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CHEMPACK is part of the CDC’s Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) program that provides antidotes for organophosphate poisoning; organophosphates are a group of human-made chemicals that poison insects and mammals. Organophosphate poisoning may occur as a result of nerve agent attacks, agricultural or transportation accidents involving pesticides, or suicide attempts. CHEMPACK assets are prepositioned for immediate use throughout Minnesota at hospital, fire, and EMS host sites. CHEMPACK assets may be used to treat patients or exposed first responders and staff. Since not every location may have a CHEMPACK container on site, assets may be rapidly transported when needed. MDH will release a revised statewide CHEMPACK plan in the fall of 2017 with updated activation and transportation procedures. Host and receiving sites may elect to review and update their internal CHEMPACK plans and training. Check out MN.TRAIN Course ID 1037608 for a quick overview of the CHEMPACK program.
A tabletop exercise with metro region hospital host sites was conducted in May 2017 as part of the plan update process. Another tabletop exercise will be conducted at the quarterly Health Care Coalition meeting in September 2017 to review the latest draft of the plan.
For more information about CHEMPACK plans and training, contact the state Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator, Emily Ward, at emily.ward@state.mn.us.
With a just about six months to go until the kickoff of Super Bowl 52, we wanted to provide our partners with an update on preparedness planning, so here is a quick rundown of the work that is underway for that major sporting event.
Local Public Health staff are leading and MDH is supporting work on the Health and Medical Subcommittee under the Law Enforcement planning effort. Health and Medical is in a branch with weather, fire, EMS, and emergency management. The Health and Medical Branch is made-up of four subcommittees, including:
- Surveillance – The two areas that this subcommittee is focusing on are 1) BioWatch and 2) increased efforts in standard surveillance (e.g., reaching out to hotels). Planning is underway for a significant BioWatch exercise that will be conducted prior to the Super Bowl.
- Medical Surge – This subcommittee is addressing anticipated needs for detox, including finding an alternative space for detox patients as Emergency Rooms are already working with limited detox space. The Medical Surge subcommittee is considering doing an Alternative Care Site exercise during the Super Bowl; the focus of the exercise would be establishing an alternative detox site.
- Consequence Management – This subcommittee is preparing for an event such as a large facility fire, alternative sheltering spaces, mass dispensing, and family reunification and assistance.
- Food Inspections – This subcommittee is looking at how to deal with intentional contamination, training in sex trafficking identification, and will be practicing and exercising their capability to request mutual aid.
Stay tuned for future updates as game day nears!
The migration team, comprised of MDH and local public health members, continues to make progress on working through details to ensure a smooth migration to a new system.
Updates for this quarter: Testing has been underway and is now nearly complete, and we will soon be announcing training for local administrators and message senders. Our goal is to be ready to have local and tribal health and other partners set up their new accounts in September, and then move to using the new system in October. So stay tuned for further updates coming to your way soon.
Don’t forget! We are still sending messages from the old Workspace. Please keep those roles and contact information current so you continue to receive the messages you need. Thanks!
Statewide Air Quality Forecasts and Alerts
Air pollution can harm people who have heart disease, as well as those with lung diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is now issuing daily air quality forecasts and air quality alerts as needed for 17 locations across the state.
If you or people you know are sensitive to air quality, become “air aware” and sign up to receive Air Quality Notifications.
August 9, 2017 or August 17, 2017
Continuity of Operations Planning (Webinar)
MN.TRAIN Course ID 1071768
September 2017
2017 National Preparedness Month
September 27-29, 2017
2017 Community Health Conference
Breezy Point, MN
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