THE NEW JERSEY CENTER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AT UMDNJ
UMDNJ - SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

NJCPHP News PHlash

MAY 20 2006 - JUNE 2 2006

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

I. PREPAREDNESS NEWS
[1] Hurricane studies help prepare helpers- St. Petersburg Times (5/23/06)
[2] Study: Chemical risks abound in N.J.- The Philadelphia Inquirer (5/24/06)
[3] Hurricane evacuation drill highlights plans, problems- The Times-Picayune (5/24/06)
[4] Animal diseases as warnings- Washington Post (5/24/06)
[5] As hurricane season looms, states aim to scare- New York Times (5/31/06)
[6] A scary outlook of pandemic in Jersey- Star Ledger (6/1/06)

II. UPCOMING EVENTS
[1] The Real Story: Communicating through a Crisis (6/8/06)
[2] After Katrina : Building a Better Public Health System for the Future (6/9/06)
[3] Hot Topics in Emergency Preparedness: From Mitigation to Recovery (6/10/06)
[4] 2006 Public Health Law Conference (6/12-14/06)
[5] P-FLASH for Public Health Professionals (6/21/06)
[6] Save the Date: Estes Prepardo Para Una Emergencia? (Are You Prepared for an Emergency?) (8/10/06)

III. ANNOUNCEMENTS
[1] CBRNE Center is conducting a training needs assessment
[2] NJCPHP is looking for public health professionals to take part in a presentation to the School and Community-based Trauma Response Networks
[3] Volunteers needed for exercise on June 19, 2006
[4] Estimating Potential Impact of an Influenza Pandemic Using 1968- and 1918-Type Scenarios
[5] Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza

I. PREPAREDNESS NEWS:
[1] Hurricane studies help prepare helpers- St. Petersburg Times (5/23/06)
The University of South Florida in Tampa is now offering an undergraduate research course in hurricane preparation and recovery. Eight USF students were chosen for the course. With the class, USF joins a number of U.S.
colleges that are using Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters to teach students about emergency management, environmental cleanup, health care and geography, among other things. "We are located in a place where it's very easy to study hurricanes, obviously, and we have a lot of people at USF who are experts in those fields," said Naomi Yavneh, director of undergraduate research at USF. "This just made sense."
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/05/23/Tampabay/Hurricane_studies_hel.shtml

[2] Study: Chemical risks abound in N.J.- The Philadelphia Inquirer (5/24/06)
New Jersey has 110 facilities that could pose risks, in some cases a catastrophe, to the public in the event of a disaster, according to a recent report. An accident or attack at six of these would put one million people or more at risk, according to a list based on federal and state data compiled by the New Jersey Work Environment Council. Gloucester County has the second-most potentially hazardous facilities in the state, including two that could endanger several million. The council's presentation of the data is intended to ratchet up pressure on Gov. Corzine to deliver on his pledge to strengthen the state's mandatory security measures for chemical facilities.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/14653064.htm

[3] Hurricane evacuation drill highlights plans, problems- The Times-Picayune (5/24/06) A two-day drill in Louisiana, dubbed "Hurricane Alicia," was held for state and local authorities gearing up for the first post-Katrina hurricane season. Even before the exercise got under way, Gov. Kathleen Blanco pronounced the state's preparations a success. "Louisiana is prepared for the next storm," Blanco told state and federal first-responders gathered at the state Emergency Operations Center. While the first day of the drill focused on sheltering and evacuation activities leading up to a storm, other exercises will test how authorities respond in the early aftermath. State officials expressed confidence that the well-chronicled problems that plagued the Katrina response -- a lack of buses for citizens without personal transportation, a breakdown in communications equipment used by first responders -- will be handled better this time around.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-5/114846735750150.xml

[4] Animal diseases as warnings- Washington Post (5/24/06) A growing number of scientists and government agencies are engaged in projects to track outbreaks of animal disease that could give a warning of a bioterrorism attack, modeled on the proverbial canary that coal miners carried to alert them to poisons in the air. They include officials at the Wildlife Center of Virginia who announced that they received an Air Force grant to design a national bioterrorism surveillance network that would link data from two dozen North American wildlife hospitals. The center's president, Ed Clark, said it would be "the bird dog out in front trying to get a whiff of what's going on."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/05/23/AR2006052301
676.html

[5] As hurricane season looms, states aim to scare- New York Times (5/31/06) Convinced that tough tactics are needed, officials in hurricane-prone states are trumpeting dire warnings about the storm season that began June 1, preaching self-reliance and prodding the public to prepare early and well. Cities are circulating storm-preparation checklists, counties are holding hurricane expositions at shopping malls and states are dangling carrots like free home inspections and tax-free storm supplies in hopes of conquering complacency. But the main strategy, it seems, is to scare the multitudes of people who emergency officials say remain blasé even after last year's record-breaking storm season.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/31/us/31prepare.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[6] A scary outlook of pandemic in Jersey- Star Ledger (6/1/06) The pandemic flu summit was held at Douglass College in New Brunswick on May 31. Representatives from New Jersey health, law enforcement, government and business all were there. "We are overdue and underprepared," said Alex Azar, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"The more and better we prepare, the more lives we will save." The 400-plus attendees, convened by Gov. Jon Corzine, left the meeting without any doubt of the federal authorities dire warning or how they are expected to prepare.
http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1149139898306060.xml?starled
ger?nnj&coll=1

II. UPCOMING EVENTS:
[1] The Real Story: Communicating through a Crisis (6/8/06)
9 am to 4 pm at Mercer County Community College, West Windsor, NJ. This day-long conference will include a media panel on what reporters want during emergencies, an interactive discussion on communications challenges during an influenza pandemic, risk communication principles, and how to deal with stress during emergencies. The conference is intended for professionals in media relations, public information and communication professionals. The conference is free. For more information and to register: http://njlmn.rutgers.edu

[2] After Katrina: Building a Better Public Health System for the Future (6/9/06)
The Public Health Grand Rounds series at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health presents the satellite broadcast and webcast, ³After Katrina : Building a Better Public Health System for the Future² on June 9, 2006, 2:00 ­ 3:00 pm ET. This program will seek to increase knowledge and awareness of the strategic planning process for improving public health systems, especially in a post-Katrina New Orleans. For more information and to register:
http://www.publichealthgrandrounds.unc.edu/katrina606/index.htm

[3] Hot Topics in Emergency Preparedness: From Mitigation to Recovery (6/10/06)
On Saturday June 10, 2006 the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Emergency Department Special Operations Team will be hosting their third annual conference on emergency preparedness entitled: ''Hot Topics in Emergency Preparedness: From Mitigation to Recovery". The purpose of the program is to educate field providers and hospital staff in potential threats and the need for "all hazards"planning. The conference will be held on Saturday, June 10t, 2006 in the Medical Education Building, Room 102 from 7:30 am ­ 4:00 pm on the campus of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, New Jersey. NJ BLS CEU credit has been applied for. For more information, contact Valerie Peterson (732) 937-8688.

[4] 2006 Public Health Law Conference (6/12-14/06) The 2006 Public Health Law Conference, to be held in Atlanta on June 12-14, will spotlight innovations and best practices in the use of law as a public health tool. Keynote speakers will include NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg ; Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS, U.S. Surgeon General and Commander, USPHS Commissioned Corps, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Admiral John O. Agwunobi, MD, MBA, MPH, Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services. For a complete conference program and to register online, please visit http://www2a.cdc.gov/phlp/conference2006.asp

[5] P-FLASH for Public Health Professionals (6/21/06)- NJCPHP will sponsor the one-day workshop P-FLASH: Practical Front-Line Assistance for Support and Healing on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at the Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center in Westampton, NJ. All public health professionals and first responders are invited to attend. For more information, please visit: http://www.njcphp.org/pflash.cfm

[6] Save the Date: Estes Prepardo Para Una Emergencia? (Are You Prepared for an Emergency?) (8/10/06) Learn from leaders in the Hispanic community on what can be done in the event of a disaster or emergency. The program will be on Thursday, August 10, 2006 for 8:30am - 4 pm at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. For more information, please contact Concetta Caporrino at caporrco@umdnj.edu or (732) 235-4958.

For a complete listing of preparedness training events and educational course offerings, please visit the ASPH Centers for Public Health Preparedness Online Education Calendar at:
http://www.asph.org/acphp/calendarDisplayOnly.cfm

III. ANNOUNCEMENTS
[1] CBRNE Center is conducting a training needs assessment
The New Jersey CBRNE Center for Training and Research at UMDNJ (CBRNE Center), in cooperation with the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness, is conducting a training needs assessment and gap analysis, related to the CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive) threat. This assessment seeks to better understand and evaluate areas of concern and assist agencies responsible for providing training and developing new, advanced training for emergency responders at all levels, both public and private. The results of this project are expected to help guide the State in formulating a strategy for comprehensive emergency responder training on the CBRNE threat. The survey can be taken online and can be accessed at http://www.NJLearn.com or at
http://www.zoomerang.com/recipient/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB225A88WCLW4

[2] NJCPHP is looking for public health professionals who are willing to take part in a brief presentation to the School and Community-based Trauma Response Networks on Wed., June 14, 2006. The Trauma Response Network's primary purpose is to provide psychological first aid and psychosocial stabilization, and to enhance resiliency and coping in the youth throughout the state of New Jersey. NJCPHP asks for individuals from all New Jersey local and state health departments, including LINCS, HE/RCs, health officers, public health nurses, planners, and/or Partnership Coordinators, to talk to the Trauma Response Network about the role of public health professionals in the aftermath of an emergency. This presentation will be held on Wed., June 14th 2006 at the UBHC Behavioral Research & Training Center in Piscataway. Please contact Emily C. Perry, MPH, CHES at (732) 235-9703 or perryem@umdnj.edu if you are interested.

[3] Volunteers needed for exercise on June 19, 2006
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital will be conducting an emergency preparedness exercise on Monday, June 19, 2006 from 10 am to 2 pm, to test the hospital¹s staff, policies, and procedures in response to a suspected pandemic influenza event."Role players" are needed to portray patients and family members. Volunteers are welcome for the entire event or to pick hours that are convenient. A free lunch will be provided. To volunteer or for more information, please contact Brian Carney at (732) 418-8129 or brian.carney@rwjuh.edu. To view a flyer for this event, click here.

[4] Estimating Potential Impact of an Influenza Pandemic Using 1968- and 1918-Type Scenarios CDC has written instructions to enable state and local officials to estimate the potential impact for both 1968-type and 1918-type influenza pandemics. The instructions (available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic/impactestimate.htm) describe how to use FluAid 2.0 and FluSurge 2.0 software to estimate the number of deaths, hospitalizations, and outpatient visits and the increased demand for hospital-based resources (e.g., hospital beds, intensive-care--unit beds, or ventilators) for both scenarios. The instructions and software can be used to estimate the potential impact for a locale of almost any size.

[5] The White House has released their pandemic influenza plan, "Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza." For a copy of the plan, please visit:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/nspi_implementation.pdf

For more information, or to view the NJCPHP News PHlash Archive, please visit us at: www.njcphp.org

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The New Jersey Center for Public Health Preparedness at UMDNJ, UMDNJ-School of Public Health does not claim responsibility for accuracy of facts and information presented. All opinions expressed are those of the original authors and do not represent the views of NJCPHP staff or affiliates.
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