Ensuring workforce protection and continuity of mission operations: MCM program, DHS

Executive Order 13527 was issued on 12/30/09 requiring federal agencies to establish the capacity and capability to dispense medical countermeasures (MCM) in the event of a biological attack to ensure mission essential functions would continue. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the third largest U.S. cabinet department staffed by nearly a quarter of a million employees working together under a collective goal: a safer, more secure America, which is resilient against terrorism and other potential threats.

In July of 2011, the Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization allowing the prepositioning of Doxycycline by federal agencies. This provision allowed DHS to better protect its workforce and mission by prepositioning MCM at over 100 field locations nationwide. DHS pre-deployed over 200,000 courses of MCM to Component field locations. Additionally, a centralized stockpile of 150,000 more courses was established for rapid secondary deployment.

The DHS Office of Health Affairs' response plans are based on a wide-area aerosolized Anthrax attack, but could easily expand to other biological threats. Other planning assumptions include the detection/confirmation of such an attack would be delayed by perhaps 24 to 48 hours. The medical experts warn that a person has 48 hours to begin taking antibiotics before inhaled anthrax spores become deadly. Therefore, the DHS program is designed to reach all DHS employees and those persons under DHS care and custody to receive MCM within 6 hours of notification, regardless of duty station.