As the threat of public health emergencies remains of great concern, KMA’s Community and Rural Health Committee has been working with the Kentucky Department of Public Health (KDPH) and others to provide timely information to members on disaster preparedness. Check this page often to get up-to-date information.
New Emergency Planning Resources Available
KMA Hears From KY Homeland Security Director
Kentucky’s Disaster Response Plans (Department of Public Health)
Model Disaster Plan for a Physician’s Practice
Center for Public Health Preparedness and Disaster Response
PANDEMIC INFLUENZA INFORMATION
Online Video Addresses Avian Flu
Kentucky Pandemic Influenza Summit held January 20
Kentucky’s Plan
HHS Pandemic Response Plan
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Resources from CDC
New Emergency Planning Resources Available
What can you and your family or your business do to be prepared if a disaster or emergency strikes? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Web site has excellent information about emergency plans including "ready" downloadable brochures and posters. A special "Ready Kids" section is geared to children with games and activities directed at making emergency plans. By taking a few simple steps, you can protect your family in any disaster - natural or man-made. In addition, the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security encourages you to visit www.ProtectYourFamily.ky.gov or call (502) 564-2081 for more state and local information.
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KMA Hears From KY Homeland Security Director
Major Alecia Webb-Edgington, Director, Kentucky Office of Homeland Security (KOHS) addressed the KMA Community and Rural Health Committee in July on activities taking place at the state level in community preparedness, noting the importance of partnering with organizations such as KMA for guidance and ways to increase citizen awareness. She was grateful that KOHS was working with the Department for Public Health (DPH) in this vital and critical area.
A new KOHS public awareness campaign will offer educational resources on steps to take to protect the family in any disaster, either natural or man-made. Details on the campaign are available on the KOHS Web site. A goal of the campaign is to make citizens more aware of their need to be able to sustain themselves for three to five days in the event of a disaster. With 8,300 police officers, 23,000 firefighters (18,000 of which are volunteers) and 4.5 million Kentuckians, first responders will need time to reach all individuals. Maj. Webb-Edgington commended the collaboration and coordination of all persons involved in creating and maintaining the community medical reserve corps which include the DPH, local health departments and people in the community.
September is National Preparedness Month and further information on scheduled events can be found on the KOHS Web site.
The Kentucky Community Preparedness Program focuses on prevention of hostile acts and crime in small- and medium-sized communities through a system of risk assessments and recommendations for improved security. The program has assessed 90 communities for vulnerabilities in sites ranging from schools to government buildings to tourist attractions with the main focus being healthcare facilities. The assessment process is the first step a community takes to prepare and protect its citizens not only from a hostile event, but also from a natural disaster, emergency or criminal activity. The key elements that set this program apart from other homeland security initiatives are its focus on prevention and its statewide scope. Communities that complete the entire assessment process will be certified as a Prepared Kentucky Community and will be eligible to be reimbursed up to $10,000 for making recommended changes. By looking at a community as a whole instead of just looking at individual components, local officials are able to allocate resources and funds to the areas where they are most needed.
Working with preparedness partners such as the Kentucky State Police, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement, and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the KOHS works to secure critical infrastructure and transportation routes such as highways, railways, general aviation and waterways.
The Kentucky Information and Intelligence Fusion Center serves as the chief intelligence-gathering center in the Commonwealth. This center incorporates an “all-crimes/all hazards” approach to both domestic and international terrorism. The ultimate goal of the fusion center is to provide a mechanism where law enforcement, public safety and private partners can come together with a common purpose and improve the ability to safeguard our homeland and prevent criminal activity.
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Kentucky’s Disaster Response Plans (Department of Public Health)
Kentucky’s plan was created to ensure that all phases of disasters (pre-disaster, disaster and post-disaster) are in place to protect and effectively communicate with the public during a disaster or public health emergency. The KDPH Web site includes information on the Health Alert Network, which links all health professionals statewide. Plans are also in place to use the Poison Control Network as a primary contact for the public in a dire emergency and the ProAct video conference network to bring local, state and national experts face to face with clinicians and public health officials in the event of an incident of national significance. A major disaster response training program, Train Kentucky, is underway for public health and other emergency responders.
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Model Disaster Plan for a Physician’s Practice
KMA has developed an overview of what a physician’s office should do to prepare for a catastrophic event that disables the medical and business functions of a medical practice. These model policies and procedures provide continued operational capability to the greatest extent possible so that the work of a medical practice may continue with as little interruption as possible.
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Center for Public Health Preparedness and Disaster Response
Through CPHPDR, the AMA is an important national educational resource for enhancing the disaster preparedness and response capabilities of both civilian and military providers. The AMA uses its National Disaster Life Support (NDLS) Program to teach physicians, medical students and other health professionals about their integrated roles and responsibilities in community, state or regional disaster response. Information is available at on the AMA Web site.
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PANDEMIC INFLUENZA INFORMATION
Online Video Addresses Avian Flu
"Avian Flu: How Real is the Threat of a Human Pandemic?" is the latest
episode in the AMA's monthly series Educating Physicians on
Controversies in Health. The brief program reviews the epidemiology,
ecology and virology of the disease. Physicians can use this information
to educate their patients and communities about the disease, which has
garnered widespread public attention.
Visit the AMA Web site to view this and other videos in the series.
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Kentucky’s Plan
There are no known cases of H5N1 in the United States in either birds or humans. Nevertheless, public health continues to prepare for a potential pandemic from this strain or another. In addition to the Disaster Response Plan noted above, the Kentucky Department of Public Health also has an evolving pandemic influenza plan. Kraig Humbaugh, MD, Director of Epidemiology, KDPH, also encourages physicians to not give prescriptions out for Tamiflu purely on the basis that the patient wants to have the medication on hand, “just in case.” The drug is in high demand and will be needed this influenza season for those who are genuinely ill or most in need of prophylaxis, based on clinical circumstances.
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HHS Pandemic Response Plan
The US Department of Health and Human Services has developed a Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan which calls for a combination of standard precautions and droplet isolation measures for hospitals and doctors offices caring for flu patients.
A pandemic checklist, developed specifically for medical offices and ambulatory clinics, is available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
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Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Resources from CDC
This Web page provides background information about avian influenza, including recent outbreaks, the viruses, and the risk to human health.
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