Pandemic Preparedness Project Leaders Play Major Role in The Eastern Regional Medical Reserve Corps Workshop

Date:  July 28, 2010

The Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Kentucky was the place to be on Saturday July 24th.  The Eastern Regional Medical Reserve Corps Workshop was held to provide basic MRC and Point of Dispensing (POD) training for individuals interested in offering assistance to their communities during public health emergencies.  The workshop was attended by about 30 healthcare professionals including physicians, nurses, emergency medical services, administrative and non-medical volunteers.  An overview of the MRC and Kentucky Health Emergency Listing of Professionals for Surge (KHELPS) programs was provided along with an introduction to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).  Sessions that provided an overview of the organization and structure of a POD were provided for medical and non-medical personnel then all participants had the opportunity to apply their new knowledge in a simulation exercise.  The exercise involved mass distribution of medication following an infectious disease exposure.  All participants role played and got to see first hand how the process worked from the perspective of the medication recipient as well as the POD volunteer.  Participant evaluations demonstrated their appreciation of the event that was organized by public health leaders from the Lake Cumberland District Health Department, the Green River District Health Department, Montgomery County Health Department, the Kentucky Department for Public Health, and others.  Dr. Ruth Carrico, faculty from the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, expressed  appreciation to Congressman Hal Rogers and the National Institute for Hometown Security for their support of preparedness.  Their support has enabled Dr. Carrico to work with the planning committee and lead the medical session. 

In the photo below, Eastern Region POC Staff

In the photo below, Eastern Region MRC POD Exercise

NIHS News Image

The Challenge

The task of assuring the security of our homeland involves protecting the citizens of the United States, the nation's critical infrastructure and key assets. This is necessary to sustain the nation's vitality against terrorism and other threats. This protection must originate at the community level. It requires discovering, developing and deploying new technology that will support first responders and key decision makers in local communities.

The Mission

NIHS' mission is to discover, develop and deploy solutions that protect and preserve the critical infrastructure of the nation's communities.

The Institute

NIHS aligns projects and research objectives with the needs and requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The strategy is to manage a distributed research enterprise that effectively transitions research and development into solutions. NIHS works with DHS to determine technology needs at the community level. Then, teams are quickly assembled from multiple universities to develop solutions to the needs.

The Strategy

Through management of the Kentucky Critical Infrastructure Protections Program (KCI), the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) provides an ongoing, integrated program dedicated to developing new technologies and devices. NIHS works through qualified academic institutions to accomplish the technological objectives.