Emergency public health exercises develop fast response

Both staff and the public benefit from community emergency training exercises.

Fairgrounds are being used to test how quickly authorities can dispense stockpiled antibiotics to combat a bioterrorism attack.

Besides examining the effectiveness of distribution plans, Tuesday's exercise also helped train county and city workers whose normal duties are more likely to consist of handling paperwork or computers rather than questioning people about health symptoms or dispensing drugs.

Simulating an anthrax release, a recent exercise included city and county workers in Lancaster stationed at folding tables to hand out empty pill bottles to volunteers - mostly students - as officials kept count on the progress: The goal was 1,500 people an hour. Health officials could use mass distribution centers such as the fairgrounds to hand out drugs because anthrax is not known to spread from one person to another. During the exercise's first 45 minutes, a rate of about 6,000 patients an hour were questioned and given simulated medications.

Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr. Jonathan Fielding said of the exercise. "We learn each time. We try to refine and refine and refine."

Does your city have exercises that sharpen the public health skills of both your public service teams and the public?

Contact the County Public Health department to equip yourself and your community with information and resources.