How can we help you?

Beginning this month, staff members from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Emergency Preparedness and Response Division (EPRD) would like to offer their assistance and subject-matter expertise to our state, local and private partners.

We have many qualified and supportive staff members that are willing to travel to meet with various agencies and organizations to help with routine or special public health and emergency preparedness and response (EPR) projects as needed to ensure that EPR initiatives can be sustained, partnerships are strengthened, and that Colorado remains as prepared as possible to respond to any type of emergency that we may encounter.

Please take a few minutes to fill out this brief survey and let us know how we can better serve your agency or organization.
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228VJ6JRJYY

DNC and Public Health

A lot of people have been asking me why public health is involved in the DNC preparations. To some people, it seems odd that we will be standing by to help out at a moment's notice. What could happen that requires public health response?

Public health is always on board, but you rarely see us. When it works, we're invisible.

We make sure that the food you eat when you go to a restaurant is safe. When you turn on the faucet, remember that it's public health that regulates water treatment so the water we drink is pure. We watch the day care centers that serve food, we monitor the emissions that come out of your car's tailpipe, and we make sure that children get the tests they need right after birth.

So, what we call a foodborne illness is always possible - all the parties planned for hotels, restaurants, and historic buildings... young people gathered in parks to protest who might share food with each other, and in pretty hot weather.

We've heard that everyone who wants to enter the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field will go through security points. I am imagining long lines of people in the parking lots around Invesco all afternoon next Thursday, when the weather is looking like it will be 90+. What will happen if people start keeling over from the heat and dehydration? Planning for a situation like this is a public health role; so is making sure the medical system can deal with the consequences.

One of the things that concerns me the most is the number of people who will be coming to Denver from much lower elevations. The feelings that go along with altitude sickness are so similar to other illnesses - headache, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, fatigue. It won't be a problem for most people, but overexertion in the heat could make the symptoms more pronounced. If someone really got sick, might his or her symptoms be written off to altitude sickness?

You might know that public health is a player in anti-terrorism efforts. The DNC is designated as a high security event. We all hope that all the preparations

Public health steps up to the plate.

Colorado has more than 1200 registered public health and medical volunteers in the database known as the Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer.

The Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer serves as a tool to call upon needed volunteers anywhere in the state. The volunteer system allows communities throughout
Colorado to support each other with these essential resources.

These are people like you and me that want to be there when the stuff hits the fan. Most are medical professionals, such as nurses, doctors, and mid-level health care providers, plus respiratory therapists, dentists, pharmacists, EMTs and paramedics, and mental health counselors. Many are employed in public health, including epidemiologists.

But the Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer needs support volunteers, too. If you aren't a medical professional but you think you could help during a disaster, you could provide support with recordkeeping, communications, logistics, distribution of assets, or spiritual/faith-based counseling. Sign up online at https://covolunteers.state.co.us/.


Requirements:

Each volunteer is required to take Incident Command System 100 and 700. Both courses are free and available online at www.training.fema.gov.

Volunteers register themselves online and enter contact information, license renewals and certifications directly. Volunteers keep their own information up-to-date. Volunteers are screened and credentialed before they can be available for activation.

You say potato, I say potahtoe...

The Guest Blogger strikes again...

I was reviewing some Emergency Preparedness plans and made a note that material was misspelled as materiel. I know I find it difficult to remember when to use an “e” and when it’s an “a.”

The document writer let me know that materiel is the correct spelling, in the Strategic National Stockpile and technical Emergency Preparedness field. What? So I looked it up. Materiel means all the apparatus, equipment, parts and supplies (as distinguished from the personnel), required in an operation, organization, or undertaking The term is used to refer to a military force but can be applied to other organizations. On the other hand, one of the definitions for material, is the tools or apparatus for the performance of a given task. Both words derive from the same French word of matériel.

So it looks like materiel is a more precise term – emphasizing required equipment and excluding personnel.

And remember, people are material.

Emergency preparedness and response is a Colorado PRIORITY

Governor Bill Ritter visited the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Friday, specifically to express his thanks to all the staff who helped Alamosa recover from its water emergency.


Governor Ritter was involved from the start, making a quick trip to Alamosa to help distributed bottled water as soon as the boil-water order came down. He is a very involved governor who really seems to enjoy meeting Coloradans of all ilks. He wanted the people in the Alamosa water district to know that the state was behind them, and we were all in it for the long haul.


OK, you say, status quo for a politician, right?


Wrong. Not around here.


The next day was Easter. Not knowing what support would be needed, the CDPHE Operations Center was staffed very early and ready to go when in strolls Governor Ritter, legendary cowboy boots and all, with coffee cup in hand. He sat down with us and asked questions, genuinely interested in how we were providing support to the local nursing service in Alamosa County.


When we told him we were sorry he had to interrupt his Easter family time, he said "no problem," that he had been to church in the evening. But with young children still at home, we knew he was making his own sacrifices for no other reason than to show his support for us.


There were no television cameras, no reporters, nobody but us. He didn't have to do it, but we really felt like he was behind us and it made it more rewarding to be there that Easter Sunday. (Full disclosure: this writer doesn't celebrate the holiday and was glad to help out when Christian colleagues wanted to be with their families.)


So fast-forward to last Friday, when all staff who helped with Alamosa were invited to a little reception during which our executive staff, led by director Jim Martin, wanted to take a moment to express their appreciation for the eager response from CDPHE employees. There were a lot of people, even many who never set foot in the Department Operations Center during that response effort. It just goes to show you what is involved in making everything click in a response. For every "subject-matter expert" who voices his or her expert opinion during a highly publicized conference call, there may be three other people at their desks doing research, outreach, and even photocopying to keep things going.


We were mingling and enjoying some lemonade when Governor Ritter strolled in. He had not gotten two steps into the room before staff starting noticing and approaching him - I don't know how many hands he shook that morning, but it was darn near everyone.


When he finally was able to make his way to the front of the room, he spoke briefly. And he had just the right words to make every person in that room feel understood and appreciated.


Now it is our turn to appreciate him. Thank you, Governor Ritter, for going out of your way to make us feel like what we did made a difference for the people of Alamosa.

It's the economy.....

Whew, it's been a while...

Public health agencies in Colorado have been busy. The water problem in Alamosa was a real activation for what we all have been practicing. The water agencies that helped to respond to the problems were incredibly helpful. The worst of the crisis was over within the week. Economic recovery is the next challenge for the Alamosa area, a small community of people with deep roots in the San Luis Valley.

If something like this would happen in your community, whether you live in Denver or in Wray, how would the financial stability of the area fare?

The Trust for America's Health estimates that Colorado's economy could take a hit of $11.7 billion during a flu pandemic, what many public health leaders consider the ultimate disaster. Planning for pandemic flu amounts to anticipating a worst-case scenario -- if we can manage a pandemic, we can handle anything.

And that places Colorado 38th in the state rankings (by percentage of projected gross domestic product GDP decline), so we aren't even one of the worst economic impacts. (The worst state is Nevada, followed by Hawaii.) Sources indicate that the US gross domestic product index could fall by 4 to 6 percent, throwing the economy into a recession.

What is your business, or the businesses you rely on, doing to minimize the economic impact of a disaster? Continuity of operations (COOP) plans are important for the small business that sells gifts or pet food, to the large multi-national corporations that manage data systems.

And what is your personal financial forecast during a pandemic? Could you weather out the storm of a pandemic with no pay check? With no gasoline? How about groceries? (Food for thought...)

An amazing response and recovery

If you've been following the news from Alamosa, Colorado, they are making significant progress on cleaning the water system. Somehow - and we may never know exactly how - the water distribution in this San Luis Valley town was contaminated with salmonella.

The water emergency has had an enormous impact on this small community. Nearly 10,000 people are served by the municipal water system in and around Alamosa. As a result of the response needs, the city welcomed 749 volunteers from all over the state, and many from out of state as well.

Some of the volunteers trudged through town, door to door, talking to people about how to stay safe or leaving notices on doors. Others from far more complex water districts around Colorado used their expertise to flush the water system with a very strong concentration of chlorine. And still more made sure that everyone could understand the safety instructions - no matter what language worked best.

The people who live in Alamosa have not been able to turn on the water without thinking about their health for two weeks now. It has been a huge inconvenience to buy or pick up drinking water, and many even visited a very gracious hotel on its own water system to take a shower for a few days. Through it all, the residents have been optimistic and patient.

If you have ever thought about helping out in an emergency such as this, consider the public health and medical volunteer system today. It includes Medical Reserve Corps units all over the state, staffed by medical volunteers who are willing to step up during an emergency. But your skills might be useful even if you aren't a health professional. The Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer (CVM) is a way to register as a volunteer before something urgent occurs, and to get the training you might need before helping out.

Visit http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/epr/volunteer.html today for more information about the Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer.

Did you know your neighbors at your precinct caucus?

Last night, in spite of the cold and my cold, I dragged myself out to the precinct caucus to help Colorado make history. For our very first Super Tuesday, there was quite a turn-out. There were thousands of people trying to get into a middle school and adjacent high school for I don't know how many precincts.

It occurred to me that I had never seen so many of my "neighbors" in one place. It was relatively orderly, but pretty confusing.

Two things came to mind. First, evacuations and shelters - what if we all had to go to those schools for shelter? How would we have coped with temporary communal living? Would I have been able to grab anything from our "go-kit" on the way out? My emergency supplies container is huge - and that's even without food and water. I resolved to make backpacks for each of us with our bare essentials for an evacuation on foot.

Second, my neighbors - there were three people there from my block that I knew by name and possibly a few more by sight. I wish that I had thought about this before the caucus, but wouldn't it have been nice to start a neighborhood registry? I think I will call my city council representative about having a neighborhood event to help people get to know each other.

Finally, I skimmed through a few blogs this morning and saw that our friends at READYColorado posted a piece about planning for our pets. When I thought about sheltering, I forgot about this - even though we have two dogs.

Check out that information about how to prepare for your pets during an emergency. It's great information. http://breadyblog.com/

You might want to move after you read this....

I had a really interesting meeting yesterday with two leaders of the Heritage Eagle Bend neighborhood in Aurora. Both are "retired" men, both fathers and husbands, but you would be amazed at their dedication to making their community safe.

Heritage Eagle Bend is a community of older adults, age 55 and over. (You're going to wish you were older, too...).

It is a relatively new area of Aurora, but its residents have the advantage of many years of experience and a desire for real community. People move there because of the active lifestyle, with a golf course, two pools, many clubs, a restaurant, and tons of social activities for couples, singles, and grandkids.

Heritage Eagle Bend created an emergency response committee a few years ago. The committee has come a long way. One of the first of its activities was distribution of a survey to help them identify the needs of their residents. They had an incredible return rate and were able to find out a lot. They diligently seek assistance to build their stockpile of emergency equipment, ranging from donated blankets and cots from the civil defense era to brand new generators to help them maintain essential operations during power failures. They are encouraging residents to stock supplies for seven to 10 days, promoting self-sufficiency while building community.

Their most recent success is the formation of a partnership with Parker Adventist Hospital. Through this partnership, they have formed their own Medical Reserve Corps unit. This effort makes them eligible for funding that will allow them to purchase radios and other needed communication technology, among other important equipment.

Watch for more news of this up-and-coming community of volunteer responders.

What about you? What can you do to help your community prepare? Maybe you can drop off a READYColorado brochure about packing an emergency kit to one of your neighbors; or you could encourage a friend to create an emergency communications plan? How are you doing your part for your community?

Send in your comments today!

SNS and Remembering Hurricane Katrina

Colorado is hosting a workshop for the Strategic National Stockpile this week.

The SNS is the federal government's way of setting aside lots of supplies, including medicines, in case of a large-scale public health emergency.

With us today in Denver are people from all over the mountain states and several others. I am particularly impressed with a pharmacist from Nebraska and his commitment to making the SNS work for his state.

Colorado has a really well managed SNS program.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evaluated the Colorado program recently and rated us 90 percent on the assessment, a significant improvement for the state's planning efforts over the last year.

Of course, there is always room for improvement, and we keep working toward that 100 percent.

Thinking about SNS and medical needs makes me remember Hurricane Katrina - there were many unanticipated medical needs during that real-life "exercise."

Colorado learned a lot from the Hurricane Katrina evacuation. When all those people landed on our turf, the responders had a crash course in setting up a small city to help meet the immediate and ongoing needs of the evacuated people.

Lo and behold, the responders quickly found out that it wasn't medical needs related to the hurricane or the evacuation that were the problem. It was problems related to chronic health conditions and poor medical care among the poorest of the poor from Louisiana and Mississippi.

There were two particularly interesting issues to me.

First, it was the already established personal relationships among public health staff that really made the public health/medical response work.

The chief medical officer quickly realized that we needed to bring the medical care to the people, because of the enormity of the needs. He just had to make one phone call to a physician friend at Denver Health to make that happen.

The Lesson? The personal relationships you make along the way in your career can really make a difference.

Second, did you know that oral health - dental health, that is - is a key to general health? If your teeth hurt, you can't eat healthy food, and if you can't eat healthy food, you aren't going to get well.

The low-income population of Louisiana that had to be evacuated to Denver and other areas of the country didn't have good dental care at home. Some of them had dental work such as bridges and false teeth that were lost in the storm and the evacuation. The state's oral health coordinator helped get a mobile dentistry unit out to the site.

I wouldn't have thought that dental care would be a priority in an emergency response, would you?

The Lesson? We have to anticipate meeting critical/chronic medical needs that are totally unrelated to a public health emergency or natural disaster.

How about you?

Did you learn anything valuable from watching the Hurricane Katrina response unfold, or from actually helping with the response in some way?

And, hey, let's keep it clean, okay? FEMA has been bashed enough!

Please post your comments, or, if that doesn't work, let me know at barbara.beiser@state.co.us. We're still figuring out how the blogging technology works best.

And, don't forget to take the poll that we posted yesterday!