2006 Public Health Preparedness Summit
The 2006 Public Health Preparedness Summit sponsored by NACCHO was held in Washington D.C. on February 22-24, 2006. The summit focused on local, state and federal preparedness issues and the 30 sharing sessions covered a wide variety of preparedness topics (see below).
Sharing Session 1: Rebuilding and Recovering Public Health in New Orleans: Lessons from the Hurricane Katrina Response
Sharing Session 2: Avian Influenza Preparedness: What Have We Done? What Do We Have to Do?
2009 Disaster Field Manual Training for Local Environmental Health Professionals
Connecticut is one of five states in the nation to develop a Disaster Field Manual for local environmental health response. The Disaster Field Manual is the product of a collaborative initiative among CT state agencies, local health departments, and Yale CPHP. Two trainings have now been held on the manual.
A CLAS Act: Enhancing Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Public Health Preparedness
Presenter
A Culturally Competent Preparedness Model for Reaching Limited English Proficient Communities
Presenter
Sharyne Shiu-Thornton, PhD, MA, is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health Services at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. Her research interests are cultural competency and community-based participatory research, and she has a longstanding interest in medical anthropology and ethnic minority health. She earned her masters and doctoral degrees in anthropology at the University of Washington, following her undergraduate work in China regional studies.
A State Perspective on Bioterrorism
Eddy Bresnitz discusses the anthrax epidemic that occurred in his state of New Jersey during the fall of 2001. His discussion includes: anthrax case descriptions; surveillance and screening systems; preventive measures, including post-outbreak vaccination and antibiotic regimens; and environmental sampling procedures. The main theme of his talk is communication-he emphasizes the importance of proper and continuous communication with and among information stakeholders.
Action Guide to Protect Mental Health in Schools During Disasters
This print resource targets school nurses in Pennsylvania, but can be used by nurses in other states. The resource is a one page two-sided chart describing the emergency management and psychological phases of a disaster and the recommended actions. The chart also includes signs of distress to watch for following a disaster in age groups 1-5, 5-11, 11-14, 14-18, and adults.
After the Bioterrorism: Remediation and Recovery
The speakers discuss the topics of remediation and recovery after a bioterrorism event. Dr. Cohen reviews the Fall 2001 anthrax events - discussing what we scientifically knew at the time, what we did not know, and what we have learned since October 2001. Dr. Canter also provides a brief background on bioterrorism and the anthrax attacks. She then discusses the anthrax remediation processes, fumigation issues, criteria for successful remediation, lessons learned, and real world challenges including preparing for the future.
Agroterrorism Preparedness in Georgia
Lee Myers, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM, a veterinarian and assistant commissioner of the Animal Industry for the Georgia Department of Agriculture discusses the importance of agriculture awareness and how vulnerable the food sector is to agroterrorism. Dr. Myers provides context for the problem, demonstrating how one incident, such as one cow with Mad Cow Disease could have such a severe impact.
Alternative Marketing & Messaging to Prepare Vulnerable Populations
Created in the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters (CARD) works to prepare nonprofit and faith agencies, whose clients and consumers are among the most vulnerable people in our society. Executive Director, Ana-Marie Jones, will discuss 'new' ways to approach marketing and outreach efforts related to preparing vulnerable communities for emergencies. She advocates for a shift from fear-based, threat messaging, to more empowering, culturally appropriate efforts focused on health, wellness, peace and prosperity.
Educational Objective
Animals in Disasters: What Can You Do? (Grand Rounds 2009)
Misha Goodman, director of Iowa City Animal Services, will discuss the steps emergency responders and concerned citizens can take to care for pets during a disaster.
Learning Objectives
• Learn what pet supplies are essential.
• Understand techniques to reduce the stress on pets during an evacuation or the aftermath of a disaster.
• Learn what resources are available, such as special animal response teams, to support pets in a disaster.
• Discuss lessons learned, such as the Cedar Rapids Pet Shelter or other large-scale animal-specific responses during the 2008 Iowa floods.
Assuring Cultural Competence in Disaster Response
To prepare public health professionals for their functional roles in disaster response by offering culturally competent disaster interventions to survivors, witnesses, and responders of bioterrorism and other major public health threats and community disasters.
Course Goals
1. To provide a brief overview of cultural competency.
2. To create an awareness of the importance of cultural competence in delivering an effective public health disaster response.
3. To offer culturally competent strategies and interventions for disaster response.
Learning Objectives
Basic Emergency Preparedness
This online course provides an introduction to the basic emergency preparedness core competencies for all public health workers. This is information that you as a public health worker need to know to be an efficient member of the public health disaster response team. The course is designed to be taken in two parts. Part I is an online presentation of the material. Part II is for hands-on practice, and then demonstration of the competencies.
Be Personally Prepared for Emergencies: What Can You Do? (Grand Rounds 2009)
Bret Voorhees, chief of the Communications and Technology Bureau in the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, will discuss emergency management at the state level and how individuals can prepare for emergencies.
Learning Objectives:
• Learn the four phases of emergency management
• Understand steps taken at the state level to support local responders
• Learn how Iowans can prepare for emergencies
Biological Agents for Terrorism
This presentation covers the topic of infectious disease challenges, including SARS, avian influenza and pandemic influenza, of bioterrorism and biologics as weapons. Anthrax and smallpox epidemiology are highlighted. To view the one-hour video, you must register for this course.
This presentation, from September 2006, was part of a broad training of new students in the Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST), a program in the Office of Public Health Practice at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Bioterrorism
This course will address the nature of Bioterrorism and discuss useful patterns of events, which may suggest that a disease outbreak might be other than spontaneous. The most likely Biological Agents for terrorist use as estimated by the CDC will be individually discussed and specific recommendations made on their identification, outbreak management and patient treatment.
At the completion of this session the participant will be able to confidently:
• Describe characteristics and results of a bio-warfare attack
• Identify characteristics of bioterrorism
Bioterrorism & Anthrax
After providing a brief history and overview of anthrax, Dr. Brachman focuses on two main issues. First, he discusses the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of both cutaneous and inhalational anthrax. Second, he provides an in-depth analysis of the epidemic caused by anthrax sent through the U.S. postal system in the fall of 2001. His analysis includes: information on the type of anthrax used; a description of the pattern of infection; and how cross contamination among letters and postal facilities occurred.
Bioterrorism & Emergency Preparedness: A Local Public Health Perspective
Presentations provided an overview of public health preparedness and emergency management structures in Michigan.
Building Partnerships with Business: Addressing Surge Capacity in the Event of Pandemic Influenza
Pamela Blackwell (Cobb & Douglas Boards of Health) and Jim Shortal (The Home Depot) co-present this lecture which showcases the innovative and active partnership between the Cobb-Douglas Health District and the Home Depot to address surge capacity in the event of a pandemic influenza crisis. Our presenters describe the role of the public health department during such an event, the interests that businesses have in ensuring that surge capacity is met, and how businesses might help address the extreme resource needs.
Business Continuity During a Flu Pandemic
This presentation by Emily Eidner, MPH-candidate and David Bergmire-Sweat, MPH, gives you an overview of continuity of operations during an influenza pandemic, focusing specifically on business continuity and public health concerns.
Educational Objectives
• Describe the unique characteristics of continuity planning for a pandemic
• Identify key components of business continuity plans
• Describe steps public health agencies can take now to prepare for pandemic influenza
Target Audience:
Chemical Terrorism
This course will address the remote and current history of the use of chemical agents during conflict and draw parallels as to the nature and dimensions of the current terrorist threat. The categories of common chemical agents will be presented along with the associated mammalian pathophysiology and insight offered on prevention, management and casualty treatment. The importance of competent identification and decontamination of exposed casualties and equipment will be emphasized.
Learning Objectives
• Identify ways chemical weapons are used
City Under Water: Flood Emergencies and Public Health
The goal of this web-based case study is to familiarize learners with flood disasters, and how the public health workforce responds to a flood emergency. The case study uses a fictional account of a city flood disaster to illustrate various public health concerns and response measures from the following perspectives: environmental health, emergency response, and epidemiologic surveillance. The information presented in this case study is intended for training purposes only.
Closing Schools to Control Disease: Clarifying the Decision Making Criteria (archived webcast) CSTCA1109
This Public Health Grand Rounds provides participants with tools to make informed decisions regarding whether or not to close schools in their jurisdictions during infectious disease outbreaks (including H1N1 influenza). Three presentations are followed by a moderated discussion with presenters and audience.
Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
* Identify challenges public health and education officials face when deciding whether schools should close during an infectious disease outbreak.
Community Based Participatory Research: A Strategy for Promoting Health & Reducing Health Disparities
Meredith Minkler, DrPH, Professor of Health and Social Behavior and Director of the DrPH Leadership Program at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, delves into the implications of community-based participatory research and how it can effectively promote health and reduce health disparities. She outlines several of her past research projects and demonstrates the strengths of engaging in research with community members instead of engaging in research on community members. (2005 Virginia S. DeHaan Lecture in Health Promotion and Education)
Community Healthcare Disaster Planning in Minnesota
This seminar is an overview of activation and coordination of local resources with regional, state, and federal resources.
Learning Objectives- Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be able to:
1. Discuss the role of a healthcare facility in a community emergency preparedness planning
2. Discuss the use of an incident management system in a healthcare related emergency
3. Discuss the function of a Multiple Agency Coordination Center in a healthcare event
Community Resiliency (Part 1 of 3)
Dr. Masterson discusses public health preparedness in the community, focusing on the impact on mental health during natural and man-made disasters.
This first part focuses in the initial response, diagnosis, essential public health services and agencies and psychopharmacology.
Length: 20 minutes
Core Infectious Disease Emergency Readiness (CIDER) Summer Intensive Program 2007
The CIDER SIP 2007 was a 3-day conference entitled, "Building Bridges: Public Health and Private Sectors Responding to Pandemic Influenza" that happened on June 19-21, 2007. Our partners included the California Department of Health Services, ORC Western Occupational Safety and Health Group, and members of the public and private industries.
Corporate Emergency Preparedness: Protecting Your Own
This goal of this conference is to examine how terrorism and other emergency events impact corporations, the psychological and financial impacts, and lessons learned.
Speakers:
Caye Ciabattoni
Manager, Safety Service
Health and Safety Services, MBNA
Robert Harmon, MD, MPH, FACPM
Chief Medical Officer
Ingenix Center for Health Care Policy and Evaluation
Laurel Ryan
FEMA/DHS Region III
Thomas Burke, PhD, MPH
Co-Director, Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Gregg Beatty
Defense Against the Biothreat
Dr. Alibek discusses the threat of biological agents, such as anthrax and smallpox, being used as weapons for terrorism. He also discusses additional types of weapons including: bacterial weapons, viral weapons, rickettsial weapons, fungal weapons, toxin weapons, and bio-regulators. In response to these threats, Dr. Alibek discusses medical defense, which includes the use of prophylactic measures such as vaccines; urgent prophylaxis such as antibiotics and chemical antivirals; and treatments such as antibacterial and antiviral preparations.
Defense against the Radiological Threat
This course will address the nature and likely sources of the radiological threat and briefly review the basic relevant parameters of radiation physics. The characteristics, pathophysiology and prognostic criteria of various radiation threats will be discussed with specific strategies for incident management and individual therapeutics outlined.
Developing an Emergency Preparedness Plan: One Local Health Department's Approach
Local health departments are now charged with developing emergency preparedness plans in the post-9/11 world. All politics are local, all disease is local and all emergencies are local. However, the process does not have to seem too daunting—after all, in terms of public health emergencies throughout history, local health departments have “been there, done that” and addressed the public’s needs. The challenge now is to be able to create plans that can expand or contract on a 24 hour/7 day a week basis using your existing staff capacities.