Safety

Tip of the week: Katie Couric, step up for your shot

Hospital Safety Connection, March 11, 2009

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Many of you involved with emergency preparation are familiar with the idea of identifying critical staff who will be first in line to receive vaccines and medications during a pandemic or bioterrorism incident.
 
At least one area’s emergency planners look at local news reporters as critical to disaster response success.
 
“We consider the media in the event of an emergency, whether it's anthrax or a pandemic influenza, to be part of our critical staff,” A. Dennis McBride, the health director in Milford, CT, told the New Haven Register.
 
The reason? During a community emergency, the public will turn to the media for information and instructions, so reporters need to stay healthy, McBride said. His office acts as the public health preparedness coordinator for Region 2 of Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
 
Hospitals may want to explore this approach if they will rely on the press to broadcast, upload, or print information for the masses.
 
McBride discussed emergency management in terms of an upcoming regional exercise that will test distribution of medicine to public safety workers and others designated as critical staff during an anthrax scenario.



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