Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Pennsylvania Rural Preparedness Project: Train for public health emergency ground zero

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Pennsylvania Rural Preparedness Project: Train for public health emergency ground zero

    Source: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...d=467076&rfi=6

    Train for public health emergency ground zero
    10/29/2008

    If an epidemic or pandemic were to hit this area, who would be the first to know? The school nurse, teacher or administrator? Emergency responders? Veterinarians? Government officials? Social service agents

    How should the situation be handled and is your organization prepared?
    Those questions will be answered in a free course offered by the Rural Preparedness Project (RPTP) Coordinator, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Center for Rural Health Practice. This course is sponsored by the Susquehanna County Emergency Management department .

    The free, one-day training event will be held from 8:30 a.m. -2:30 pm., Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Susq. Co. Emergency Operations Center, 31 Public Ave., Montrose. Registration deadline is Nov. 5. Call 278-4600, ext 257 to registration. Lunch will be provided.

    The goal of the Rural Preparedness Training project is to develop and deliver trainings to rural responders who will be called upon to fulfill public health emergency functions in support of, or in lieu of, governmental public health workers.


    If an epidemic occur in rural Pennsylvania, where there is a limited public health system, local responders will need to fill the gaps for extended periods of time.

    The course uses lessons from the SARS epidemic and the 1918 pandemic to convey current public health concepts relating to surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory support, flu prevention and control in the absence of vaccines and antiviral medications.

    Also covered will be building community readiness capabilities in areas of home healthcare, food supply, laundry and child care. Infection control measures in the home may be the most important educational message to impart if hospitals and healthcare systems are overwhelmed. Upon course completion you will:
    * Understand critical public health emergency functions and services
    * Identify key partners in community-based disease surveillance and early warning systems
    * Understand the role of local hospitals and laboratories in supporting disease control
    * Communicate basic infection control practices
    *Know where to turn for further information and training

    Each attendee will receive a certificate of completion. Attending First Responders, EMTs and Paramedics will earn four PA Department of Health CEUs.

    Course content questions may directed to Sherie Wallace, 300 Campus Drive, Bradford PA 16701 Phone: 814-362-5049 or saw46@pitt.edu

  • #2
    So, is anyone from Pennsylvania planning on going to this? I do believe we have a wedding to attend that weekend. This is a great opportunity to help spread the home preparation message out to PA residents!

    The ReadyMoms have a great brochure that would be helpful to get out to this audience. Darn ... I want to go to this thing! -k

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: PA Rural Preparedness Project: Train for public health emergency ground zero

      I am currently in conversation with the organizers of this event. They have invited me to attend ANOTHER that they are holding in CLINTON county (PA) the following Monday. I'm trying to get to that one.

      I have also directed them to the GetPandemicReady website, and the ReadyMoms Alliance website for handout, poster and display information. I also emailed them portions of a PowerPoint that we are making available. I sent them a few slides from our 'Home Prepping' section that they could utilize for a display via poster format.

      If there is anyone in the northern area of PA that is interested in getting to any of these events, this is a GREAT opportunity to do something that will be worthwhile in our state! I can help you with material to offer. It looks like they currently have THREE events lined up. But that is all I know of, now. Like I said, I'm in an on-going discussion, today. -k

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: PA Rural Preparedness Project: Train for public health emergency ground zero

        Just talked to Sherie Wallace who is working with this presentation. There will be a few additional free presentations offered in various PA counties. She said she would be emailing me this information and I hope to have it posted here shortly. However this group has lost what little funding they had and all subsequent presentations will have a cost per person attached to it (if there are any).
        We were put on this earth to help and take care of one another.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: PA Rural Preparedness Project: Train for public health emergency ground zero

          Yes, AC, that's what she mentioned to me, in an email, regarding their funding. She also mentioned that they hope to be in my home county of Cumberland, next year. Looking forward to the rest of the info when you post it.

          She has asked if I'd be interested in attending any future presentations they hold. I'd be happy to, if it can be arranged. I explained that the RMA organization is small and I am the only one in PA. We are also limited in funds and going away to events where I would have to stay over night (ie: one that is three hours away and starts at 8am) is difficult.

          If anyone in PA is interested in attending any of these events and making home prepping materials available to the attendess, I sure would appreciate the help. RMA has handouts. For the display, if you don't have/can't pull together a display with sample items, we actually have a Power Point version of the Home Preparation display that can be used by printing the slides and mounting them into poster versions. Those slides are taken from a larger PowerPoint that we have broken into modules. You can find them hosted over at FW, for now: http://www.newfluwiki2.com/showDiary...8?diaryId=2604 (It's way down at the bottom of the thread).

          Like I said this is a great opportunity for folks in the PA area to get the home prepping message out to folks! -k

          Comment

          Working...
          X