Title: Coping with Disaster: Planning for Pandemic Bob Mauskapf, MPA Colonel, USMC ret Director, Emergency
1 Coping with DisasterPlanning for Pandemic
Bob Mauskapf, MPAColonel, USMC (ret)Director,
Emergency Operations, Planning Logistics
2Thus the wise win before the fight,
while the ignorant fight to win
The Art of War
3Hospitalized Casualties in Past Events
4Alice and planning
- Alice
- Which way should I go?
- Cat
- That depends on where you are going.
- Alice
- I dont know where Im going!
- Cat
- Then it doesnt matter which way you go.
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7H5N1 Asian Epizootic Avian flu
- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
- Dec 2003 to present
- Poultry outbreaks in numerous countries in Asia,
Indonesia, Europe, Middle East and Africa
millions of birds culled - 385 human cases in 14 countries (as of July 1,
2008) 243 deaths (63 mortality) - Historically unprecedented
- Geographical scope
- Economic consequences
8In Virginia, pandemic flu impact estimates
include
- 2,700 to 6,300 deaths
- 12,000 to 28,500 hospitalizations
- 575,000 to 1.35 million outpatient visits
- 1.08 million to 2.52 million people becoming sick
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11Unique Features of Pandemic Flu
- Multiple areas affected at the same time
- More difficult to shift resources
- Could go on for months in a community, with 2-3
different waves over 18-24 mo - Healthcare workers will be affected
- Preventive and therapeutic agents delayed and in
short supply - New vaccine must be made for the pandemic virus
- Widespread illness would impact essential services
12Issue Antivirals
- Federal stockpile of antivirals growing
- States have option to stockpile antivirals at
discounted federal contract price - Virginia has purchased full allotted amount
distribution plan in development (treatment) - Goal antivirals to treat 25 of VA population
- Increasing supply and production capacity
discussion of increased prophylaxis use
13Issue Community Containment
- Limiting community spread social distancing
- School closures
- Recommendations about telecommuting
- Snow days
- Isolation/quarantine mainly voluntary
- Discouraging/banning large gatherings
(indoor/outdoor) - New recommendations based on severity of
pandemic, on a scale of 1-5
14Pandemic Influenza Planning
- Include involvement of
- DOD Installations
- Schools/Colleges and universities
- First responders fire, EMS/Public safety, Law
enforcement - Business community/Private sector
- Media
- Assisted living and other social services
programs - Volunteer, non-profit groups/Faith community
- Coordinated planning of federal, state, local
governments and agencies
15Pandemic Influenza Planning Health
- Risk communications
- Community containment
- Antiviral distribution plan
- Mass vaccination
- Medical surge, healthcare coalitions
- Surveillance and investigation
- Laboratory services
- Fatality management
- Altered standards of care due to resource
limitations
16Pandemic Influenza PlanningNon-Health
- Command and Control
- Community containment measures
- Economic impact
- School closure
- Isolation
- Voluntary quarantine
- Continuity of Operations
- Government entities
- Critical infrastructure economy, trade, business
- Agriculture, water and food chain safety
- Human resource issues, policies (public and
private)
17Exercises
- Aug 06 Tabletop Ex (TTX)
- Statewide FluEx, Oct 06
- Cabinet TTX, Sep 07
- Mid Atlantic Region NGA TTX, Nov 07
- CDC ( 5 states) Functional Exercise Sep 08
- FluEx 08, Nov 18-19 08
18Lessons Learned
- Include a budget line item to support plan
maintenance and testing in a multi-year
timeframe. - Identify transportation support for staff and
material to alternate site. - Include logistical plans including food lodging
for essential staff at alternate site - Provide for physical security and access control
at alternate site - Describe contents of and responsibility for
"go-kits" for each office or work unit - Prepare template for media release to provide
public information on impact of operations and
plans to restore services - Include procedure for contacting family of
employees who will be relocated
19Other Recommendations
- Consider MOU or mutual aid agreement with other
agencies or facilities - Fully incorporate COOP into emergency response
exercises and post-exercise lessons learned - Make employee COOP responsibilities a key part of
orientation - Transition the plan to comply with NIMS standard
and ICS - Review all available Lessons Learned / After
Action Reports especially Katrina's - Use an All-Hazards Approach
- Focus on Worst Case Scenarios
- Balance COOP in-house initiatives with continued
service to citizens. - Look at Infrastructure Maintenance and
Reestablishment
20Complacency is the enemy of health protection!
21Management Prep Overview
- Management Education
- Employee Education
- In-house Vendor Discussion Management
- Miscellaneous Issues
22PanFlu COOP
- Discuss expectations with staff early
- Communications will be key
- Need reliable, credible sources of information
- Need coordinated communication channels
- Rely on both internal/external channels
- Monitor state of transportation systems
- High exposure staff will probably need
prophylaxis - Security, Healthcare Providers
- May need to consider relief for regulatory
requirements
23PanFlu-Specific Recommendations
- Initiate Activities Early
- Purchase and stockpile critical equipment and
supplies ahead of time - Equip key staff with needed laptops and remote
access capabilities - Prior to a widespread outbreak
- Determine and schedule conference calls
- Local/Company coordination
- Corporate coordination
- Customer coordination
- Key supplier coordination
- Pre-establish communications channels
- Identify local functions that need coordination
- Coordinate vertically and horizontally.
24Management Education
- Detailed presentations to all appropriate levels
of management - What they should expect and plan for in a
pandemic - What they should be doing for their employees in
advance of a pandemic - Promoting infection control procedures
- Promoting annual influenza vaccination
- Have needed supplies on hand
- Hand sanitizer
- Surface sanitizer
- Anti-viral tissues
- Masks
25Management Education
- What they should do if they suspect an employee
is ill and at work - Screening by management?
- What questions are management to ask?
- What will management tell employees based on
responses? - What management do once the employee is sent
home? - What will they tell others in the department?
26Management Education
- What will be the health information source in a
pandemic? - Common gathering area management
- Cafeteria
- Lounges
- Fitness Centers
- Etc.
27Employee Education
- What medium will be used?
- Meetings
- Newsletters
- Video display terminals
- Posters have them ready in advance
- What information will you give out?
- Infection control techniques
- Get seasonal flu immunization
- Have needed supplies
- What resources will your organization provide to
ill employees?
28Employee Education
- Employee personal/home planning
- CDC Pandemic Flu site
- Inform employees where they can get reliable
information during a pandemic - Signage
- Infection control techniques
- Symptoms of the flu
- Stay home if ill
- Area closed
- Where to get information
29More PanFlu Recommendations
- Verify work-at-home capabilities
- Exercise regularly
- Consider provisioning multiple access methods for
critical staff (broadband, DSL, air cards, etc.) - Prepare for psychological aspects
- Prepare for labor shortage
- Develop pools of available staff
- Refresh/train pools regularly or at trigger point
- Remain flexible/adaptable
30Vendor Discussions Management
- What do you expect of them?
- What is their plan for a pandemic?
- Working with critical vendors
- Housekeeping
- Food services
- Non-critical vendor relationships
- Employer of choice programs
31Miscellaneous Issues
- How do you know which employee is absent due to
illness, due to caring for the ill, etc.? - What is your HR policy of employee absences in a
pandemic? - Is your attendance system up to the challenge?
32Miscellaneous Issues
- Screening of employees prior to coming into the
building? - What cross function support do you have?
- How will you handle employees calling into work
with questions? - What questions will they ask?
33Miscellaneous Issues
- Prepare ready-to-go communications that can be
updated easily for each Stage/Phase of a pandemic - For management
- For employees
- For vendors
- For the public
- Develop relationships with health resources
34Questions? http//www.vdh.virginia.gov/eprhttp
//www.vdh.virginia.gov/pandemicfluhttp//pandem
icflu.gov