October 5, 2006 - Pandemic Influenza Tabletop Exercise

On October 5th, 2006 the St Clair County Health Center sponsored a tabletop exercise involving a pandemic influenza event. Starting at 10:30am, Theron Becker (Emergency Planner based out of Polk County Health Center) provided training and background material about seasonal influenza, history of pandemics, avian influenza, and medications. At 12:00pm, Jeanne Millsap (LPN with St Clair County Health Center) discussed the effort to include public health emergency planning during existing CHART meetings which are held at noon on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. After lunch, Jaci McReynolds (Public Information Officer based out of Springfield-Greene County Health Center) and Rebecca Ray (Volunteer Coordinator based out of Springfield-Greene County Health Center) moderated the tabletop exercise.

Objectives included communication (within each agency, between agencies, and with public), slowing the spread of the disease, handling staffing shortages, and distributing medication. Communications were handled well and discussed thoroughly. A realistic grasp on isolation, quarantine, and other social measures was demonstrated by all participants. Approaches to providing services with limited staff were discussed but not fully explored. Medication distribution methods and systems were approached and the ability to make those decisions in an actual event exists.

The top three action steps identified include creating a more centralized and local surveillance system; creating information sheets for agencies, responders/staff, and the public; and identifying a process to handle large phone call volumes.

Background and training presentation (1.7 mb pdf)