sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
County pandemic strategy evolves in meeting
<!--subtitle-->Alternative-care sites sought for flu victims
<!--byline-->Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer
<!--date-->Article Launched: 08/10/2008 07:56:14 PM PDT
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<script language="JavaScript"> if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.width = requestedWidth + "px"; document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.margin = "0px 0px 10px 10px"; } </script>SAN BERNARDINO - To ease the overcrowding of emergency rooms in the event of a global outbreak of influenza, the county wants to set up alternative-care sites for ill patients. The objective was one of several put forth at a Pandemic Influenza Summit held by the county of San Bernardino Department of Public Health, Preparedness and Response Program on July 31 at Etiwanda Gardens.
In all, 24 cities and towns, special districts and unincorporated areas were represented at the summit.
Partners included county fire, police and sheriff departments; state, county and community hospital emergency coordinators; city and county emergency planners; local university and college representatives, correctional facilities; representatives from county school districts; tribal entities; business owners; and faith- and community-based organizations.
"It was a positive and well- received experience," said Matt Baca, program coordinator for the Preparedness and Response Program. "And having shared information, we are all now more prepared."
An influenza pandemic could occur when a new influenza A virus emerges, and there is little or no immunity to it in the human population.
The most recent one was the 1968 influenza pandemic, which caused about 34,000 deaths in the U.S. and 700,000 deaths worldwide.
There is no pandemic at this time, but with outbreaks of the potentially deadly disease in Asia in recent years, the county has had an influenza pandemic plan in place since 2007.
The purpose of the summit - which included keynote speakers, vendor exhibits and an exercise simulating a real-life scenario - was to update the plan, Baca said.
In addition to setting up alternative-care sites to deal with flooded emergency rooms, the Public Health Department also used the summit to build better relationships with cities, towns and hospitals in the county.
"It was important to do that, so we all know who the players are when it comes to responding," Baca said.
The meeting also focused on identifying trigger points that activate surge plans, meaning if a first case was a child in the school system, protocol such as a school closure would be activated.
A final goal out of the summit was to make sure public relations people for hospitals, cities and the county, had information about an influenza pandemic ahead of time.
"Overall, we want to be able to handle an influx of patients into the entire hospital system in our county," Baca said.
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_10160549
<!--subtitle-->Alternative-care sites sought for flu victims
<!--byline-->Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer
<!--date-->Article Launched: 08/10/2008 07:56:14 PM PDT
<script language="JavaScript"> var requestedWidth = 0; </script>
<script language="JavaScript"> if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.width = requestedWidth + "px"; document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.margin = "0px 0px 10px 10px"; } </script>SAN BERNARDINO - To ease the overcrowding of emergency rooms in the event of a global outbreak of influenza, the county wants to set up alternative-care sites for ill patients. The objective was one of several put forth at a Pandemic Influenza Summit held by the county of San Bernardino Department of Public Health, Preparedness and Response Program on July 31 at Etiwanda Gardens.
In all, 24 cities and towns, special districts and unincorporated areas were represented at the summit.
Partners included county fire, police and sheriff departments; state, county and community hospital emergency coordinators; city and county emergency planners; local university and college representatives, correctional facilities; representatives from county school districts; tribal entities; business owners; and faith- and community-based organizations.
"It was a positive and well- received experience," said Matt Baca, program coordinator for the Preparedness and Response Program. "And having shared information, we are all now more prepared."
An influenza pandemic could occur when a new influenza A virus emerges, and there is little or no immunity to it in the human population.
The most recent one was the 1968 influenza pandemic, which caused about 34,000 deaths in the U.S. and 700,000 deaths worldwide.
There is no pandemic at this time, but with outbreaks of the potentially deadly disease in Asia in recent years, the county has had an influenza pandemic plan in place since 2007.
The purpose of the summit - which included keynote speakers, vendor exhibits and an exercise simulating a real-life scenario - was to update the plan, Baca said.
In addition to setting up alternative-care sites to deal with flooded emergency rooms, the Public Health Department also used the summit to build better relationships with cities, towns and hospitals in the county.
"It was important to do that, so we all know who the players are when it comes to responding," Baca said.
The meeting also focused on identifying trigger points that activate surge plans, meaning if a first case was a child in the school system, protocol such as a school closure would be activated.
A final goal out of the summit was to make sure public relations people for hospitals, cities and the county, had information about an influenza pandemic ahead of time.
"Overall, we want to be able to handle an influx of patients into the entire hospital system in our county," Baca said.
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_10160549