The School and Hospital Alliance for Response in Emergencies (SHARE) originated from the broader Emergency Preparedness Interagency Collaborative (EPIC), a multi-agency partnership that emerged through the Irvine Unified School District in collaboration with the greater Irvine public safety, healthcare, and community partners. Conceived by Dr. Stephen Bayne, EPIC was formed to strengthen cross-sector coordination and preparedness across the region, particularly for complex incidents impacting children, families, and critical services. Through EPIC’s work, a persistent gap became evident: while schools and hospitals routinely prepare for emergencies within their own operational silos, they are inherently interconnected during mass casualty incidents involving students, staff, and families. SHARE was established to deliberately bridge that gap, formalizing school–hospital relationships and operational alignment before a crisis occurs rather than attempting coordination for the first time amid an unfolding emergency.
SHARE’s purpose is to bring schools and hospitals together to plan, train, and respond cohesively to mass casualty incidents, with a particular emphasis on pediatric surge and family reunification. By aligning protocols, communication pathways, and decision-making frameworks, SHARE enhances situational awareness and reduces delays that can exacerbate harm during high-impact events. Central to its mission is reunification—ensuring that students and patients are safely and efficiently reunited with caregivers while supporting schools, hospitals, and response partners in managing one of the most complex and emotionally charged aspects of disaster response. Through collaboration, shared training, and realistic exercises, SHARE strengthens collective resilience and ensures communities are better prepared to protect children and families when it matters most.
