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BIOTERRORISM: SOUTH CAROLINA RESPONDS

BIOTERRORISM: SOUTH CAROLINA RESPONDS. OBJECTIVES. To understand the response to a bioterrorist act through use of the unified incident command system To describe the role and responsibility of each responding agency

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BIOTERRORISM: SOUTH CAROLINA RESPONDS

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  1. BIOTERRORISM: SOUTH CAROLINA RESPONDS

  2. OBJECTIVES • To understand the response to a bioterrorist act through use of the unified incident command system • To describe the role and responsibility of each responding agency • To raise other issues that must be dealt with in planning a response to a bioterrorist act

  3. To best respond to the bioterrorist threat, our state is divided into local regions for an initial response. South Carolina eight regions • Federal and state resources are available when local resources are overwhelmed • Each region coordinates its response through a Unified Incident Command System using the nationwide template or guidelines of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)

  4. The NIMS guidelines provided a flexible framework to allow coordination and cooperation between involved agencies to develop policies and procedures prior to an incident. These are exercised and followed to ensure a safe and effective emergency response • All response agencies need to develop close working relationships and work together to save lives, preserve health, minimize panic and minimize disease impact

  5. To best manage an incident each jurisdiction must use a unified incident command system. • Each involved agency can have its own incident command system which is integrated with others. Hospitals use the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) • Each agency has its defined role and responsibilities

  6. In a bioterrorist attack, health agency personnel may need to interact with individuals from other response agencies • These may include: • Emergency Management Authority • Emergency Medical Services (EMS) • Mental Health agencies • Community Health Centers/Medical Offices • Law enforcement authority • Fire/Rescue • Volunteer community agencies • Medical examiner or coroner • Neighboring health jurisdictions(possibly in another state)

  7. In this section, the role and responsibility of each response agency will be presented • Each agency must coordinate with others in the planning for, response to, recovery from, and mitigation of a bioterrorist incident • It is important to note that functions assigned to each response agency may vary by jurisdiction

  8. THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT • In a bioterrorist incident, public health is the lead agency • Provide support services and public health/medical services to include: • Activation of the Emergency Health Powers Act to deal with quarantine and isolation • Distribution of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and dispensing vaccines and antibiotic prophylaxis • Environmental control (animal bites, wastewater, food services inspections, general sanitation) • Operate shelters for those with special needs

  9. ROLE OF PUBLIC HEALTH • Disease surveillance, detection, and epidemiologic investigation • Ensure operational coordination in a mass casualty disaster response through an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) • Keep the public informed of available mass casualty assistance programs • Collect,compile, maintain and share all essential information • Provide laboratory support

  10. THE ROLE OF HOSPITALS • Hospitals and usually with a one hospital taking the lead provide: • Emergency and definitive acute medical care • Isolate contagious individuals • Dispense medications and vaccines to staff and inpatients • Maintain safe and appropriate disposal of medical waste • Decontamination of victims and facilities as necessary • Train/Educate/Utilize volunteers

  11. THE ROLE OF THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY • Hosts the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the county • Has overall responsibility for coordination of the county response logistics including food, water, electricity, shelter and transportation • Mobilize and deploy assets during the crisis and in the recovery phase • Develops and maintains communication links and issues appropriate warnings to the public • Prepare for state and federal on-site assistance

  12. THE ROLE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES • Is first on the scene and delivers initial triage of incident victims • Transports casualties • Augments hospital services

  13. THE ROLE OF MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS • Coordinate and provide mental health crisis counseling to victims, staff, and the worried well • Make referrals as needed • Provide post-crisis mental health counseling

  14. THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND MEDICAL OFFICES • Remain alert for initial cases of illness in their practice • Deliver outpatient ambulatory care to victims of a mass casualty disaster • Dispense medications and vaccines as needed • Provide triage to victims of a mass casualty event

  15. THE ROLE OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY • Ensure the public safety • Facilitate response and recovery • Provide threat assessment, criminal investigation, forensics, and evidence processing. The site on an incident is a crime scene • Provide security and access control in and around the disaster site and at affected hospitals

  16. THE ROLE OF FIRE/RESCUE +Evaluate the danger in a situation Responsible for hazardous materials management • Establish decontamination control in response to actual conditions • Perform search and rescue as needed

  17. THE ROLE OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES • Names of agencies may differ from county to county, but they are generally responsible for: • Support county relief efforts and provide shelters, feeding, blood supplies, emergency welfare or family support (Red Cross) • Support county relief efforts and provide warehouse support, feeding and/or emergency welfare support (Salvation Army)

  18. MEDICAL EXAMINER OR CORONER • Involved in activities related to managing and processing incident related fatalities including: • Body recovery • Identification, pathology, autopsy, storage and forensics involving casualties • Decedent’s family assistance services

  19. SOME IMPORTANT PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS • Each region must develop sufficient “surge capacity” including facilities, assets and staff to handle a very large number of casualties • Each region must develop a plan to recruit, credential, train and equip staff, as well as volunteers and retirees

  20. PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS • Each region must develop a communication system for its response agencies to use when telephonic communication is not available • Each region must develop communication channels with the state and Federal governments • Each region must ensure the safety of its first responders and their families • If a region adjoins a neighboring state cross border issues need to be dealt with

  21. PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS • Animal care issues need to be dealt with • Laboratory capabilities must be adequate • Special needs populations, e.g. non-English speakers, hearing and visually impaired and other disabled individuals must be planned for

  22. CONCLUSION • As we have heard from our governing officials • It is not if we will be attacked, but when---- Will we be ready? Only time and our preparation will tell

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