Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107495

Samuel J. Watson, Center For Public Health Preparedness, Associate Professor of Public Health Practice, University of Pittsburgh, Forbes-Allies Center, 3109 Forbes Avenue, Suite 210, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, 412-383-2400, watsons@pitt.edu and H. Thomas Berlin, Center For Public Health Preparedness, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Health Policy and Mangement, Forbes-Allies Center, 3109 Forbes Avenue, Suite 210, Pittsburgh, PA 15260.

Local health departments can be under great strain for staffing during extended public health emergencies. Varying pressures placed upon local health departments during an enhanced crisis response period demand a reactive effort grounded in the elements of effective planning, preparation, training, and appropriate staffing. Recognizing the need for efficient health department functioning during emergency scenarios, the University of Pittsburgh Center For Public Health Preparedness (CDC-funded) has partnered with the Allegheny County Department of Public Health and University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health to create a surge-capacity program that provides capacity for the integration and supplementation of staff and functions of a local health department during a crisis state. Based upon validated scenarios for pandemic flu (a surrogate for bioterrorism), flood and industrial disaster, the program will validate crisis planning and staffing for effectual hazard analysis, risk communication, epidemiological and laboratory investigation, and consequence management over a 24 x 7 x 3 week ‘crisis' period. We envision validating this model for nationwide applicability. The proposed presentation will outline a viable collaborative partnership that can be built between local health departments and accessible volunteer pools from surrounding institutions. Particular emphasis will be given to specific roles volunteer personnel can play within varying crisis scenarios as well as strategy and solutions for successful incorporation of support personnel from divergent disciplines.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives

Upon the completion of the session participants will be able to,
• Identify support roles required for effective crisis response,
• Be familiar with integration methods of volunteer support staff into local health department response efforts.

Keywords: Local Public Health Agencies, Emergency

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation