New training video helps local business prepare for pandemic flu

[Guest guest]

Business not as usual: New video helps local businesses and agencies

prepare for pandemic flu February 5, 2008

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Pandemic flu may be out of the headlines,

but a new video will help businesses, government agencies and

community-based organizations prepare for the ongoing threat of what

could be a catastrophic, world-wide event.

Public Health – Seattle & King County has launched " Business Not As

Usual: Preparing for Pandemic Flu, " a 20-minute training video to help

advance local preparedness efforts.

The video is available on-line now at

www.metrokc.gov/health/pandemicflu/video. A free DVD can also be

ordered, which includes helpful planning materials.

" It's essential that businesses, government and social service

agencies can continue to provide critical services to the public

during a severe pandemic flu, which will last for months, " said King

County Executive Ron Sims. " We developed this video to inspire and

support local businesses and organizations in their preparations. "

Created to assist workplace leaders and staff in their pandemic flu

planning efforts, the video describes the threat of pandemic flu and

what life might look like during an outbreak. It also shows the

benefits of being ready, and provides practical tips for creating a plan.

" Buildings are left standing, and the roads remain open, but the

health impacts of a severe pandemic flu will be felt throughout our

community, " said Dr. Fleming, Director and Health Officer for

Public Health - Seattle & King County. " Everyone will need to change

how we do business when a pandemic flu comes, so it's important that

everyone prepares now. "

The video profiles community leaders who share their experience in

preparedness. The cast includes local leaders from Washington Mutual,

Food Lifeline, Puget Sound Energy, Harborview Medical Center, Chinese

Information and Service Center and the Seattle Fire Department. King

County Executive Ron Sims and Public Health experts also offer their

knowledge and experience in disaster preparation.

" At Food Lifeline, we've been working hard to create sound plans to

prepare our staff and organization to respond effectively in times of

disaster, " said Nagoette, President & CEO. " Whether the

challenges we face are weather related or stem from pandemic flu, it's

our responsibility as a service provider to be ready – both at home,

and at work. "

" We here at WaMu take pandemic flu preparedness seriously. We

understand the impact of disaster on our operations goes well beyond

just our people and our business; the broad communities we serve would

be hard hit as well, " said Annie Searle, Senior Vice President of

Enterprise Risk Services at Washington Mutual. " This video is an

important tool to help all our communities become better prepared. "

A pandemic flu is a new influenza virus that could be a much more

serious flu virus than seen in a typical flu season. Different from

the typical, seasonal strains of flu, humans would have no or little

natural resistance to a new strain of influenza.

Once a pandemic virus develops, it can spread rapidly causing

outbreaks around the world. The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) predicts that as much as 25% to 30% of the United

States population could be affected. In King County alone, a severe

pandemic flu could make 540,000 people ill, 270,000 would need

outpatient care, over 59,000 would need hospitalization, and 11,500

could die in the first six weeks of an outbreak.

For more information on pandemic flu, visit the Public Health Web site

www.metrokc.gov/health/pandemicflu

http://www.metrokc.gov/health/news/08020501.htm

Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention

services for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County,

Public Health – Seattle & King County