Michigan Dept of Health & Human Services sent this bulletin at 07/29/2024 02:00 PM EDT
The Michigan Update
Bureau of Laboratories presents at national meeting for the Laboratory Response Network
The Bureau of Laboratories (BOL), a Level 1 Laboratory Response Network-Chemical (LRN-C) laboratory, is a national asset that acts as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surge capacity laboratory and a chemical identification support laboratory during emergency response to chemical exposures. The BOL has served in this capacity since the inception of the LRN-C in 2003.
The CDC Laboratory Response Network (LRN) hosted the Spring 2024 LRN-C Technical Meeting April 8-12th in Jacksonville, Florida. Members from the BOL Chemistry and Toxicology and Laboratory Outreach section attended the meeting and to hear speakers from other LRN-C laboratories across the country. The theme of the meeting, Rockin’ Outreach, was a segway for a panel of subject matter experts to present “Train the Trainer- Chemical Threat Outreach” session, given by Jimmy LaPalme (South Carolina), Teresa Miller (Michigan BOL), and Angela Ren (Florida).
Presidential Decision Directive 39 (PDD 39), U.S. Policy on Counterterrorism, was signed on June 21, 1995, by President Clinton. This directive defined the policies regarding the federal response to threats or acts of terrorism involving nuclear, biological, or chemical materials or weapons of mass destruction. “We shall have the ability to respond rapidly and decisively to terrorism directed against us wherever it occurs... ensure that States' response plans are adequate, and their capabilities are tested…and The United States shall give the highest priority to developing effective capabilities to detect, prevent, defeat and manage the consequences of nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) materials or weapons used by terrorists.”
In response to this directive, the CDC, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), formed the Laboratory Response Network or LRN in 1999, with the mission to ensure a local and national asset for laboratory response to a wide range of chemical emergencies and emerging threats. In 2003, federal funding became available to establish the Laboratory Response Network for Chemical Threats, LRN-C, to respond to chemical emergencies. Both the LRN and LRN-C provide collaborative and interconnected analytical testing abilities that enhance the national public health infrastructure and have become valuable resources for our national emergency preparedness capability.
The CDC developed many laboratory test methods for identifying exposures to chemical threat agents listed in the Chemical Weapons Convention. Development of the LRN-C was crucial in order to expand laboratory testing capacity and to provide substantial state and local support for a small- or large-scale response to a chemical release event.
With the support of CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness funding, city, regional, and state public health laboratories ensures national laboratory preparedness and provides readiness and expertise for local public health programs.
News & Articles
Share these health and safety tips for mass events like the 2024 Summer Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympics takes place in Paris, France, from July 26-August 11. The Paralympic Games are scheduled for August 28-September 8. Large crowds are expected at these events, and mass gatherings are associated with unique health risks. If you plan to travel to Paris for these events, visit a health care specialist at least 4-6 weeks before you go to make sure you are up to date on routine and recommended vaccines. Monitor travel warnings and alerts from the U.S. Department of State and consider signing up for the Smart Travelers Enrollment Program.
Four health and safety tips for any mass gathering
There is strength in numbers – both in public health and in public safety. The more people who take action to protect themselves, the better prepared a community is for an emergency.
Communities take different forms. At a mass gathering like the Olympics, or in a public place like the airport, the community includes people you do not know, but whose actions could help prevent a catastrophe or save your life. Here are four things you can do to prepare yourself and protect others when traveling to, and attending, a mass gathering event.
Public health and safety are the shared responsibilities of the whole community. Everyone has to play their part to keep our neighborhoods, communities, and the nation safe.
1. If you see something, say something.
“If You See Something, Say Something®” is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s national campaign that raises public awareness of the indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime, as well as the importance of reporting suspicious activity to state and local law enforcement. In other words, if you see something you know should not be there or observe behavior that does not seem quite right, say something.
The “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign encourages people to follow their intuition and report suspicious activity, but leave it to law enforcement to decide whether an observed activity or behavior merits investigation. To report suspicious activity, contact local law enforcement, and provide detailed information:
And as always, if there is an emergency, call 9–1–1.
2. Know about where you are going before you go.
Think back to the last time you planned a vacation or weekend getaway, and how much time you spent shopping for airfare and comparing hotel rates. Not surprisingly, most people invest much less effort into gathering safety information about their final destination—and all points in between—before they get there.
Do your homework. Research the seasonal health and natural hazards. Monitor the local forecast up until the day you leave, and pack accordingly. Check for S. Department of State travel warnings and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel health notices if traveling overseas.
Be informed. Create a Twitter List for your trip that includes local public health, emergency management, and law enforcement agencies. Add the phone number for local law enforcement to your phone.
Share the details of your trip. Identify an emergency contact and make sure they have the itinerary for your trip, including your airplane and hotel reservations.
Identify an emergency meeting place. Wherever you go—the airport, the hotel, the stadium, etc. — make sure everyone in your group knows where to meet in case you get separated in an emergency.
3. Create a travel-size emergency kit.
Emergency kits come in all shapes and sizes from large 72-hour family supply kits to smaller “go kits” for use in an evacuation. CDC recommends that anyone who travels—from daily commuters to world business travelers—also prepare a travel health kit that includes:
First-aid supplies, including a first aid reference card, bandages, antiseptic, aloe, and a thermometer.
Important papers, including hardcopies of passports, medical insurance cards, and prescriptions.
Personal needs, including prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines for diarrhea, allergies, asthma, motion sickness.
Items specific to your destination, the time of year, and your planned activities, including water purification tablets, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
4. Wash your hands.
When many people are gathered in one place, germs that are highly contagious, like influenza and norovirus, can easily spread person-to-person and on shared surfaces like airplane tray tables, restaurant menus, and restroom door handles. As a result, you or a loved one may bring home more than a lousy t-shirt to your friends and family.
Washing your hands with soap and water is one of (if not the) BEST ways to protect yourself from getting sick. Follow these five steps to wash your hands the right way every time.
Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
Dry your hands using a clean towel or air-dry them.
In addition to washing your hands and avoiding close contact with people who are sick, the single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year by the end of October, if possible.
2024-2025 COVID-19 and flu vaccine recommendations
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This updated vaccine is formulated to protect against the currently circulating variants of COVID-19. It aims to protect individuals from potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 illness during the fall and winter seasons.
The updated 2024-2025 flu vaccine will be trivalent and will protect against an H1N1, H3N2 and a B/Victoria lineage virus. The composition of this season’s vaccine compared to last has been updated with a new influenza A(H3N2) virus.
CDC launched new web portal on Emergency Preparedness and Disability Inclusion
CDC recently launched a new Emergency Preparedness and Disability Inclusion web portal dedicated to disability inclusion in emergency preparedness and response efforts. Developed in collaboration with partners and members of the disability community, this web portal serves as a resource hub on all-hazards preparedness to support people with disabilities. This information can help people with disabilities consider steps they can take to plan ahead for emergencies and know what to do if an emergency happens in their communities. Public health emergencies can disproportionately impact people with disabilities, making it essential to address information gaps and improve disability inclusion in community preparedness efforts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued their 2023 FEMA Resilience Year in Review report. The key initiatives are promoting equity, expanding clime resilience programs, and improving community readiness.
Understanding future climate conditions in cities and towns across the United States is necessary to prepare for future climate realities. To address this requirement, ClimRR (Climate Risk and Resilience Portal) empowers individuals, governments, and organizations to examine simulated future climate conditions at mid- and end-of-century for a range of climate perils. ClimRR was developed by the Center for Climate Resilience and Decision Science (CCRDS) at Argonne National Laboratory in collaboration with AT&T and the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Registration is now open for the MDHHS Emergency Response Volunteer Conference on Tuesday, August 27 at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing. Funding for this conference was made possible by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Medical Reserve Corps – State, Territorial, and Tribal Nation representative organizations for next generation (MRC-STTRONG) cooperative agreement.
This conference is free, in-person only, and attendance will be limited to 300 participants.
This recorded training is the first in a series and will provide an overview of Health in All Policies (HiAP) and walk participants through case studies from a city health department. Participants will learn strategies for implementing HiAP and incorporating equity into the discussion as a necessary component of HiAP work. This training includes a mix of didactic presentation, case study presentations, and reflection activities.
1.5 CHES Category I CECH
Up to 1.5 CPH Recertification Credits
Free to enroll. CE and a certificate of completion available for $6.
This recorded training is the second in a series and will provide additional examples of Health in All Policies (HiAP) work being implemented on a local level. In this second and final session, participants will learn about HiAP through a “big P” and “little p” policy lens and resources for implementing HiAP into their work.
1.0 CHES Category I CECH
Up to 1.0 CPH Recertification Credits
Free to enroll. CE and a certificate of completion available for $3.
The annual Rural and Ready Symposium will be held October 23 and 24 at the Bay Mills Resort and Casino in Brimley, Michigan. EMS, Nursing, Firefighter & Social Work CEU’s are pending.
The Guardian of Public Health is a monthly newsletter from the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, EMS and Systems of Care (BEPESoC), within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The Guardian aims to provide readers with relevant content on topics that affect the public health of Michigan's citizens and communities.
This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement number 1NU90TP922062-01-00, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.
Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, EMS and Systems of Care | 1001 Terminal Rd, Lansing, MI 48906 | 517-335-8150
