Draft Outline
- Introduction
- ATSDR developed RRR after identified as need following 9/11 long-term surveillance
- when appropriate to create a registry (reference ATSDR article)
- ACE included RRR as one of the tools, hope to develop generic OMB package to start registry after a disaster
- RRR has never been implemented by federal or state; developed for LPH/state to download and use
- following case studies in planning for post-disaster surveillance, developing state-specific RRR, and practicing its implementation
Case study: Short-term Surveillance Planning
Overall: How state and local health department collaborated to develop active surveillance plans for chemical exposures.
- Brief background on Umatilla chemical weapons depot and CSEPP – frames need for roster plan
- PSET developed roster form to identify exposed individuals and quickly classify the nature of their exposure; also developed accompanying database including web entry for self-reporting from evacuees
- Local health dept. developed local implementation plan including ICS organizational chart, resource list, communications plan
- Local health dept. conducted field exercise
- Lessons learned and adaptations made: PSET developed some just-in-time training resources for field staff and process diagrams to help partners understand how rosters and registries work
- CSEPP program completed successfully; roster plans integrated into state active surveillance plan and can be modified for other public health emergencies
- Future direction: consider additional field exercises, consider adding expectation of rostering into specific hazard surveillance plans
Case study: Long-term Surveillance Planning
Overall: How a state health department collaborated with their emergency preparedness division to develop long-term surveillance planning and education for response staff.
- Lack of emergency preparedness LTS planning, how to integrate into state response plan
- Developed LTS annex to identify and collect information on three populations likely exposed following disaster (workers, hospitalized cases, general public/bystanders)
- Developed MN Rapid Response Roster online survey tool to identify general public exposed
- criteria for implementation
- Exploring use of condition codes to identify disaster-related cases in hospital discharge data
- How to engage Partnerships:
- MDH Emergency Preparedness & Response
- MDH Behavioral Health
- MDH Environmental Health
- Local health departments, district epidemiologists
- External partners: MN Poison Control Center, MN Pollution Control Center, Local Red Cross, University of Minnesota
- Practicing response, challenges, and lessons learned:
- Radiation release tabletop exercise
- Train derailment scenario DOC functional exercise with LTS annex, another with external partner
- Chronic disease staff not traditionally involved in emergency planning.
Differentiating roles of environmental health division and other agencies. - Not many other models or examples of how to integrate LTS into normal preparedness planning.
- Large-scale data collection and balancing quick collection with having enough data.
- Partners were very willing and eager to be involved.
- Make connections with other groups who have similar resource needs.
- Tabletops and exercises not only identify gaps, but further collaborations and resource sharing.
- It’s important to practice large-scale exposure scenarios, since unusual and different response groups involved.
- Future directions:
- Address gaps identified by last year’s tabletops
- Refining RRR tool and legal sanctions
- Annual staff training and exercises
- Establish mutual aid agreements with external partners
- Identify and establish occupational health contacts for next year’s further development of occupational health population data collection