Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program:  HRSA Work Plan

Priority Area 6: Terrorism Preparedness Exercises

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• Critical Benchmark 6
  • Strategies
  • Tasks
  • #time
  • Responsible parties
  • Evaluation
     

Summary of Priority Area 6

Currently, Washington State’s hospitals are completing their bioterrorism response plans. These plans are being coordinated with local and regional public health response plans in order to ensure a fully integrated approach to responding to an act of bioterrorism or other public health emergency.  During the grant period, each local and regional public health jurisdiction will be conducting a tabletop, functional, or full-scale exercise to test and validate their plans.  Hospitals will be key players in each of these exercises. 

Washington State will also conduct a large-scale regional bioterrorism exercise that will test all major components of the public health and medical emergency response system.  Players will include, among others, state, regional, and local public health, emergency management, and pre-hospital systems, as well as hospitals.  Also invited to participate will be the tribes, Red Cross, and Federal government (including the Dept of Homeland Security, CDC, HHS).  As the geography region selected for this exercise permits, we will invite neighboring states and/or Canada to participate. 

These exercises will be evaluated through a series of after action reviews.  Results will be documented and used to identify deficiencies in existing plans as well as to identify areas where training needs to be strengthened. 

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Critical Benchmark 6

As part of a written evaluation of the awardee’s program, conduct at least one bioterrorism disaster exercise in the jurisdiction in FY 2003 that covers a large-scale epidemic scenario affecting both adults and children.   

Strategies:  What overarching approach (es) will be used to undertake this activity?
The State Department of Health and each regional and local health jurisdiction, with the players listed above, will conduct a tabletop, functional or full-scale exercise of their plans during the grant period to demonstrate proficiency and preparedness in responding to bioterrorism, other infectious disease outbreaks, or other public health threats and emergencies. Testing of the approved regional hospital plans will be an integral component of these exercises.  Additionally, in conjunction with its local partners, including hospitals, the State will conduct a major regional, full-scale bioterrorism exercise testing all major components of the public health and medical emergency response system.   

Tasks:  What key tasks will be conducted in carrying out each identified strategy?

1. Each local health jurisdiction will conduct a tabletop or functional exercise of their plan during the grant period.  Exercise results will be used to validate and update   each plan. 
2. Each regional health jurisdiction will conduct a tabletop or functional exercise of their plan during the grant period.  Exercise results will be used to validate and update each regional plan.
3. A full-scale bioterrorism exercise will be conducted involving State, regional, and local public health organizations and hospitals to validate our plans and determine our level of preparedness. The federal government, affected Indian tribes, and as appropriate neighboring states and Canada will be invited to participate. The exercise scenario will include deployment of the Strategic National Stockpile.   

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Timeline:  What are the critical milestones and completion dates for each task? 
Please see Appendix E, “HBPP FY 03 Workplan Timelines”. 

Responsible Parties:  Identify the person(s) and/or entity assigned to complete each task.

1. Thirty four local health jurisdictions across the state

2. Nine regional health jurisdictions

3. Washington State Dept of Health (overall coordination) local and regional EMSTCCs, hospitals, community health centers, tribal public health and homeland security agencies 

Evaluation Metric:  How will the agency determine progress toward Washington State successful completion of the overall recipient activity?

1. Exercise all local plans and validate and update based on exercise results

2. Exercise all regional plans and validate and update based on exercise results

3. Completion of exercise and utilization of lessons learned to identify areas needing  improvement and update of emergency response plans. 

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