# Presentation: 511683

## Public Health Readiness

- Planning for Emergencies
- Biological and Chemical Incidents

## Planning & implementation are the keys to success

- Strengthening the public health infrastructure
- Particularly public health surveillance and response
- Using standard principles of risk management
- Making terrorism response an integral part of your emergency management programs

## Response - ability

- Local authorities have the greatest opportunity to impact positively
- Timeliness
- Local knowledge
- Local authority
- Distant authorities serve as supplemental responders and subject/specialized experts

## Readiness

- Threat
- Address public fears and concerns
- Initiate appropriate action to locate and neutralize any suspect device
- Actual release
- Respond to treatment needs
- Prevent/minimize further damage
- Address public fears and concerns

## Planning Principles

- Toxic substance
- Prompt effects
- First responders, police, fire, EMS
- On or near scene
- Infective agent
- Delayed effects
- Regular health care providers & hospital ER
- May be in widely separated places

## Surveillance

- Critical in biological attack to identify disease patterns and detect that there is an attack
- May need to tie in multiple facilities/jurisdictions
- Communication is vital

## Chemical Attack

- Affected immediately
- Focus on contamination control
- Focus on early medical treatment
- EMS must identify “hot zone” immediately

## Preparation

- Make maximum use of existing emergency response resources
- Adopt approaches consistent with management of any other type of public health emergency
- Does not require completely new & independent response resources

## Attack similarities

- Chemical attack similar to a major hazardous chemical incident
- Biological attack similar to a disease outbreak

## Surveillance Systems

- Sensitive
- Near real time
- Serve dual purpose in natural and deliberate outbreaks
- Should be in place well before attack so background disease prevalence is known

## Response system should address

- Standard emergency response personnel - primary response - EMS, ER
- Specialists who will supplement with specialized functions - MMRS (Metro. Medical Response System)
- Local population - community education
- Medical treatment centers - NDMS

## Identify the Hazard

- Threat analysis
- Law enforcement
- Security & Health Agencies
- Local authorities
- Gap analyses
- identified needs Vs available resources

## A bonus benefit

- Even if specific biological or chemical hazards are not identified, general improvement in public health and the ability to respond to disease outbreaks will automatically improve the population’s ability to manage biological incidents and improve community health capabilities as well.

## Examine

- Existing hazardous materials protocols, public health plans
- Training of police, firefighters, EMS
- Training of Public Health Personnel, including veterinarians and lab staff

## Familiarization

- Recognition and management of victims for health care workers
- Communication systems
- Perform drills to test systems
- Reference labs - what can they do, where are they?
- System in place to notify the public

## Sources of information

- Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
- http://www.bt.cdc.gov/
- Follow links to planning and other information
-    	_Planning Guidance for State Public Health Officials _
-    	_DOJ Assessment_
-    	_Centers for Public Health Preparedness_
-    	_Bioterrorism Readiness Plan; A template for Healthcare Facilities_
-    	_FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) Course_
-    	_Hospital Preparedness for Mass Casualties_
-    	_American Psychiatric Association, Disaster Psychiatry Page_
-    	_Other Planning Links_

## DHHS Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP)

- http://ndms.dhhs.gov/
- USPHS Office of Emergency Preparedness
- National Disaster Medical System
- 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 360
- Rockville, Maryland  20857
- (301) 443-1167 or 800-USA-NDMS
- (301) 443-5146 (FAX) or 800-USA-KWIK (FAX)

## Nashville Area Office

- http://home.nashville.ihs.gov/
- 615-467-1500 - Main  Number
- 615-467-1501 - Main Fax Number
- 615-467-1505 - Area Director
- Mike Tiger
- 615-467-1587 - Area Director Fax
- 615-467-1531 - Chief Medical Officer
- Dr. Roy Kennon

## Nashville Area Office

- B. Kevin Molloy, R.E.S. - Security Director
- 615-467-1504	Direct office number
- 615-467-1505	Area Director’s Secretary
- 615-308-7157	Cell Phone*
- 1-888-791-8434	Pager

- * I normally keep my cell phone with me at all times.

## Nashville Area Office

- Janice White, M.P.H., Dr. P.H. (c)
- Area Epidemiologist
- 301-231-9634 	Office
- 240-475-2810		Cell