses. Also see the Preparedness Report (click on This week's report)

Maine Epi-Gram, A science-based information guide to Maine's healthcare professionals on issues of public health and infectious disease. Promoting statewide infectious disease surveillance
Emergency Preparedness Monthly. The Harvard School of Public Health, Center for Public Health Preparedness, Maine Edition.

Headlines

Hospital Surge Preparedness full story..

Guidelines for Epidemics: Who Gets a Ventilator? full story..

Maine Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report
May 21, 2008 full story..

Reportable Diseases in Maine full story...

News archive, click..

Josh Bio Joshua Frances, MPH, EMT-I

Joshua completed his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York earning a Bachelor's of Science and a Master of Public Health concentrated on Biological Terrorism from the University of New England College of Medicine in Biddeford, Maine. After his undergraduate work was complete, Joshua worked for the city of Syracuse paramedic service as well as a firefighter and focused his area of interest in disaster and terrorism response.

In late 2001, Joshua was recruited by the Boston Police Department to work in special operations in preparation for the democratic national convention (DNC) and other related activities. The special operations division, combined with the cities newly formed 911 Emergency Operations Center, handled multiple aspects of law enforcement, intelligence analysis and crisis management for the City of Boston.

Most recently, Joshua was the Program Manager of the rural preparedness program at the Harvard School of Public Health Center for Public Health Preparedness. This program’s main function was to provide bioterrorism expertise, emergency preparedness guidance and education and training expertise to rural states both nationally and in the new england region.

Joshua is currently a Project Manager at the Southern Maine Regional Resource Center for Public Health Emergency Preparedness. In this role, Joshua is managing the pandemic influenza planning activities throughout the southern Maine region, as well as working on education, training and technical assistance for organizations throughout the state.

In addition to his current role, Joshua holds a federal appointment within the United States Department of Homeland Security as the Deputy Commander of Maine Task Force One (1), Maine’s only federal disaster response team and is a federal Administrative Officer with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Metro Boston Disaster Medical Assistance Team (MA-1 DMAT). Joshua continues to hold his EMS certifications, and is slated for his certified emergency manager (CEM) certification in 2008.

Joshua has been published multiple times in both professional journals and private publications, and has provided expertise and guidance on preparedness to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State of Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. When Joshua is away from work, he enjoys spending time with his wife Rebecca, training his two dogs and downhill skiing.

Southern Maine Regional Resource Center For Emergency Preparedness at Maine Medical Center, 131 Chadwick Street, Portland, ME 04021, Phone: (207) 662-5142, fax: (207) 662-5139