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Officials meet, plan for bird flu pandemic
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/24/Hernando/Officials_meet__plan_.shtml
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/24/Hernando/Officials_meet__plan_.shtml
So far, about 240 people worldwide have contracted bird flu. Officials in Hernando County meet to do what they can to keep it from spreading here.
By CHANDRA BROADWATER
Published August 24, 2006
SPRING HILL - Although bird flu usually occurs in countries far from Hernando County, local health and emergency officials say it's still important to be prepared for an outbreak here.
For the first time in the county, representatives from health, emergency, business and other sectors of the community talked about what to do if pandemic flu hits here.
About 50 people gathered in a conference room Tuesday at Career Central in Spring Hill to learn about the avian flu virus, also known as the H5N1 strain.
While bird flu appears to be confined to those living in close contact with poultry and wild birds in such places as Indonesia and Africa - where it has so far passed only between animals and humans - it could have the potential to mutate and spread between people, said Nina Mattei, emergency planner and trainer for the county Health Department.
And without vaccines for the new virus, nobody would have immunity to it, Mattei said. With so many people sick, the effects on a community, ranging from outbreaks of violence to a shutdown of the economy, could be devastating.
So far, about 240 people in the world have bird flu, and more than half of them have died.
An estimated 200-million birds have died or been killed to stop the spread of the virus.
The federal government is currently studying migratory birds in Alaska and other parts of the country, while the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has also been keeping track of wild birds, Mattei said.
The Florida Department of Agriculture also inspects poultry every 60 days.
"We want to bring awareness to people and help them be prepared," Mattei said of county efforts. "We need to think about what it would take to keep the community going if 30 percent of the work force were sick or caring for a sick family member.
How would we conduct business if people aren't traveling as usual and not leaving their homes?"
Mattei and Mark Tolbert, Hernando emergency management planning coordinator, organized Tuesday's meeting.
In many ways, Mattei explained, the process is similar to hurricane planning.
"From emergency responders to private business owners and citizens, we all need to be prepared," Tolbert said. "If we are, then we'll all be in better shape."
But even then, the ways in which community groups react to such a disaster will be different, said Jon Kerin, safety and health director at Progress Energy.
During hurricanes, energy companies focus attention on dealing with damaged infrastructure, he said. In the event of a pandemic, staffing, not wires or poles, will be the main concern.
"Because people will be ill, we need to have backups and people who are trained to do more than one job when we need them," Kerin said. "We will need to keep the power plants going and the service to the people, especially to county emergency operators."
Any preliminary ideas from Tuesday's session will go toward plans to be put in place in the near future, Mattei said.
The Health Department is also looking for ways to help community groups use $40,000 in federal grants the department expects to receive.
For the first time in the county, representatives from health, emergency, business and other sectors of the community talked about what to do if pandemic flu hits here.
About 50 people gathered in a conference room Tuesday at Career Central in Spring Hill to learn about the avian flu virus, also known as the H5N1 strain.
While bird flu appears to be confined to those living in close contact with poultry and wild birds in such places as Indonesia and Africa - where it has so far passed only between animals and humans - it could have the potential to mutate and spread between people, said Nina Mattei, emergency planner and trainer for the county Health Department.
And without vaccines for the new virus, nobody would have immunity to it, Mattei said. With so many people sick, the effects on a community, ranging from outbreaks of violence to a shutdown of the economy, could be devastating.
So far, about 240 people in the world have bird flu, and more than half of them have died.
An estimated 200-million birds have died or been killed to stop the spread of the virus.
The federal government is currently studying migratory birds in Alaska and other parts of the country, while the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has also been keeping track of wild birds, Mattei said.
The Florida Department of Agriculture also inspects poultry every 60 days.
"We want to bring awareness to people and help them be prepared," Mattei said of county efforts. "We need to think about what it would take to keep the community going if 30 percent of the work force were sick or caring for a sick family member.
How would we conduct business if people aren't traveling as usual and not leaving their homes?"
Mattei and Mark Tolbert, Hernando emergency management planning coordinator, organized Tuesday's meeting.
In many ways, Mattei explained, the process is similar to hurricane planning.
"From emergency responders to private business owners and citizens, we all need to be prepared," Tolbert said. "If we are, then we'll all be in better shape."
But even then, the ways in which community groups react to such a disaster will be different, said Jon Kerin, safety and health director at Progress Energy.
During hurricanes, energy companies focus attention on dealing with damaged infrastructure, he said. In the event of a pandemic, staffing, not wires or poles, will be the main concern.
"Because people will be ill, we need to have backups and people who are trained to do more than one job when we need them," Kerin said. "We will need to keep the power plants going and the service to the people, especially to county emergency operators."
Any preliminary ideas from Tuesday's session will go toward plans to be put in place in the near future, Mattei said.
The Health Department is also looking for ways to help community groups use $40,000 in federal grants the department expects to receive.