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Emergency Management Alert

Issue 52, December 27, 2005

• Emergency responders hold strong in NYC transit strike

  New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the city's first responders for doing a "great job" during...

Issue 51, December 20, 2005 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Senate calls for increase in chemical-plant security

  A Senate plan for stronger government regulation of chemical security plants will allow states to...

Issue 49, December 7, 2005

• Harkin to speak on bird flu Dec. 7

  As part of the Global Health Initiative at the D.C.-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for...

Issue 48, November 29, 2005

• Study: Primary-Care Traffic Crippling Hospital EDs

  Emergency responders don’t have to be informed that pressure on hospital emergency...

Issue 47, November 28, 2005

• Bird flu self-protection for civilians and the military

  In anticipation of a possible flu pandemic, the The Center for Technology and National Security...

• Bird flu self-protection for civilians and the military

  In anticipation of a possible flu pandemic, the The Center for Technology and National Security...

Issue 45, November 7, 2005

• Methamphetamine: A Looming Concern for the ED

  Emergency responders and managers are well aware of the looming dangers posed by methamphetamine...

• Methamphetamine: A Looming Concern for the ED

  Emergency responders and managers are well aware of the looming dangers posed by methamphetamine...

Issue 31, August 2, 2005

• Bird flu or not bird flu, that is the question

  Skeptical health officials in Indonesia are seeking a second opinion from experts in Hong Kong...

• Mock drill: Chlorine explosion tests emergency personnel in Texas

  A mock chlorine explosion at a graphite plant in Texas last week tested local emergency personnel's...

• IN hospital resumes work after helicopter crash

  Porter Valparaiso (IN) Hospital Campus maintained normal working operations after a University of...

• Bomb threat forces partial evacuation of Chicago hospital

  A suspicious package forced the afternoon evacuation of an emergency room and one wing of a Chicago...

Issue 30, July 26, 2005

• Chicago hospital in 'immediate jeopardy' of state takeover

  The Illinois Department of Public Health (DPH) says that serious health code violations at a...

• California hospitals the next al-Qaida target?

  A U.S. government source has alerted the California Department of Homeland Security about the...

• Gun in emergency room forces hospital lockdown

  Security officials at a Florida hospital placed the facility in lockdown early Saturday morning...

• SC woman says she was assaulted in hospital bathroom

  A South Carolina woman says a man bound, gagged, and sexually assaulted her in a bathroom of the...

Issue 29, July 19, 2005

• United States remains unprepared for bioterrorism attack

  Despite a $20 billion investment in bioterrorism preparedness in 2001, government officials say the...

• High diversion rates in KC emergency departments are troubling

  A low number of emergency rooms is leading to high rates of diversion of patients at Kansas...

• UK firm says its bird flu vaccine could vaccinate the world

  A British pharmaceutical firm says it has developed a DNA-based bird flu vaccine which could easily...

• Police: PA pharmacist stole 30,000 OxyContin pills

  The Pennsylvania Health Department is asking Grand View Hospital in Sellersville to explain how it...

Issue 28, July 12, 2005

• Researchers: Blood pressure enzyme directly related to SARS infection

  An enzyme that regulates blood pressure is also involved in infection by the SARS virus, according...

• Nine people exposed to tuberculosis in Massachusetts

  Nine people who came into contact with a Massachusetts healthcare worker infected with tuberculosis...

• Woman sues hospital system after husband dies from fainting fall

  A woman whose husband fatally struck his head after passing out in a hospital delivery room is...

Issue 27, July 5, 2005

• Government negotiating purchase of bird flu drug

  The U.S. government is aggressively negotiating the purchase of two million doses of the only drug...

• Inmate escapes from GA hospital

  A prison inmate that East Central Regional Hospital in Augusta, GA, was treating escaped from the...

• WHO: No evidence to support 'mutating' theory for bird flu virus

  Two months after warning that the bird flu virus could be becoming easier to transmit to humans...

• Man arrested for rape in hospital

  Police arrested and charged a man for raping a teenage girl who was a patient at Crouse Hospital in...

Issue 26, June 28, 2005

• Vietnamese health officials: H5N1 mutating, likely to infect more humans

  The antigen structure of the H5N1 bird flu virus is mutating rapidly, bolstering the infection...

• AR officials use table top exercise to measure hospital preparedness

  Hospital employees in Arkansas participated in a table top bioterrorism drill two weeks ago to...

• Fake hospital collapse trains emergency personnel in victim recovery

  More than 350 emergency and medical personnel sorted through rubble for "victims" at an abandoned...

• Less virulent bird flu strain pops up in Japan

  Japanese health officials have detected a less virulent strain of the deadly bird flu virus at a...

Issue 25, June 21, 2005

• Man sentenced for falsely portraying a doctor

  An Akron (OH) man is headed to jail for six months after he was found guilty of practicing medicine...

• Researchers close in on SARS vaccine

  Genetically-engineered tomato and nicotine plants may be the key to a SARS vaccine, Reuters reports.

• IL facility tests its bioterrorism response

  The Du Quoin (IL) Emergency Services and Disaster Agency conducted a full-scale terrorism exercise...

• Indonesian man infected with bird flu

  A poultry worker in Indonesia tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, the...

Issue 24, June 14, 2005

• Migratory birds: A bad sign bird flu is evolving

  Two recent outbreaks of bird flu in China involving migrating birds prove the virus is...

• Personnel in Indiana respond well to biohazard emergency

  Emergency personnel in Indiana controlled the spread of a deadly nerve agent and effectively...

• New test can detect bird flu in 24 hours

  In an international breakthrough, Australian scientists have developed a rapid test that reduces...

• Husband shoots, critically injures wife outside AZ hospital

  A temporary nurse remains in critical condition after her husband shot her as she walked out of an...

Issue 23, June 7, 2005

• Avian flu symposium coming to Maryland

  Discussing the threat of avian flu as a potential global killer will be the focal point of the...

• NJ health officials trap mosquitoes for West Nile testing

  Health officials in a New Jersey county are standing up to dangerous mosquitoes before the hot and...

• Washington man attacks five nurses

  Authorities in Washington jailed a hospital patient for third-degree assault last weekend after the...

• China to install early warning system for avian flu

  One month after revelations that hundreds of migratory birds in the Qinghai province were dead from...

Issue 22, May 31, 2005

• Bird flu virus problem worsens in China

  Chinese health officials admitted last week that their battle to contain the recent surge of the...

• High number of ER trips a reflection of convenience

  Emergency room visits have reached an all-time high, according to the Centers for Disease Control...

• Experts: U.S. slow to address bird flu threat

  If the bird flu virus turned up in the United States today, health officials wouldn't have the...

• Global pandemic task force needed, say experts

  Many of the world's leaders in infectious disease research are calling for an immediate and...

Issue 21, May 24, 2005

• Tests: Letter sent to NM governor did not contain anthrax

  Tests revealed that the white powder mailed in a threatening letter to New Mexico Governor Bill...

• NYC patients test clean for anthrax

  The three New York City patients who claimed they came in contact with an unidentified white powder...

• Bird flu virus kills birds in western China

  China rushed more than 3 million doses of bird flu vaccine last week to a western province after...

• WHO to update measures on outbreak prevention

  The World Health Organization (WHO) recently approved a proposal to update measures on quarantines...

Issue 20, May 17, 2005

• JCAHO proposes revisions to emergency management standard

  The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is asking healthcare...

• HHS gives states $1.3 billion to bolster emergency preparedness

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week announced the distribution of $1.3...

• HHS issues 'mass casualty' guidelines

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently issued guidelines on how facilities...

• Water, salt join forces to fight infections, heal burns

  A new solution combining water and salt is being lauded by physicians outside the United States as...

Issue 19, May 10, 2005

• IA hospital spends $328K on Legionella removal

  University Hospital in Iowa City (IA) is taking a proactive approach to clean its water system of...

• Mock terrorism attack hits PNC Park

  A mock attack in Pittsburgh "injured" 49 people in one of the largest and most expensive terrorism...

• CDC releases updated guidelines for mosquito control

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released new guidance for mosquito...

• HHS pays $122.7M for manufacture of anthrax vaccine

  The federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently awarded a $122.7 million...

Issue 18, May 3, 2005

• Patient wanders from NYC hospital, still missing

  A New York City hospital is coming under fire after a second patient in four months wandered from...

• Fire at Las Vegas hospital forces evacuation

  A fire in the maintenance area at a Las Vegas hospital last Sunday forced officials to evacuate...

• Hong Kong scientists develop solution to SARS

  A team of scientists in Hong Kong has discovered a new class of compounds that can effectively...

• Study: Protein IKKa inhibits immune response to bacterial infections

  Researchers have identified a protein which is responsible for shutting down the immune response to...

Issue 17, April 26, 2005

• WHO committee asks to resurrect smallpox for vaccine development

  The World Health Assembly's (WHA) Variola Advisory Committee (VAC) is seeking permission to...

• CDC to limit handling of dangerous flu strains

  Federal health officials plan to restrict the number of laboratories that can handle deadly flu...

• Mock bioterrorism attack "kills" two in upstate New York

  A mock bioterrorism attack in upstate New York last week resulted in two "casualties" and "injury...

• Southwestern states alerted to hantavirus infection risk

  This past winter's wet conditions may increase the risk of rare hantavirus infection in...

Issue 16, April 19, 2005

• Take appropriate steps during a bomb threat

  When confronted with a bomb threat at your facility, you should take immediate action to avoid...

• 2. Laboratories destroying deadly flu virus

  Laboratories around the globe are destroying samples of a deadly strain of flu virus after a life...

• Laboratories destroying deadly flu virus

  Laboratories around the globe are destroying samples of a deadly strain of flu virus after a life...

• MO mock terrorism attack 'kills and injures' many

  Many people were "injured, contaminated, and killed" when an emergency crew failed to locate a bomb...

• MI community may launch AM disaster radio station

  Officials in a Michigan community are looking to launch a new AM radio station to inform the public...

Issue 15, April 12, 2005

• Hospitals struggle with mock bioterrorism attack

  Many New Jersey hospitals struggled when forced to cope with staffing shortages last week during a...

• Knoxville chemical spill sends nine to hospital

  Nine people suffered respiratory problems last week after workers in a Knoxville, TN, assisted...

• Fire at RI hospital forces partial evacuation

  A Rhode Island hospital issued a partial evacuation last Friday after a small fire developed in a...

• Water unusable in NC hospital

  Authorities told workers and patients in six buildings at UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Hospitals not to...

• AZ hospital opens state-of-the-art emergency center

  Two years after embarking on an aggressive community campaign to raise funds for a state-of-the-art...

Issue 14, April 5, 2005

• NJ kicks off weeklong anti-terror drill

  The largest United States anti-terror drill ever undertaken started this week in New Jersey, the...

• Hospital blaze forces 100 patients to evacuate

  One hundred patients evacuated the upper levels of the six-story Milford (MA) Regional Medical...

• HHS to produce new cell-based flu vaccine

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week that it will speed the...

• Proposed relaxed cell phone policies for planes revive a hospital debate

  A recent proposal by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow cell phone use on...

Issue 13, March 29, 2005

• Georgia steps up bioterrorism training

  The Georgia Department of Human Resources plans to initiate a new bioterrorism/emergency...

• Rubella virus no longer a threat to the US

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced last week that the rubella virus, a...

• NIAID to test avian flu vaccine

  The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) began recruiting volunteers last...

• Place your exit signs according to JCAHO regulations and the LSC

  Although exit sign requirements in the Life Safety Code(r) (LSC) aren’t complicated, your...

Issue 12, March 22, 2005

• AHRQ unveils emergency call center operation model

  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released last week a new operations model for...

• HHS to distribute children’s dosage of KI

  The Department of Health and Human Services plan to purchase 1.7 million pediatric doses of liquid...

• Patient sets self on fire in emergency room

  A patient at the University Hospital emergency room in San Antonio lit himself on fire last week...

• MIT offers emergency tips to healthcare facilities

  Here are four ideas to consider when writing your fire and emergency plans. David Barber, assistant...

Issue 11, March 15, 2005

• Knoxville chemical spill sends nine to hospital

  Nine people suffered respiratory problems last week after workers in a Knoxville, TN, assisted...

• CO needs more beds and physicians in case of bioterror attacks

  Colorado has less than 1,000 hospital beds necessary to handle a bioterror attack, a Denver health...

• Nebraska hospital opens bioterrorism unit

  The Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha unveiled a state-of-the art facility last week to help battle...

• Periodic performance reviews don’t need to be scary

  Capturing how hospitals actually handle patient care-and not just how they think or say they handle...

Issue 10, March 8, 2005

• CDC’s effort to vaccinate volunteers criticized

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) came under fire last week when experts...

• WHO eyes more smallpox vaccine

  The World Health Organization (WHO) requested more smallpox vaccine last week as a precaution...

• Two major cities selected as federal terror exercise sites

  Portland, OR, and Phoenix, AZ, will become a major Homeland Security test laboratory for terrorism...

• Biometric security systems may be option for your hospital

  In the fast-paced world of healthcare, hospital personnel often misplace access cards and...

Issue 9, March 1, 2005

• CT program to require nerve-gas antidotes for first responders

  A new program in Connecticut would arm first responders with nerve-gas antidotes, the Waterbury...

• Chemical spill sends service worker to hospital

  A University of Illinois worker went to the hospital last week after a chemical spill in the...

• Fingerprints may identify TX hospitals’ patients

  A Rio Grande Valley lawmaker wants to pass a bill requiring fingerprint identification of patients...

• Chlorine vapors send hundreds to SC hospitals for treatment

  A longtime fear came true for residents in Graniteville, SC, on January 6, when two freight trains...

Issue 8, February 22, 2005

• FEMA gives $6.7 million for new disaster response trucks

  The Federal Emergency Management Agency launched a $6.7 million program last week to speed up the...

• Volunteers the next step in disaster response

  Bucks County in Pennsylvannia is looking for a few good volunteers to help out during catastrophes...

• MS emergency rooms equipped for disease identification

  Seventeen hospitals in Mississippi received a computer program last week that immediately...

• Overall hospital fines dropped, but bloodborne penalties went up $27K

  The good news is that overall fines against hospitals by the Occupational Safety and Health...

Issue 7, February 15, 2005

• Class teaches hospital employees to manage chemical spills

  Columbus (NE) Community Hospital sent employees to college last week to learn about dealing with...

• NY grapples with mass medication distribution

  New York City is still determining how to deliver medicine to thousands of people within 48 hours...

• San Diego healthcare organizations receive $3 million grant

  San Diego County healthcare organizations accepted $3 million in federal grants last week to boost...

• Five tips to conquer your security risk assessment

  Security directors may feel troubled and overwhelmed by your facility’s security risk...

Issue 6, February 8, 2005

• New software will aid in disaster response

  A Seattle-based company and the Pacific Disaster Center plan to provide a new technology for the...

• Acid spill sends 16 to AZ hospitals

  A truck traveling through Phoenix last week leaked more than 110 gallons of hyrdrofluorosilic acid...

• AZ hospital takes the lead in emergency response

  Scottsdale (AZ) Healthcare Osborn Hospital is on its way to becoming a regional leader in emergency...

• Hospital’s propane leak heightens need for open-ended disaster plans

  The incidents you don’t plan for are usually the ones from which you learn the most. Gaylord...

Issue 5, February 1, 2005

• CDC live webcast on nuclear and radiological terrorist response this week

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Public Health Training Network this...

• Radiation scare tests Florida’s response

  A alert indicating high levels of radiation in West Palm Beach, FL, forced the evacuation of...

• Terrorism hoaxes on the rise

  Fake terrorism plots as a means of revenge are becoming a major problem for law enforcement...

• ND hospitals use high-speed data network

  A new high-speed data network connects North Dakota hospitals to each other for patient...

Issue 3, January 25, 2005

• New report questions public health’s bioterrorism preparedness

  The Working Group on Bioterrorism Preparedness released a report last week detailing whether...

• Mobile hospital the next response to terror

  Healthcare officials hope a mobile hospital will be the next great aid in response to terror events...

• Controversy brews over bioterrorism lab proposal

  The University of Washington in Seattle wants to construct a bioterrorism laboratory, but faculty...

• Fuel spill forces 200 people to evacuate

  An overturned fuel tanker truck forced the evacuation of nearly 200 people last week in...

Issue 2, January 13, 2005

• CDC clears up smallpox misconceptions

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released information about smallpox misconceptions...

• National emergency response plan revealed

  Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge unveiled a national emergency response plan last week, the...

• Major hurricanes mar 2004

  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported last week that damage from hurricanes...

• Train crash produces deadly toxic spill

  A deadly train crash in South Carolina last week released toxic vapors forcing residents from their...

Issue 1, January 13, 2005

• CDC announces annual public health conference

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced last week that its annual public...

• Experts fear wasting relief supplies to aid tsunami victims

  Public health experts are closely watching the outpouring of emergency relief supplies to ward off...

• CDC releases information about tsunamis

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released last week information regarding...

• Medical surveillance tracks unusual outbreaks

  Medical records from the Westchester County hospital emergency rooms in New York make their way...

Issue 28, July 12, 2005

• Vietnam to test poultry flock with VIRA 38

  In response to speculation that migrating birds will spread bird flu and ignite a global pandemic...

Issue 1, July 19, 2005

• It's August: Be wary of mosquitoes

  Now that the dog days of summer are upon us, it's important to encourage your patient population to...

• Distribute your emergency management plan to these parties

  After completing an emergency management plan, your facility should distribute that plan to