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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Peter D. Rumm, MD, MPH¹, Jennifer Lynne Sinibaldi, BS, MPH¹, and Curtis E. Cummings, MD, MPH². (1) Environmental and Occupational Health- CPHRC (Director), Drexel University School of Public Health, 245 North 15th Street, Mailstop 660, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, 215-762-1652`, pdr26@drexel.edu, (2) Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Mail Stop 660, 245 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192

Background. The recent Katrina Hurricane, the Anthrax cases and other man made and natural disaster situations have emphasized the need for better coordination between state and federal health officials especially at the regional level. The Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication received a special award from the U.S. DHHS to develop a survey instrument to better evaluate regional preparedness in Region III, DHHS. This presentation will present this new survey instrument derived from a number of other instruments and the results from the survey being given to each state in region X.

Methods. The survey is currently being derived from an extensive review of other instruments and through four focus group meetings with regional experts. The first three authors have published recently on a review of such surveys in the Journal of Homeland Security. The survey is going to be heavily based on the new Target Capabilities Project for the U.S. DHS (Dr. Rumm served on a taskforce for these capabilities in the public health area and has published on other terrorism preparedness instruments.). The survey will focus on: 1) communications; 2) preparedness for special populations; 3) workforce and surge capacity in public health and hospitals; and 4) regional collaborations on Table Top and similar exercises.

Conclusions. This survey and its results which will be compared to another being independently derived in Region X for DHHS will provide an important “snapshot” at regional readiness and how to evauate it, especially in the critical area of state and federal collaboration.

Learning Objectives:

• The attendee will learn about recent regional evaluations of terrorism preparedness.
• The attendee will learn about why the US DHHS recognized that there is need to develop new ways to evaluate coordination between state and federal partners.
• The attendee will learn about the developed instrument and see the results of the evaluation.

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Performance Measures

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No