Tampa, FL- Edward J. Gabriel, M.P.A., EMT-P, CEM, CBCP, Principal Deputy Assistant for Preparedness and Response for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), was recently honored by the American Academy of Disaster Medicine® (AADM®) with its Distinguished Service Award.

Mr. Gabriel was recognized for his outstanding leadership and ongoing efforts to ensure the necessary resources are promptly made available to health professionals when disasters strike. The award was presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc. ® (AAPS) held in Nashville, TN.

“AADM was honored to present the Distinguished Service Award to Mr. Gabriel for his outstanding leadership in support of public health emergency preparedness and response along with recovery activities, program and priorities,” said AADM President Arthur Cooper, MD, MS, FAADM.

In his role, Mr. Gabriel provides strategic oversight to HHS while emphasizing state and local preparedness, policies and plans relating to public health and medical emergencies, emergency response operations, financial analysis and advanced development of manufacturing of critical medical countermeasures for human-made and naturally occurring public health threats.

“Through his cross cutting work at both the local and national levels in the public sector, as well as at the national level in the private sector, Mr. Gabriel has worked tirelessly to bridge the divide between government and commerce with respect to the operational continuity of health and business services at the boots-on-the-ground level, where the disaster response occurs,” said Dr. Cooper.

The American Academy of Disaster Medicine promotes the practice of disaster health care, ensuring that all physicians and allied health professionals are aware and prepared to effectively respond to future disasters – either natural or human-made. AADM is an affiliate academy of AAPS, the governing body of the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS). ABPS is a recognized multi-specialty physician certifying organization in the United States, headquartered in Tampa, FL.