The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #51254

Judy Wessler, MA, Director, Commission on the Public's Health System, Ryan Health Center, 110 West 97th Street, New York, NY 10025, 212-749-1227, Ladyhealth@aol.com

September 11, and the anthrax scare that followed it, rocked the health world. New York City, besides suffering thousands of deaths, was profoundly affected because of the emergency needs that 9/11 produced, because of the longer-term changes that followed, and because of the light that these events shed on our preparedness for future disasters. Ms. Wessler will talk about New York’s post-9/11 experience, focusing particularly on the implications of that experience for public health and public hospitals.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will understand the role that New York City's public health services played in responding the immediate crisis of September 11.
• Participants will gain a fuller picture of September 11’s long-term impact on New York, and the role that the city's public health services need to play in meeting them.
• Participants will understand the changes that are needed – in terms of organization and resources – if New York City is to be adequately prepared for future health crises.

Keywords: Public Health Service, Public Hospitals

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.