Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Elizabeth Ablah, PhD, MPH¹, Deborah Fromer, MPH¹, Kurt Konda, MA¹, Carolyn Synovitz, MD, MPH¹, Deborah Wolfe, BA¹, Ruth Wetta-Hall¹, Craig Molgaard¹, Amy Chesser, MAC¹, Doren Fredrickson, MD, PhD¹, and David Cook, PhD². (1) Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, 1010 N. Kansas, Wichita, KS 67214, 316-293-2627, eablah@kumc.edu, (2) External Affairs, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Way, Kansas City, KS 66160, Angola

Purpose: Kansas and Missouri first responders requested multidisciplinary training that would allow numerous professional groups to coordinate activities and build capacity. Methods: The University of Kansas Medical Center conducted a large scale mass casualty simulation, preceded by intense, hands-on training. Six training tracks were offered: command, disaster medicine, rescue specialist, law enforcement, community disaster response, and disaster communications. An abandoned, multi-story building provided the venues for the overnight simulation. A questionnaire was developed to assess competencies and objectives, pre and post classroom training, and again post drill. Results: Course participants (n= 342 registered), hailed from more than 23 counties, 4 states, and represented 13 different occupations. Prior to classroom instruction, and the drill, 63% of respondents reported their state would perform either well, or very well, in an actual disaster event. Following the drill, less than half (48%), agreed, or strongly agreed, their state would perform well in an actual disaster. After classroom instruction, 72% of all respondents rated their ability to recognize a terrorist event as good or excellent and following the drill, this figure climbed to 81%. After the drill, 82% rated their ability to participate in a coordinated, multidisciplinary response to a terror attack as either good or excellent, and 89% either agreed, or strongly agreed, the overall drill had enhanced their ability to respond to an actual disaster event. Conclusion: To guarantee a rapid response in the event of a public health emergency, first responders must understand each others roles, and perform them effectively.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Discuss communication strategies in an emergency event
• 2.Recognize 5 factors associated with a terrorist event.
• 3.Provide an overview of disaster scene management

Related Web page: www.kansas-antiterror.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered