Emergency preparedness academy adds public health to readiness equation.
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.
Livet
Melanie
M
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
Richter
Jane
J
Ellison
LuAnne
L
Dease
Bill
B
McClure
Lawrence
L
Feigley
Charles
C
Richter
Donna L
DL
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