A new strain of influenza virus is discovered in a small village in southern China. Over the next 60 days this virus travels around the globe launching a deadly influenza pandemic, eventually reaching the Tallahassee area and impacting virtually every local neighborhood. Fortunately, this is only a scenario, but it’s one that communities should be prepared for.
To help neighborhood leaders and residents learn how to respond to a disaster such as a pandemic, local public safety agencies are teaming up with other community partners and the Disaster Resistant Communities Group to stage a tabletop exercise for neighborhoods. The event will take place on Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, 1115 Easterwood Drive.
At the training event, participants will work with facilitators to gain a thorough understanding of how prepared their neighborhoods are for a severe flu outbreak. They will also establish a concept of operations to guide the neighborhood and its residents through the process of responding to an influenza pandemic. By working together as team, participants will be able to strengthen their disaster readiness and enhance the disaster response knowledge of their neighborhood’s residents.
“As we hear in the news about novel influenza strains around the world, it reminds us that the threat of an influenza outbreak is only a sneeze away! Knowledge is our best weapon against influenza,” said Homer J. Rice, RS, MPH, PhD, Administrator of the Leon County Health Department. “We need to know how to protect ourselves from exposure, the when and where of vaccines, what kind of supplies we should have on hand, what to do if we get sick and what to do if our loved ones become ill. Preparedness is not only about hurricanes but also about knowing what to do when any kind of disaster strikes.”
To participate, please register at www.formidablefootprint.org.
For more information on preparedness, go to www.flu.gov, www.floridadisaster.org, www.leoncountyfl.gov/ei or Talgov.com/emergency.
