title: Emergency preparedness academy adds public health to readiness equation.
abstract: From November 2003 to May 2004, the University of South Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control co-sponsored a 6-month-long Academy for Public Health Emergency Preparedness. Six-member teams made up of public health staff and community partner representatives (N = 78) attended from their respective health districts. The Academy consisted of three 6-day training sessions designed to prepare the teams to complete a team-based covert biological bioterrorism tabletop exercise. Program evaluation results revealed increases in (1) public health emergency preparedness core competencies; (2) capacity to plan, implement, and evaluate a tabletop exercise; and (3) successful collaboration and partnership formation between participating Public Health District teams and their local partner agencies. Lessons learned are also described.
authors.affiliation: Center for Public Health Preparedness, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 1223 Washington Street, Ste. 700, Columbia, SC 29201, USA. livetm@gwm.sc.edu
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Livet
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: LuAnne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dease
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feigley
authors.forename: Donna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023482:Bioterrorism; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003479:Curriculum; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013022:South Carolina