NGA BIOTERRORISM REGIONAL POLICY WORKSHOPNGA BIOTERRORISM REGIONAL POLICY WORKSHOPSAN FRANCISCOSAN FRANCISCO

May 13, 2004May 13, 2004

John EricksonJohn Erickson

Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response

• State and Local Accomplishment• National Activities• Challenges – TOPOFF 2

Accomplishments-State Level

• Enhanced connections-All levels• Local, state, national• New partnerships developed

Accomplishments-State LevelCreated Regional Public Health Emergency

Preparedness System

Clallam

Jefferson

GraysHarbor

Pacific

Whatcom

Skagit

Snohomish

King

Pierce

Lewis

Mason

Cowlitz

Thurston

Clark

SkamaniaKlickitat

Yakima

Kittitas

Chelan

Douglas

Grant

Okanogan

Ferry

Stevens

Pen

d O

reill

e

SpokaneLincoln

Adams Whitman

Franklin

Benton

Walla Walla

Colum

bia

Garfield

Asotin

Wahkiakum

San JuanIsland

Kits

ap Region Region 99

Region Region 77

Region Region 11

Region Region 22

Region Region 33

Region Region 66

Region 5Region 5

Region 4Region 4

Region Region 88

Accomplishments-State Level• Regional approach ensures:

- Local health has network of support- Maximizes resources statewide- Provides cohesive, consistent response

• Homeland Security regions aligned with

public health regions

Accomplishments-State Level

• Assessed public health & hospital capacity

• Increased capacity in 3 areas-

1. Disease surveillance

2. Risk communication

3. Laboratory analysis

National Activities

• Laboratory Response Network• Health Alert Network• Strategic National Stockpile

National Activities• Environmental surveillance programs

- Biowatch, Guardian, BioDetection System (BDS)• Need funding for consequence management• Insufficient personnel to manage

consequences• Performance Indicators – How prepared are we?

- Piloted outcome measures to determine readiness

National Activities• Cross border health preparedness

- Interstate coordination- International coordination- Tribal coordination

TopOff 2• One year anniversary

TopOff 2• Lessons Learned:

- Complex interagency relations (federal, state, local

- Interagency communications• Getting everyone on same frequency

- Cleanup & decontamination of urban areas