US Not Prepared To Respond to Major Emergency

[Guest guest]

A survey of state health departments finds substantial gaps in preparedness for

response to a major radiation emergency event, according to a report posted

online today by Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, a journal

published by the American Medical Association. This article as well as all of

the articles in the special issue, Nuclear Preparedness, is open access and can

be viewed at Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness journal's website

" Attention on public health preparedness has increased since the September 11,

2001, terrorist attacks on New York City's World Trade Center and other sites, "

according to background information in the article. " In recent years,

preparedness planning has expanded to an all-hazards approach that includes

readiness to respond not only to terrorism but also to releases from

unintentional technological incidents, natural disasters, and outbreaks of human

diseases. " Emergency preparedness guidance related to radiation release

incidents (both intentional and unintentional) has come from a collaborative

group of state, county, municipal and federal organizations called the National

Alliance for Radiation Readiness (NARR). As part of the NARR activities, the

Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) reassessed the status of

radiation preparedness planning and response capabilities at the state health

department level in 2010 through a survey. An original assessment was conducted

in 2003.

" Thirty-eight (76 percent) state health departments responded to the survey,

including 26 or the 31 states with nuclear power plants. Specific strengths

noted at the state level included that the majority of states had a written

radiation response plan and most plans include a detailed section for

communication issues during a radiation emergency, " the authors report. Most

states had completed little to no planning for public health surveillance to

assess potential human health impacts of a radiation event. " Few reported having

sufficient resources to do public health surveillance, radiation exposure

assessment, laboratory functions and other capabilities. "

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219208.php

FYI,

Lottie Duthu