Managing AIIR Downtime During Special Pathogen Events
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When caring for patients with high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs), every second counts—and every system matters. One of the most critical safeguards is the Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR). But what happens if HVAC systems fail or an AIIR goes offline during a response?
NETEC’s newest tool—the HCID Airborne Infection Isolation Room Downtime Checklist—is designed to help facilities prepare for and respond to these high-risk scenarios.
Who needs this checklist?
- Facilities teams that manage HVAC systems.
- Infection preventionists and clinical staff responsible for patient and staff safety.
- Emergency managers and unit leaders involved in hospital preparedness planning.
What does it provide?
This step-by-step guide outlines:
- Preparation measures—from stakeholder engagement to AIIR monitoring and backup systems.
- Active downtime response—immediate actions to protect patients, staff, and the facility during an HVAC or AIIR failure.
- Return to service protocols—how to safely bring an isolation room back online after a disruption.
Why use it?
- Minimizes airborne transmission risks during an emergency.
- Safeguard staff with clear PPE and training guidance.
- Enhances readiness by integrating HVAC and infection control planning into your facility’s emergency preparedness strategy.
This resource ensures your team isn’t left scrambling when systems go down—it provides a roadmap to maintain safety and continuity of care under challenging circumstances. Act, do not react!
👉 Explore and download the full checklist to incorporate it into your facility’s preparedness plan.
About the Authors
Caroline Croyle Persson, MPH, MPA, CIC , PMP, FAPIC, is the Program Director for Disaster Health at Denver Health & Hospital Authority. Her work focuses on healthcare emergency management, coordination and collaboration, and capacity building to enhance healthcare preparedness and response efforts. Ms. Persson also serves as an agency representative (AREP) for NDMS IMT. Prior to her current role, Mrs. Persson worked in infection prevention and control with a focus on influenza, emergency management, high risk pathogens, program and policy management, hand hygiene, and regulatory compliance. She has worked on various public health projects prior to arriving at Denver Health spanning malaria prevention, community health worker sustainment, emergency management, and HIV/AIDs mobile health application acceptance. Mrs. Persson has an MPH from Columbia University with a certificate in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, an MPA from the University of Colorado Denver, and is a Fellow of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Patricia Ann Tennill RN, BSN, is the Director of Nursing in Staff Development and the nursing lead for the NYC Health + Hospitals / Bellevue Special Pathogens Program. Patricia has been involved with the Special Pathogens Program since 2014 as a nurse leader responsible for coordinating and overseeing all nursing operations on the Special Pathogens Unit, including the development of protocols concerning the movement and care of patients with special pathogens and the subsequent hands-on training for all staff involved in the Special Pathogens Program.