Comments on: Is a Pandemic a Major Disaster?

By: Jimmy Jazz

Jimmy Jazz — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:59:20 +0000

Tim:

Sorry for the delay in replying. You think there’s little support in the EMA world? It’s like that everywhere. The only folks who /really/ get it are the hospitals and the flu-bies (http://www.fluwikie.com).

Thanks for stopping by and for your comment!

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:35:04 +0000

I agree Jimmy that it is something that needs to be addressed. I work in a county Emergency Management office and it has become something that we all need to plan for. I know in our county that it is something that our Public Health officials are always bringing up to make sure we don’t forget to plan for it. It seems that there is not enough support from the top.

By: Jimmy Jazz

Jimmy Jazz — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:15:57 +0000

Dutch:

Those are great questions. When talking about this situation, I always say that the folks at the POD will be giving away “the cure.” Medically, we know that’s not the case, but that’s how it will be seen by the public. And, as you say, people will be more apt to climb over other people for “the cure” than for a sale-priced TV.

And that’s why it’s crucial that public health planners work hand in hand with the folks at EMA’s and in public safety. Public health cannot do security, simple as that. That’s why the CDC specifically asks about cooperative security planning when they look at mass prophylaxis plans.

Without significant buy-in from the police, POD plans just don’t work. If you look at the history of POD planning, that’s just the first step. Recently, public health has begun looking into alternative, less manpower intensive ways of mass dispensing. The postal plan requires significantly fewer officers, and more distributed stockpiles (easier to secure, hence the fewer officers). And now there is planning going on to institute what are known as “closed PODs,” which will take the dispensing out of public health’s hands altogether.

It really is a great question, Dutch. And an area that’s far from solved, and will only be solved with lots of cooperation and hard work–if it can be solved at all.

Glad to have you stop by,
Jimmy

By: DutchR

DutchR — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:27:49 +0000

Another public health legal / security issue.
The death of the Walmart employee last Friday has my office talking about security at a POD or clinic in the time of a PH emergency..
Has there been any discussion regarding the security of the sites that are dispensing to the public? It seems that the locations where a potentially life saving medication is being dispensed could be a place that could easily be over run by a mob.
Cipro or a HDTV’s, both could easily incite a situation that could turn catastrophic. Law enforcement would likely be at a minimum due to the emergent situation.
Any thoughts?

By: Jimmy Jazz

Jimmy Jazz — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:11:22 +0000

Joel:

Thanks for stopping by and giving the thumbs up. Public health law is not seemingly well understood at any level, and I’m aware that some of the Centers for Public Health Preparedness (UPitt especially) are making a real effort to tease out the state-level laws. It’d be nice to have some clarity somewhere.

Thanks again,
Jimmy

By: Joel

Joel — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:34:47 +0000

Jimmy – great article. I think it’s safe to say that there aren’t many experts on Stafford. I work with the thing (FEMA) and it drives me nuts. This discussion (Stafford Act declarations in a pandemic) is one I’ve been involved in and I can say that there is every expectation that there would be a Presidential Declaration, which sidesteps some of the Stafford requirements, but like you mention, the simple fix is to amend the Act.