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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Marcia J. Liem, RN, BSN¹, Noel Bazini-Barakat, RN, MSN, MPH², Stephanie Faren, RN, MSN, MPH³, Jee Kim, MPH², Adam Morrow, MPH³, Raquel Fernandez, RN, BSN¹, Bridget A. Ward, MS, RN⁴, and Dee Ann Bagwell, MA, MPH⁵. (1) Bioterrorism Preparedness Program, Los Angeles County, 241 N. Figueroa Street, Room 210, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 562-941-3340, mliem@ladhs.org, (2) Organization Development and Training, Los Angeles County, 241 N. Figueroa St. Ste. 306, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (3) Department of Health Services, County of Los Angeles, 241 N. Figueroa Street, Room 210, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (4) LA County - Department of Health Services - Public Health, Organizational Development and Training, 241 N. Figueroa St., Room 306A, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (5) Public Health, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, 241 N. Figueroa Street, Room 210, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Every disaster prompts the emergence of community and organizational volunteers willing to offer their skills in response efforts. In the case of bioterrorism response, the question of how best to utilize these individuals is particularly challenging. Current plans, call for the rapid and population-wide dispensing of preventative medications through community-based points of dispensing (PODs). Given the limited availability of clinical staff and the necessity of using a largely untrained volunteer pool, it is crucial to develop processes that can quickly screen and assign roles to POD volunteers. As a result, Los Angeles County developed the Registration and Screening of Volunteers Process (RSVP), in which volunteers self-identify applicable skills via a series of assessment stations. Volunteer processing staff then use this assessment data to assign volunteers to POD roles based on their skill sets. On November 17, 2005, Los Angeles County conducted a successful full-scale POD exercise using a staff made up almost entirely of volunteers with no prior understanding of POD operations. These volunteers went through the RSVP process in the hour prior to the exercise start and successfully performed as POD staff. Part I is specifically a discussion of the different components of the RSVP.

Learning Objectives: