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Outburst disrupts pandemic exercise
Strange behavior for a Homeland Security Director.
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HUDSON-Columbia County officials conducted their first mass inoculation last week as the cul-mination of a two-day exercise primarily designed to prepare for a local outbreak during a flu pandemic.
The county Health Department held a series of three meetings with selected groups Wednesday, November 29, to discuss the likely impact if an outbreak of a flu virus that would sicken millions of people worldwide and cause an increased number of deaths.
The next day, the Health Department administered flu shots for the more common and less lethal type of flu to several hundred first responders and others whose services might be needed in the case of an epidemic.
The carefully planned event at Hudson High School took an unexpected turn when County Homeland Security Director George Sharpe suddenly grabbed Chip Moon, a photographer for The Independent there at the invitation of the Health Department. Mr. Sharpe pulled the photographer across the room and demanded that a city police officer confiscate his camera and destroy photos he had taken.
The incident ended as suddenly as it began, with Mr. Sharpe abruptly leaving the cafeteria after he was told the photographer had complied with Health Department rules for taking photographs at the event.
Mr. Shape offered no explanation of his actions and did not return a phone calls seeking his comment.
When Mr. Sharpe grabbed him, Mr. Moon was wearing his press credentials and had been in the high school for several minutes. The photographer had just finished discussing with Patricia Abitable, spokeswoman for the Columbia County Public Health Department, the steps to take in order to comply with the department's concerns about photos during the drill. It was Ms. Abitable who confirmed to Mr. Sharpe that Mr. Moon had followed the department's procedures.
In the past, Mr. Sharpe has asked Mr. Moon to shoot photographs related to county matters, and the two men have met on several occasions.
Mr. Moon, a lifelong resident of Hudson and a regular contributor to The Independent, retained his equipment and had not yet taken any photos of the inoculations.
He left the high school after the incident.
He said Mr. Sharpe approached him from behind and that he did not resist Mr. Sharpe as Mr. Sharpe pulled him across the cafeteria.
The Independent published a story Friday, November 24, previewing the flu drill and covered the first of last Wednesday's "Town Meetings" on pandemic preparations. Mr. Sharpe attended the morning meeting, and a photo of him at that session appears in the Friday, December 1, edition of this newspaper.
"I was wearing my press identification, and there was no checkpoint or sign-in sheet," said Mr. Moon of the Thursday incident. He said he was "greeted by various staff and law enforcement officials" inside the high school.
"A lady volunteered to be photographed as she was getting a flu shot and, as I was taking her photograph, Mr. Sharpe grabbed my arm and began pulling me toward police demanding I submit my camera," said Mr. Moon. He said the police seemed to be "caught off-guard" by Mr. Sharpe's behavior and did not know how to respond.
Mrs. Abitable said she saw Mr. Moon in the cafeteria, told him he needed an escort and "discussed and arranged for signed releases for those photographed." She acknowledged that Mr. Sharpe had "escorted Chip to the Hudson Police" and that during the exchange she intervened, explaining that Mr. Moon had verbal permission to be in the cafeteria. The cafeteria was designated as the POD, an acronym that stands for "point of dispensing."
Hudson Police Chief Ellis Richardson said Friday that he was not sure whether Mr. Sharpe had the authority to ask Hudson officers to take away Mr. Moon's equipment. "There was an HPD sergeant on the premises, and I would have expected that Mr. Sharpe would have discussed any actions with the sergeant," he said.
So this is how the DOD plans on implementing their "PODS".
Too bad they went with a plan that will likely be a catalyst for the virus.
Any ideas why he didn?t want any photos?
He got his wish. Too bad the photographer left before he had a chance to shoot any pics.
Strange behavior for a Homeland Security Director.
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HUDSON-Columbia County officials conducted their first mass inoculation last week as the cul-mination of a two-day exercise primarily designed to prepare for a local outbreak during a flu pandemic.
The county Health Department held a series of three meetings with selected groups Wednesday, November 29, to discuss the likely impact if an outbreak of a flu virus that would sicken millions of people worldwide and cause an increased number of deaths.
The next day, the Health Department administered flu shots for the more common and less lethal type of flu to several hundred first responders and others whose services might be needed in the case of an epidemic.
The carefully planned event at Hudson High School took an unexpected turn when County Homeland Security Director George Sharpe suddenly grabbed Chip Moon, a photographer for The Independent there at the invitation of the Health Department. Mr. Sharpe pulled the photographer across the room and demanded that a city police officer confiscate his camera and destroy photos he had taken.
The incident ended as suddenly as it began, with Mr. Sharpe abruptly leaving the cafeteria after he was told the photographer had complied with Health Department rules for taking photographs at the event.
Mr. Shape offered no explanation of his actions and did not return a phone calls seeking his comment.
When Mr. Sharpe grabbed him, Mr. Moon was wearing his press credentials and had been in the high school for several minutes. The photographer had just finished discussing with Patricia Abitable, spokeswoman for the Columbia County Public Health Department, the steps to take in order to comply with the department's concerns about photos during the drill. It was Ms. Abitable who confirmed to Mr. Sharpe that Mr. Moon had followed the department's procedures.
In the past, Mr. Sharpe has asked Mr. Moon to shoot photographs related to county matters, and the two men have met on several occasions.
Mr. Moon, a lifelong resident of Hudson and a regular contributor to The Independent, retained his equipment and had not yet taken any photos of the inoculations.
He left the high school after the incident.
He said Mr. Sharpe approached him from behind and that he did not resist Mr. Sharpe as Mr. Sharpe pulled him across the cafeteria.
The Independent published a story Friday, November 24, previewing the flu drill and covered the first of last Wednesday's "Town Meetings" on pandemic preparations. Mr. Sharpe attended the morning meeting, and a photo of him at that session appears in the Friday, December 1, edition of this newspaper.
"I was wearing my press identification, and there was no checkpoint or sign-in sheet," said Mr. Moon of the Thursday incident. He said he was "greeted by various staff and law enforcement officials" inside the high school.
"A lady volunteered to be photographed as she was getting a flu shot and, as I was taking her photograph, Mr. Sharpe grabbed my arm and began pulling me toward police demanding I submit my camera," said Mr. Moon. He said the police seemed to be "caught off-guard" by Mr. Sharpe's behavior and did not know how to respond.
Mrs. Abitable said she saw Mr. Moon in the cafeteria, told him he needed an escort and "discussed and arranged for signed releases for those photographed." She acknowledged that Mr. Sharpe had "escorted Chip to the Hudson Police" and that during the exchange she intervened, explaining that Mr. Moon had verbal permission to be in the cafeteria. The cafeteria was designated as the POD, an acronym that stands for "point of dispensing."
Hudson Police Chief Ellis Richardson said Friday that he was not sure whether Mr. Sharpe had the authority to ask Hudson officers to take away Mr. Moon's equipment. "There was an HPD sergeant on the premises, and I would have expected that Mr. Sharpe would have discussed any actions with the sergeant," he said.
So this is how the DOD plans on implementing their "PODS".
Too bad they went with a plan that will likely be a catalyst for the virus.
Any ideas why he didn?t want any photos?
He got his wish. Too bad the photographer left before he had a chance to shoot any pics.
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